#disneyquotechallenge

It was more than the way he looked at you, though, or didn’t look at you. You heard the whispers within the team. You weren’t the only one who noticed Steve’s behavior towards you. Tony, Bucky, and Natasha were glued to the two of you like they were watching some overly dramatized reality show.

But, hearing it from his lips hurt more than you expected.

You wandered through the halls,  intent on stopping to grab a snack in the kitchen, and maybe see if Clint was up for a movie night. You were coming to the end of your heat, and after three days of being cooped up, you were finally able to leave your room without the fear of disrupting the rest of the Alphas on the team. You were about to round the corner when you stumbled upon Steve and Tony having what looked to be a tense chat.

Not that it was unusual for them, the topic, however, piqued your interest.

“I’m telling you I can’t be around her right now,” your feet froze, keeping you firmly planted to the ground as you peered around the corner to find Steve standing before Tony, arms crossed over Steve's chest and that lovely scowl on his face; the one you were sure he saved just for you.

“You’ve been around an Omega in heat before, Capscicle. I don’t see the problem.”

“I’m not talking about other Omegas! I can’t be around her,” Steve growled, sending a shiver through you. The bitter edge in his growl was enough to cause you to slink back and hide behind the wall.

Clearly, Steve didn't want to see you, and you weren't about to go out there now. Not while he was making sure Tony and anyone else within earshot knew just how he felt about you and, well, you got the message loud and clear.

Tony’s sharp whistle hit your ears, and you risked a quick glance back at the two Alphas; Tony grinned at the taller Alpha and shook his head, “You’ve got to get over her being here.”

“I can’t,” Steve snapped. “I can barely stand to be in the same room as her.”

Oh, because you're so great to be around all the time, you thought. You couldn’t keep listening to how much Steve couldn’t stand the thought of being near you. It was too much. Movie night forgotten, you tiptoed back to your room and locked the door behind you.

If he didn’t want to be around you, he wouldn't have to. You were teammates, not friends, and he made that quite clear tonight.  

“Cap, I know things were different in the ’40s, but nowadays, when you find your mate, you don’t avoid them. Maybe flirt a little. Tell her she smells yummy. She’s got that sweet flowery scent, right?” 

Steve’s eyes flashed red as a warning. “Yes, she’s... roses and vanilla.” 

Tony grinned and continued on, “Throw her a few rumbles. I doubt she will turn you away. You should see the way she looks at you.”

“Because I look like this?” 

Steve waved his hands down, gesturing at his large and very muscular frame before quickly dropping his gaze from Tony’s. Tony finally understood why Steve was going to such great lengths to avoid the Omega. Steve liked you. He wanted you more than Tony grasped from first glance, and Steve was worried you would only see him as Captain America -- as that Alpha, not as Steve.

“I’m not gonna lie. You’re a delicious slice of beefcake. Don’t tell anyone else I said that, but no, that’s not why. Y/n is your mate. Not Captain America’s mate. Steve Roger’s mate,” Tony patted his shoulder and made his way towards the elevator. 

“Don’t be an idiot. Just spend some time with her without all the pressure. You’ll be fine.”

---------------------

“Who the hell buys a stove like this?” You grumbled quietly as your eyes roamed over the twenty or so buttons on the newfangled stove Tony had put in the kitchen. All you wanted to do was make a sandwich and slink off back to your room before tall, blond, and grumpy got a hold of you and drained every ounce of joy from your day. You twisted a knob that resembled something close to what would turn on a conventional burner, but it didn’t help. The large appliance just beeped loudly, and all the lights slowly faded to black.

“What the hell?” You groaned and let your head fall against the cupboard in front of you. 

You were never going to eat at this rate. It would be takeout for the rest of your life!  A deep chuckle filled the air behind you, and you spun around to find Steve standing there, smirking at you and looking utterly adorable. 

Why couldn’t you hate him back? It would make things so much easier if you could hate him as much as he hated you.

“Need help?” Steve asked you, shaky and unsure as if he was worried you would yell at him merely for asking. That was so unlike the way Steve usually acted around you. 

“Um, I guess? I don’t really get this stupid stove. The knobs say nothing. How are you supposed to know which is which or what is low heat, and what is high heat? Why couldn’t Tony just buy a normal stove? One that isn’t so difficult to turn on.”

“You’re asking me why Tony does the things he does?”

You chuckled and gave a light shrug in response.

Steve walked up behind you and rested his arms on the counter surrounding the stove, leaning in to rumble softly in your ear, “You could have asked FRIDAY to turn it on for you. Do you want me to show you how to work it, or I can make it for you if you would like?”

You closed your eyes and started to sink back against his chest. That heady scent of amber and cedarwood set your skin on fire and left your head spinning. You didn’t want him to make you anything, or maybe you did. You’re not so sure what you want from him anymore. It was confusing with him standing so close and talking to you in that voice.

“Um, you can m--make it,” you whispered, earning a pleased hum from the Alpha behind you, and you quickly realized you were standing far too close, but, oh, you wished you could hear him make that noise again. You peeked back over your shoulder, no longer leaning into his warmth. Steve’s eyes had gone dark but were unreadable. He was probably thinking how incredibly incompetent you were if you couldn’t even work a stove.

No doubt, this will be added to his list of reasons to hate you.

‘If you don’t mind,” you added quickly.

“I don’t mind at all, Y/n. Go sit down, and I’ll make it,” Steve assured you and ushered you towards the stools behind the two of you. He truly didn’t mind. Steve wanted to take care of you in any way you would let him. The Alpha in him had been screaming at him to do so for months. If the only way to take care of you was making your lunch, then he was more than happy to do so.

Steve’s eyes raked over all the ingredients you had laid out on the counter and turned back to you with his brow raised, glowing smile on his face and asked, “Grilled cheese? Really?”

Was he... teasing you? Interesting.

“Grown-ups can eat grilled cheese, Steve. Don’t give me that look. I’m even using Tony’s fancy cheese. It basically becomes a four-star meal if you add expensive cheese.” 

Steve snorted and turned back around towards the stove.  You tried to watch what he was doing so you wouldn’t have to ask for help next time, but your mind was too busy trying to catch your racing thoughts. What could you have possibly done in the last few days to make things less frigid between you?

Maybe Natasha had been right this whole time; Steve never really hated you.

“When is the last time you ate something healthy?”

You wanted to roll your eyes at the Alpha’s question, but you couldn’t help the smile that split your face in two, “Not sure. Sometimes I can convince Clint to get a supreme pizza, and I get Beef and Broccoli when we all order Chinese.”

Steve turned back to look at you, lips pressed into a thin line looking thoroughly unimpressed despite the humor dancing in his eyes.

“Not exactly what I meant, Y/n.”

“They are never going to figure this out,” Bucky griped from his spot on the couch, glancing down at the red-head who had her legs thrown over his lap and was purring sweetly every time Bucky ran his fingers over the exposed skin below her shorts.

“I tried to talk sense into him, but he’s not listening,” Tony added as he watched the two of you dance around each other in the kitchen. “Not that anyone is surprised by that.”

“Tasha,” Bucky kissed the back of her hand softly, “Omega, I think you and I need to nudge them a bit, ya?” Natasha smirked and returned a kiss to her Alpha’s cheek.

“Sweet that you want to help. I don’t think our meddling will do anything to help, but we could try, I suppose.” 

She climbed off the couch and sauntered towards the kitchen, gracefully sliding onto the stool next to you. She stayed quiet as she watched you subtly court each other, neither discerning what the other was doing.  Steve set your plate down, and there were several pieces of sliced apple occupying the space next to your deliciously buttery grilled cheese. Your nose crinkled at the sight of the addition to your meal, making the Alpha chuckle.

“Things between the two of you seem less… frosty,” Nat whispered, watching Steve wash the frying pan he used to make your lunch.

You shrugged as you pushed your food around your plate, the food that Steve made for you, “I guess. He’s not so bad. He might even be a little funny, and maybe he doesn’t hate me like I thought.”

“Who would have guessed? I’ve been telling you that for months,”  Natasha was quick to remind you.

You glanced up, catching Steve’s eye for a fleeting moment and quickly dropped your eyes back to your plate, just in time to miss the amused smile tugging at his lips.

---------------------

Lunch with Steve had become a regular thing.

So did the fresh pink roses in your room. They appeared every few days, and you couldn’t help but grin when you saw them. Somehow Steve was always around when you wanted lunch. You would find your way to the kitchen where Steve would be waiting on you,  and he would fix you both something to eat while you talked. Sometimes the conversation flowed, and other times it was awkward and stilted. You were just starting to get to know each other under these new terms, so some problematic conversation was expected. There were times you felt like Steve was holding something back, and couldn’t put your finger on what it was. Uncomfortable tension or not, he never stopped trying to get you to eat something that resembled healthy food.

Usually, it would bother you to have an Alpha waiting on you like that, but the pleased scent rolling off Steve made it not so bad.

It had been a week since you’ve had lunch with Steve, and there were no roses mysteriously placed in your room. A full seven days without seeing that dopey smile, he got on his face when you walked into the kitchen, and it was starting to weigh heavily on you. You snapped at Natasha one too many times, and she had finally had enough. She told you to get dressed and meet her in the gym. You assumed she wanted to help you work out your aggression. But you wouldn’t put it past Natasha if she was planning on kicking your ass for snapping at her.

By the time you made it down to the gym, you were still unsure which to expect.

Probably the ass-kicking.

You took two steps into the gym and froze at the soft notes of amber that hit your nose. You looked around the nearly empty room and paused when your eyes landed on Steve, shirtless and pounding away at the heavy bags Tony designed to withstand a super soldier or two. You didn’t know he was back, but maybe Steve wanted it that way. You attempted to quietly tiptoe out of the gym without Steve noticing you, but you smacked into the wall behind dropping your metal water bottle to the floor with a resounding clang.

Steve slowly turned around, letting the bag still on its own and smiled at the sight of you. Not that Steve didn’t know it was you standing behind him before he laid eyes on you. He’s mesmerized your scent, and even through your blockers, he can still catch notes of rose and vanilla hanging in the air of every floor of the compound; he loved it and hated it.

“Sorry. I didn’t know you were in here or even back home. I was looking for Nat. She said to meet her here to train for a bit, but I’m guessing she’s not here since you’re in here. Not that you being here is the reason she’s not in here! I just meant I didn’t see her, and I am guessing you wouldn’t be working out with a shirt on if someone was in here with you.”

Steve glanced down and his bare chest chuckling as you continued to ramble, “Or maybe you would. I don’t know what you do. You can do whatever you want, whenever you want, and you can wear whatever you want to work out. Although, I guess not whatever you want. Probably should wear pants. Not that I’m thinking about you without your pants!”

You closed your eyes, hoping one or both of you would disappear so you wouldn’t have to face him after that embarrassing attempt at socializing. The only bright side to the moment, Tony wasn’t around to witness this disaster and use it tease you for the rest of your life.

“I could help you train. Since Nat seems to be missing in action, but only if you want.”

You opened your eyes, and sure enough, there he was. Steve was still standing there looking thoroughly cute and offering to help you after you made a total fool of yourself. You pulled your lips between your teeth, gnawing nervously as you watched him for a moment. There was no way you could train when he looked like that. His charming smile was enough to distract you but add in the chiseled abs? No way you would survive.

“Okay, but you have to put a shirt on,” You motioned to his bare chest. “I can’t focus around you, to begin with, and that’s all very distracting.”

Steve preened and grabbed the shirt he had tossed to the floor a few hours ago. He gave up on the shirt once he started punching; Bucky had irritated him more than he realized it seemed. A moment of worry flashed through his head. Maybe he was right all along. You didn’t see the man he was under all... this. Steve pulled the dark grey shirt over his head and brushed his hair out of his eyes, meeting yours, and he knew he was acting foolish.

God help him, Tony was right.

“Better?”

The dumb shirt that you insisted Steve put on was slightly wet and clinging to his well-defined chest. No, it was not better. In fact, adding more clothes was somehow worse? It made him look like sweet, caring Alpha you meet every day around lunchtime, and the soft look in his eyes had you forgetting all about what was under that incredibly thin shirt. How were you supposed to focus when he was looking at you like that?

“I guess,” you squeaked.

He grinned, “Ready, agent?”

“What are you guys looking at?” Sam peeked his head over their shoulders, staring at the bright blue live feed of the gym. “Since when are Steve and Y/n training together?”

“I can’t believe it’s finally happening,” Natasha mumbled. “I never thought they would come together on their own.”

“I guess we should have locked them in the gym months ago,” Tony snickered.

“What’s happening? Man, What are you three going on about?”

Bucky draped his arm over Natasha’s shoulder and pulled her towards their bedroom, leaving Sam confused and staring at the floating screen before him.

“Nothing, Sammy. I’ll tell you about it when you’re older.”

“When I’m older?” Sam shouted after the dark-haired Alpha. “Buck, I swear-- get back here so I can beat your ass old man!”

Steve, had you secured to the floor under him and smirked at how easily you were distracted by a few sweet words, “Thought you’ve been training with Natasha for a few months now? That’s all you got?”

You growled, and the scent of a pleased Alpha filled the gym, making your heart flutter. You quickly shook it off and batted your lashes, drawing your bottom lip between your teeth. Steve’s brows shot up, and you slowly lifted your head towards his. He went completely still as the grip on your hands loosened, and his focus was lost somewhere in your pretty lips and intoxicating scent.

Within seconds you had your legs wrapped around his tiny waist and had him flipped and pinned under you before he had a chance to react. You grinned down the Alpha, hands pressed firmly against this chest.

“Don’t you train with Bucky? Is that all you got, Cap?” you taunted back.

Steve grinned.

You’ve never seen him grin at you like that. He slowly sat up, not even phased by the so-called hold you had on his chest. Steve wrapped his arms around your waist and secured you in his lap, leaving you nose to nose and breathless from the thick scent of cedarwood surrounding you.

“What would everyone say if they knew Captain American could be brought down by an Omega batting her lashes at you?”

Steve chuckled, but his eyes were earnest as he corrected you, “Not Captain American, Just Steve and not any Omega. Only you.”

Your fingers slipped into his hair, attempting to still their tremble and steady the frantic beats of your heart.

“Only me?” you whispered.

Steve hummed in response and tightened his hold on your waist.

“I think I like that. I prefer ‘just Steve’ anyway.” Steve’s smile faltered for a second and then spread into a wide grin. He’s been an idiot not to see what was right in front of him all this time. 

“I’m sorry I didn’t tell you I was back I was trying to find the right way to tell -- Buck was a pain the entire mission. I needed a minute to cool down before I came to find you.”

“You wanted to find me?” You asked brows pinched at the thought.

“I’ve wanted to ask you something since we first met, but I wasn’t sure I should...” The confident Alpha seemed to fade away, and when he spoke, his voice stuttered with uncertainty, “Do you-- would you want to get lunch? With me, I mean. Outside of the compound. Away from all the other--”

“Alphas?”

Steve growled and pulled you closer to him, a gentle, teasing smile playing on his lips. You smirked and slowly wiggled yourself free of his arms, much to Steve’s dismay, and sauntered towards the door. Stopping to grab the water bottle you dropped by the entrance, you peered over your shoulder where you left Steve. 

“I can be ready in twenty. Meet you outside?”

“Now?!”

“Better hop to, soldier,” you purred softly.

“Once upon a time.” You say, as you rock your son Teddy. “There was a-.”

“Soldier and a Knight!” Your other son James interrupts.

“I thought I was telling this story.” You chuckle.

“I wanna tell it!” James says, scrambling onto your lap.

“Be careful.” You say.

“I know.” James huffs, rolling his eyes. “Teddy’s small and we need’ta be careful with him.”

“That’s right.” You say, smiling. “Now would you like to finish the story?”

“Uh-huh.” James says, nodding. “The Soldier and the Knight became best friend. They fought side by side and one day they met a sorceress who could move things with their mind and then they all lived happily ever after!”

“You left a few things out, Bud.” Steve says as he walks into your sons bedroom.

“I know!” James says. “But it’s past Teddy’s bedtime.”

“Oh is it now?” You ask, laughing a little.

“Yep!” James says nodding. “He’s smaller than me, so he’s gotta go ta sleep before me!”

“Oh is that the rule now?” Tony says, walking in.

“Duh.” James says, as Tony lifts him up.

“Hey watch the sass.” Tony says as he gently tosses a giggling James up into the air before catching him.

“’t’s not sass, Daddy!” James giggles.

“Come on my little sass monster, it’s time to get ready for bed.” Steve says, taking James out of Tony’s arms.

“But Papa, you and Daddy just got home.” James whines.

“I know, but we can play all day tomorrow.” Steve promises.

“All day?” James asks, eyes narrowing.

“All day.” Steve says.

“Ok.” James says nodding. “Goodnight, Mommy.”

“Goodnight, sweetie.” You say, smiling at your oldest son.

****

“So, how was bowling?” You ask, crossing your arms over your chest.

“The team misses you.” Steve says, and you scoff.

“Well I don’t miss them and neither should the two of you!”

“Y/N.” Tony sighs. “We’ve talked about this.”

“No! The two of you told me that you were going to be doing this-this shit again, you never asked what I thought!”

“Shit? We’re saving lives!” Steve argues.

“You’re breaking the law.” You say. “You’re risking our family to dress up and relive your glory days.”

“We’re being brave. Maybe you should try it sometime.” Steve says.

“I’m only brave when I have to be. Being brave doesn’t mean you go looking for trouble. Which is exactly what the two of you are doing.”

“We’re being heroes, you used to understand-” Steve starts.

“We used to be kids with nothing to lose. Now we have a family, a life-.”

“But this isn’t our life.” Tony says, finally speaking. “We should be living at Avengers mansion, or the tower- not in the suburbs!”

“I like it here!” You say. “I-I like our boring little life, its safe.”

“And what if aliens invade again? Or if-.”

“Then the army will handle it.” You say.

“Right, because they did such a good job the first time.” Steve scoffs.

“The two of you are risking everything!” You yell. “What about the kids?”

“We’re doing this for the kids, to make their world a safer place!”

“Even if that means the two of you aren’t in it?” You whisper.

“Y/N.” They both whisper, taking a step towards you.

“Do I need to remind the two of you how many friends we lost doing exactly what you’re doing now?” You ask.

“Nothing bad is going to happen to us.” Steve murmurs, pulling you into a hug.

“You can’t promise that.” You sob, clinging to Steve. “I can’t lose the two of you.”

“You won’t.” Tony says, joining the hug. “We’ll take a step back.”

“Only go out for the big stuff.” Steve agrees, nodding.

“Thank you.” You whisper and after a minute of silence you add, “So, how’s everybody actually doing?”

“They really do miss you.” Tony says. “After all, you were the best of the best.”

“Damn right.” You say smiling.

“You really don’t miss it?” Steve asks, pulling you onto the bed.

“Sometimes I do.” You answer after thinking about it for a minute. “But then I think about this wonderful family we built and-well we never would have had this if we had stayed in that life.”

“So what you’re saying is this is our happily ever after?” Tony says, plopping down next to you.

Sitting in his seat, Steve stared off into nothingness, his eyes glazed over as his elbows rested upon his knees and his heels tapped impatiently against the floor. Never had a trip back to headquarters felt so long, it was as if he had been in flight for days. And still... he thought of you. Where you alive and grieving for those you lost? The very idea of you alone and upset, missing the ones you love, sent his heels tapping harder and faster against the floor. Or were you a pile of dust upon the ground, waiting to be swept away as if you never existed? Either scenario sent a pain through his chest, a hollow kind of pain, which he couldn’t describe, yet he barely knew you, so why were you at the centre of his every thought?

Just yesterday you were nothing more than the beautiful girl who greeted him from your desk each and every time he walked by. The sweet girl he would stand and chat with whenever he saw you sitting alone in the lunch room, slowly sipping your morning coffee. The kind girl who found time to offer a hand to those around you, helping them with the most stunning smile gracing your lips. And the clever girl he would catch himself gazing at, his eyes full of affection as you bit down on your bottom lip, whenever you were deep in concentration.

Steve had supposed on more than one occasion, if he had not already found his one and only love in Peggy, then maybe he could have imagined himself with you. Though, every time he imagined for a moment too long he found himself shaking the thought from his head, unwilling to believe he could or should deserve another chance at a love like that. Nevertheless, this time he was unable to shake those thoughts away, he imagined finding you safe and well, taking you in his arms, to feel your heart beating steadily against his chest and to smell the sweet scent of your beautiful (HC) hair. Shaking his head, Steve sighed, feeling regret burn away in his chest, why had he never given himself a chance to love again? Why did it take this heartbreaking and monopolizing catastrophe to realise that just maybe, he deserved another chance at happiness? And why had he not realised he wanted that other chance to be you.

Unfortunately, news from headquarters had been scant and the few people who remained had not seen or heard from you, the knowledge bringing a weight to his chest which he did not expect. Looking across to Natasha, she gave him a small yet sombre smile before looking out the window, her voice sounding heavy as she spoke, “We’re here... Do you need her address?”

A little surprised, he waited for her gaze to return to hers, “Who’s address?”

Natasha inhaled deeply, her expression tired yet knowing as she replied, “(YN)’s.” Steve fell silent and bit his bottom lip, had he really been that obvious? Speaking again, she elaborated, “I heard you asking Mike about her on the phone before.” Then giving him another sad smile, she added, “I can’t say I’m surprised though, everyone knew you had a thing for her, well... more than just a thing.” Turning her head back towards the window, she inhaled deeply, her voice distant, yet full of honesty, “I hope she’s okay... She’s a sweet woman.”

Steve found the remaining steps to your front door difficult, every rap of his shoes upon the concrete path, had his breath growing tight in his chest. You still weren’t answering your phone, it went straight to message bank where the sweet sound of your voice would greet him, leaving him praying that you had simply turned it off, rather than the distressing thought that maybe you weren’t around to charge it. Reaching the door, he stood there a moment with his hand wrapped around the heavy metal knocker, taking a deep breath to calm his racing heart. Then wasting no more time he quickly tapped three times against the large wooden door. At first, there was nothing, just a long lonely silence as Steve felt his chest growing tighter. Impatient, he peered through the glass beside the door, his eyes meeting with nothing but a long and empty dark hallway. Lifting the knocker, he wrapped against the door again, this time a little harder and faster, his nerves getting the better of him. And still there was silence... until a few moments later a dim, muted light travelled down towards the door, filtering out from a room at the end of the hallway.

From the room came a figure shrouded in shadows as it moved slowly and listlessly up the hall. Steve tried to wait patiently, unable to clearly see the face that moved towards him, his head a highway of emotions as the figure reached across to turn the porch light on. No sooner had the light illuminated his features, did he hear frantic fingers fumble with the lock and chain, seeing the door swing open to reveal you. There you stood looking a complete a mess. Your eyes were red and bloodshot, your cheeks were shiny from tears, and your hair looked like it hadn’t seen a brush in weeks, but you were breathing and he could not imagine a more beautiful or perfect sight. Pure elation and relief washed over him, watching as your weary and distressed features lightened a little, filling with just a hint of confusion at his reaction.

“Steve?” Your voice was quiet, your eyes disbelieving, looking as if you thought you were caught in a dream.

Clearing his throat, he stood there a little awkwardly, finding it difficult to hide the emotion in his voice, “I wanted to make sure you were okay... we’ve been... I’ve been trying to contact you.”

Looking up into Steve's gentle eyes, you saw nothing but concern and relief, causing you to inhale sharply at the sight. Unable to stop the tears from gathering at the corners of your eyes you exhaled a shaky breath, biting down on your lip in a struggle to keep the tears from rolling down your cheek. ‘Why on earth was he concerned about you when surely there were so many others he had lost?’ Without even thinking, your exhausted and grieving mind spoke its unprocessed thoughts, “Why?”

Shuffling on his feet, Steve’s gaze dropped to the ground for a moment, before looking back to you, his eyes filled with sincerity, “Because I care about you (YN).”

(YN) didn’t know why his words affected her so deeply, but the tears she fought so hard to hold back, spilled over and her breath which she had somehow managed to keep steady, grew shallow as the pain in her chest took over.

Seeing your distress take hold, upset Steve in a way he didn’t expect as the tightness in his chest grew stronger and the heaviness in his heart compounded with every beat, wishing he could take away the burden of all your pain. It made him want to pull you into his fold, to let you weep against his chest until you could weep no more, to let you find comfort at his side until your red weary eyes grew heavy, before drifting off into a peaceful and dreamless sleep. Unable to stand there any longer, he made his way through the doorway, closing the door behind him, sweeping you up into his arms just a moment before your legs gave way beneath you.

Walking down the hallway he headed towards the room from which you came, cradling you in his arms as you nestled your head against his chest, unable to stop the tears from taking control of your grieving body. Placing you to your feet, he stood there just as he had wanted, holding you safely in his arms as his fingertips softly caressed through your hair, waiting with all the patience in the world as your agonising tears slowly faded. Gently guiding you to sit on your bed, he pulled over the chair from your desk, sitting down before you, your knees touching as he leaned across, taking your hands in his. At his tender touch, you lifted your (EC) eyes to his, where he saw a flicker of your quiet strength, bravely holding back fresh tears as you gave him a heartbroken yet grateful smile. “Thank you, Steve.”

Running a gentle finger across your cheeks, he wiped away your tears and placed the loose strands of your hair behind your ear, speaking to you with a tender voice, “There's no need... I want to be here... I want to help you.”

Taking a deep breath you shook your head, unable to keep the anguish from your voice. “They're gone... my whole family...my friends... gone. I’m the only one left.” Shaking your head again, your eyes lost their flicker, your voice a broken whisper as your gaze fell back to your lap, “The only people who loved me are dead... I don’t know how to survive this... I’m not strong enough.”

Steve wanted to confess, to confess with all his heart. To let you know you were loved, to tell you that he loved you, that he was a fool to not realise sooner and that he was sorry for letting his past steer the path of his future, but it was not the right time. And so with a tender finger to your chin, he lifted your gaze to his, speaking the words you most needed to hear, his voice full of honest and raw emotion. “(YN), you are braver than you believe, stronger than you seem and smarter than you think.... I know you can do this, but you don’t need to do it alone... I am here for you and I’m not going anywhere.”

9. “Because I am a lady. That’s why.” The Aristocats  No Time For Pain by @kjs-s Steve Trevor 

10. “All it takes is faith and trust, oh! and something I forgot: dust.” Peter Pan and Once Upon a Dream - Sleeping Beauty  and Coffee Shop AU Once Upon a Dream by @theweepingvulcan91 Jim Kirk 

11. “I’m only brave when I have to be. Being brave doesn’t mean you go looking for trouble - The Lion King In Plain Sight by @the-stories-in-my-head-95 Stony x Reader 

12. Kiss the Girl - The Little Mermaid Kiss the Girl Already by @girl-next-door-writes  Steve Rogers 

13. Something There - Beauty and the Beast  Serendipity by @all1e23 Steve Rogers 

14. “You are braver than you believe, stronger than you seem, and smarter than you think.” Winnie the Pooh and College AU  Life As You Know It by @stevieang Tony Stark 

15. “There are those who say fate is something beyond our command. That destiny is not our own, but I know better. Our fate lives within us. You only have to be brave enough to see it.” - Brave Fate by @captain-rogers-beard  Steve Rogers 

16. “Ladies don’t start fights but they can finish them.” - The Aristocats The Battlefield by @kaunis-sielu Steve Rogers

17. I Won’t Say I’m In Love - Hercules  Been There, Done That by @writefasttalkevenfaster Tony Stark 

18. “How dare you. All of you.Standing around deciding my future. I am not some prize to be won.” - Aladdin and Royal AU Good Night Stories by @lokilenchen

As you listened to the adults yelling, lecturing, and threatening, all you could think of was the scene in “The Incredibles” when Dash’s teacher was trying to convince the principal to suspend him for putting a tack on his chair, to no avail.  Except in your reality, there was no parent in the room to defend or punish you.  Your parents were divorced, your Dad living on the other side of the country and your Mom, a pharmaceutical sales rep for a national company, always on the road.  You had a good relationship with both your parents, but they were of the mind that the biggest part of their job was to instill solid moral character and independence from an early age.  When you turned 16 and started driving, your mom made good on her plan to prepare you for adulthood.  You had to complete all necessary home and school functions, maintain an acceptable GPA, incur no disciplinary problems, and communicate daily with her about the little and big things going on in your life.  In exchange, you could come and go as you pleased, and have run of the house when she traveled, which was more often than not.  Your living situation was the envy of the school.  You weren’t about to do anything to mess it up, but today, it seemed you were on the fast-track to doing just that.

As your mom was out of town, the person they called, your guardian in absentia, was your Mom’s best friend since childhood, Maria Stark.  Mrs. Stark was used to being called in to various offices of authority to answer for her son’s behavior, ego, or infractions.  Tony started building internal combustion engines when he was 6, so high school was something he could have skipped altogether, but was forced upon him by his mother, to “foster social skills,” and help him get the “traditional teenage experience.”  He was smarter than all his teachers and never let an opportunity pass where he could point that out.  It was never well received.  You two made a great “we don’t fit the mold and we love it” duo.  

“Explain to me again why we’re here, sir, because I am at a loss to understand what rule this young lady has broken.”   Maria was elegant, sophisticated and, in her own right, a very smart woman.  When she asked a question, most likely she knew the answer; she was simply gathering information to support her argument against the unlucky person sitting across from her.

“Mrs. Stark, this young lady used social media to smear and defame the reputation of another student.  As the school handbook states, this is grounds for detention and possibly suspension, as well as joint treatment sessions with the school counselor.”  You leapt out of your chair, full of righteous teenage anger, intent on storming out.  Maria’s hand on your arm and supportive gaze cooled your temper; she wasn’t going to let anyone steamroll you.

The next hour was spent determining what evidence, if any, conclusively linked you to the incident.  Turns out, there was none, other than the suspicion of parents who were mortified that their daughter’s abhorrent behavior was now out in the world for anyone to see.  You admitted to nothing, and though Christine’s face was chartreuse as the rapidly-growing Twitter feed was read aloud, there was nothing that pointed to you, other than the well-known fact that you hated the girl’s guts.  It was the tragically classic scenario of a beautiful popular girl collecting herdmates to make fun of and torture girls like you, someone who didn’t fit nicely in any round holes. You left with a week’s worth of detention for the bogus crime of “lack of adherence to the school’s honor code” and a promise to clear your name when they found out you were innocent.  After you filled him in, Tony shared your disbelief, and immediately started plotting.

You and he sat in the backseat while Maria drove home, spending the entire time texting with back and forth about ways to get even with the principal, to continue to make Christine’s life terrible, and to find out who suggested you were responsible.

“Hey, you two.  I don’t know what you’re talking about, but I know it’s some kind of revenge plan.  I won’t have that, Tony.  I will not have you two digging yourself any deeper.”

Tony:  My mom knows it was you?

You: I never said a word, but she’s not dumb.

Tony: No she’s not, but do you want to tell her?

You: u think I should?

Tony: I would.

You: You would put up a billboard on the highway to announce you did it.  Not a great role model.

Tony: I’ll give you that.

“Ok, Mrs. Stark, no revenge.  I promise.”  You leaned forward to lay your hand on her shoulder.  “Thank you so much for being there today.  I’d probably be suspended if you hadn’t been.”

“Yes, you’re right, I’m sure.  Let’s forget all this and have some dinner, shall we?”

The Starks employed a chef, but when Mr. Stark was traveling, Maria often chose to cook.  Tony ate, but he preferred the company of metal and circuits to people, so he often brought his plate in his room.  When you joined them, he was required to come to the table, and Maria always prepared something you both loved to eat.  Tonight, it was vegetable and pasta salad with steak and potatoes, accompanied by calm and civilized conversation that focused on things other than what happened earlier in the day.  You appreciated not having to rehash the event, again, not being judged.  You looked at the mother and son sitting next to you and felt cared for, taken care of.  It was nice to not be a grown-up for once.

Tony’s thoughts were multiplying on how to get back at that little bitch Christine and her circle of hags.  He looked at you, his best friend, one of the few people in the world that cared about him without reservation or expectations.  He looked at you, the girl who stood by him at every step, every failure, every success, who encouraged his work, appreciated his failures, and called him out on his bullshit at every opportunity.  Senior year was in full swing and he knew he never wanted to be without you.  He also knew your insecurities and that made his heart bend even more, because he had them, too.

Maria looked at you and her son and smiled.  Your rapid-fire conversation was smart, witty, and, at times, vulgar, but with an undercurrent of true affection.  When she and her best friend delivered what would be their only children within a month of each other, they made a promise to remain a part of each other’s lives.  That promise had borne this friendship playing out at her dining room table.  Tony looked at you adoringly, and you returned it with a gaze full of laughter and spark, two things that were necessary if you were going to ever be more than friends.  Maria knew the ingredients for a great match were already there, all that was needed was time and opportunity, and there would be plenty of both.

Until there wasn’t.

After graduating from high school, you both attended college in Boston;  Tony blowing shit up at M.I.T. and you diving head-first into your double-major at Boston College.  He was famous before he arrived, but after? He was a magnet for all things flashy, fun, illegal, and new.  He was surrounded wherever he went; inundated with phone numbers, obvious invitations to a variety of one-night stands, and so much debauchery and alcohol that the head of campus security told the president of MIT, who then called the big man, Howard.  After the browbeating, the only change in his behavior was an improved ability to slide under the radar and avoid trouble.  You only found out on the increasingly-rare occasion you texted each other.

You lived in separate apartments, attended different schools, pursued different fields of study.  It was natural that you wouldn’t see each other as you once did.  You shied away from the big loud crowds that were Tony’s new normal, and he couldn’t understand why you enjoyed spending quiet time with friends that weren’t him.  The waning friendship hurt both of you, in ways the other didn’t recognize.  Tony sought out the company of an unceasing string of one-night stands and you finally decided to open your heart to guys whose names weren’t always in the paper.  Life went on, with a little less spark, less laughter, less heart.  The holidays were fast approaching, and this time, they felt different; and not in a good way.

Thanksgiving break was a quick one, spent catching up with family and marshalling your energy to push through finals.  For the first time in your memory, you did not want to go to the Stark’s home for the traditional day-after-Thanksgiving dinner, where everybody brought a dish of leftovers, the Stark’s added liquor and pizza, and you caught up for hours.  You tried to get out of it, but it was non-negotiable, from your mother’s perspective.  You planned on staying away from Tony, kissing Maria and Howard, and coming home with claims of a headache.  After the party, the Moms talked and compared notes about how glum their children became at the mention of the other’s name.  They each took it upon themselves to plant seeds that would ignite the feelings they knew you had for one another.  

“Hey, Stark’s here for you.”  You were on your bed, hair up, pencil through the elastic, piles of books and your laptop spread out everywhere.  The sigh that escaped did not go unnoticed by the playboy who didn’t bother to wait for an invitation to enter your room.

“I heard that sigh and I resent it.  What? No confetti? No nudity?  What the hell?  When did you turn into a grown-up?”  You snorted, knowing this line of questioning was meant to either convince you to do something you didn’t want to, or to help assuage his guilt.  “I grace you with my presence on a Friday night and this is what I find? The old lady librarian look?”  It didn’t matter to him what you wore, anything you chose made his heart leap, but damned if he was going to let you know that.

Your glasses slipped off as you leaned forward, doubled over in laughter.  “Guess so, T.  There’s this thing most neurotypical humans do.  It’s called “studying,” it’s in every college handbook ever printed, and if I don’t do it, I’m not going to Oxford.”  Your undergraduate work had led you to your calling, Cognitive Neuroscience studies.  Your entire life’s goal was to gain admission to the Wellcome Trust Doctoral Training Program in Neuroscience at Oxford, which meant every grade counted, every test and paper was important.  You had no time to indulge in dinner out, let alone participate in the Unequivocally Unchecked Life of Tony Stark.

His facade fell, a bit, as he sat next to you and gently placed your glasses back on your nose.  You immediately pushed them up to avoid his eyes, and pulled loose papers out from under his exceptionally toned butt.  Not that you noticed.  “C’mon, it’s Friday night, when’s the last time you left this apartment to do something other than study? I told our moms I would check in on you.”

“Ahhhh, so that’s why you’re here, Moms Mandate.”  Your disappointment must have been evident, even to the oblivious Tony Stark.

“No.  I’m here because I didn’t get to see you over Thanksgiving and I miss hanging out with someone who doesn’t kiss my ass.  Though, if you wanted to kiss anything of mine, I would be more than open to that idea.”  Tony rarely seemed awkward, he covered it so well with bravado that it took a trained eye to realize that insecurity bubbled close to the surface.

You surprised yourself, and him, when you slowly leaned forward and, at the last minute, kissed his forehead.  His expression caused you to cry with laughter, again, as you hopped up and grabbed something to drink.  A surge of pride filled you; you had unsettled the unflappable Tony Stark.  “You can report back to the Moms that I am fine.  Working very hard, achieving excellent grades, exhibiting an appropriate level of safety, enjoying my friends, and unsullied by neither man nor woman.”  He sighed and dropped his head in disgust.

“That is the most depressing thing I’ve ever heard.  C’mon, you’re coming with me, you are going to experience Boston nightlife and actually live the college dream.”  He was clearly thrilled with the idea, but you put the brakes on his party train.  

“Thank you for taking on the role of social protectorate, but I can’t.  I am not going to engage with you about why and how, I just need you to trust that I cannot go out tonight.”  His skepticism didn’t make you waver one bit.  

“Ok, then tomorrow night, and I am not taking no for an answer.  You are going to get all dolled up and enjoy a breathtakingly irresponsible night on the town.  My treat.”  Your heart flipped at the invitation, but it didn’t stop you from speaking your mind.

“As enticing as that invitation is, I do not want to be an anonymous member of the Tony Stark entourage.  I can find my own fun, thanks.”  You stood and opened the door, picking up additional reference materials and returning your attention to the task at hand.  “Bye T, thanks for stopping by, say hi to your Mom for me.  Please tell her I can’t wait to see her and your Dad at Christmas.”  

Tony Stark was unaccustomed to being dismissed.  He knew that other than his mother, you were the only person that could do it and cause him to pause and re-evaluate his behavior.  As he left, he knew he had to prove to you that he was sincere, that he wanted to hang out with you, help you lighten up, and watch you enjoy yourself.  You gasped and looked at him as he gently encircled your waist and hugged you.

“I miss you.  I want to spend time with you.  Please.”  You froze in his arms, unable to process what was going on.

“Sure, T.  Text me tomorrow and let me know what’s up.  We can meet up somewhere, no problem.”  Little did you know that Tony had much more in mind than a simple dinner.

You awoke to a confusing text.

Tony: When you read this, please head to the campus library and ask for the head librarian.  She has something for you

You: Ummmmmm, ok?

You’d be lying if you didn’t admit you were a tiny bit fluttery that Tony had taken the time to think about you to this degree.  You grabbed a bagel and your protein shake and headed over.  You knew the head librarian, Ms. Williams, very well and she smiled upon seeing you.

“One moment, dear.  I’ve got something for you.”

Follow this clue to the 8th floor.  You will find an old friend waiting in the Children’s Literature section, with your next objective. You complied, searching for the provided shelf number when you arrived at the 8th floor.

You laughed as The Complete Tales of Winnie the Pooh came into view, with a Pooh and honey pot bookmark stuck in the pages.  This book was a staple of your childhoods.  Your mothers gave each other copies, read the stories to you every night, and your favorite quote was under your senior picture in the high school yearbook.  Your excitement grew as you remembered how fun Tony could make the most mundane events.  You also wondered how the hell he had time to do all this between last night and this morning.

The bookmark was tucked into the page with the quote, and you smiled at his sweetness.  He knew how much it meant to you.  

 “You are braver than you believe, stronger than you seem, and smarter than you think.” 

Did you think I could forget these words? They mean as much to me as they do to you.  I wanted to remind you of how much you mean to me.  There’s a surprise waiting for you at your apartment, where you’ll find the next clue.

You practically sprinted back home, gasping when you saw a beautiful soft yellow dress hanging on your closet door, with an appointment card to a very expensive salon on Newbury Street.  You turned the card over and continued to smile - Tony had already paid for whatever you wanted done and had left a tip. He really could be thoughtful when he took the time.

It was early December, so you bundled up before heading out to your appointment.  When you left, you could not believe the transformation.  

You: Thanks Tony, I can’t believe you did all this.

Tony:  For you? Of course.  I’ll be by at 8pm.  Can’t wait to see you.

That felt different.  Your insides squished and squirmed - whether it was excitement or nerves, you weren’t sure.  You dressed, beautified, and waited.  

Tony: I hope you’re ready, beautiful.  On my way.

Geez, he was laying it on thick.  You laughed when he pulled up to your building in a regular old car he must have borrowed from someone’s father and jumped out to open your door.  You had no idea why he would not drive one of his ridiculously flashy fleet.  You were a huge Madonna fan in your younger years, and this struck you as the plot of her “Material Girl” video; was he trying to impress you by thinking he was just as “regular” as you were? Tony could never be described as “regular” or “average,” even if he didn’t have a dollar to his name.

Tony never really stopped.  He momentarily paused, he changed his focus, but his brain, his body, his mouth were always in high gear.  So when he got out of the car and saw you, it was a wholly different feeling.  He had never seen you look so beautiful - the dress wrapped within your white winter coat, your cheeks pink from the cold, your hair beautifully styled.  He hadn’t realized how long your hair had gotten and how much it changed your entire appearance.  

“You look stunning.  I did a very good job picking this out, didn’t I?” Now this was your best friend.  

“Yes, Tony, you did an amazing job.  I loved the clues, loved the book, loved everything.  It made me realize how much I missed you.”  You turned to him and asked him to stop.  “How much I missed the real Tony Stark.” His eyes closed as you softly kissed his cheek and let your hand land on his.

“C’mon, time for me to show you off and ply you with insanely expensive drinks.” He kept his promise.  The night was fun, like old times, but prettier and with alcohol.  You talked about everything and nothing, filling each other in, sharing your hurts and stories and plans, and reveling in each other’s company.  Neither of you wanted the night to end, so you invited him to your apartment for a nightcap.  You were shocked when he refused.

“No thanks, I don’t think that’s a good idea.”  Your eyes questioned and he saw the sting of rejection.  He looked at you, held your hands, and pecked your lips with his.  You stepped back, stunned. “You have no idea how much I want to, but I want to earn you, and I haven’t yet.”

“What does that mean? What are you trying to earn?”

“Someone I don’t deserve.  You.”  With another soft peck on the cheek, he was gone.

In the weeks leading up to Christmas break, you wondered if that night was a dream.  You and Tony awkwardly texted a bit, but didn’t see much of each other in the mad rush of finals.  After handing in your last project and dragging yourself to your apartment to make up as much lost sleep as possible, you were stunned out of your stupor by the sight of Tony waiting in front of your door. 

“You’re done, right?” His tired smile mirrored your own.

“Yes, thank the Lord in Heaven and every deity known to modern man.”  

“Good.  I wanted to show you something I’ve been working on.”  He stood and took out his phone, ready to press play when you put your hand over his.

“Tony can we go inside so I can sit down and maybe sleep for 2 days?”  He barely heard you, his nerves clearly a distraction, but he nodded and sat next to you, relaxing when you lay your head on his shoulder.

He apologized for leaving you hanging since your night out, for not paying enough attention to you, for not showing you how much you meant to him.  “My mom also slapped me once or twice to drive the point home that I’ve been a douchebag.  I’m sorry.”  He cued up the video on his phone and played it.  The introduction included the theme song to the “Winnie the Pooh” movie and cut to your favorite quote.  He took your silence for awe, then realized you were sleeping soundly.

As he tucked a blanket around you and kissed your forehead, he whispered, “You are the reason I am braver and stronger, and that’s because you’re smarter.  I hope you hear me because I can’t imagine saying it out loud again.”  You smiled to yourself as you snuggled under your covers and drifted off to sleep.

‘’Maybe, except your ways are funnier for when I have to read your reports. Not to mention way less lethal than some of the other agents’. Same goes for (Y/N); in just a few months, she has caught more criminal than any other rookie has. I am so proud of both of you.’’ You could tell Diana meant it and that there was no condescending tone in her voice. She recruited you with Steve and immediately spotted your potential.

You continued talking while waiting for Steve to arrive. Diana had summoned the two of you to her office for a new assignment. Being early in the morning you figured your partner would be late to get there. Therefore, you invited Etta to gossip a little about her latest successful apprehension. Listening to her talk was one of the best stress reliefs for you.

As soon as Steve arrived, you were briefed about your new mission. You were still new and having your boss trust you to accompany Steve was unbelievable. It made you want to impress her even more than the first time you met.

‘’ Now that Trevor is finally here, we can start.’’ She gave each of you a file and put the picture of the man on the screen behind her. ‘’Meet Christopher Anderson. He is one of the sons of Margaret Anderson, you might know her as the queen of diamonds. She has the most successful stores all over the United States and Europe. Many organizations believe that she or her sons are smuggling diamonds but they have failed to find any evidence.’’

‘’And you want us to spy on the son in the hopes of finding out the truth?’’ Steve hoped for a mission like that for so long. One of his friends used to work at one of the stores until she was fired for pushing a client to stop him from touching her. From that moment on, Steve started to hate that family.

‘’Not quite. My friends from other agencies overheard that Christopher has a bit of a habit. He liked to gamble all over the globe. He is not actively trying to hide that although every casino he is at has doubled the security while he is there. Lucky for us the casino he chose this week is the Empire. In addition, since I am aware that Steve’s uncle works there I arranged for you to enter the high rollers poker game.’’

‘’Do you think he might talk during the game? Or that he would have something illegal on him?’’ You asked not even thinking that you have no clue how to play poker. You like watching it since you find it oddly relaxing but you weren’t any good at it.

‘’Neither. Steve will make sure to sit beside him. You would be his ‘’good luck charm’’. Just find an opportunity to put a bug on Christopher and then leave. We will take care of everything else from here. John will be waiting outside to drive you back here when you are done.’’

The mission seemed easy. However, you knew from experience that everything could go wrong. Especially knowing Steve’s bad luck with missions. He has never been caught but he has come close too many times to count.

‘’Do you have a plan about the game? Do you even know how to play?’’ He looked at you with a shocked look realizing that he actually didn’t.

‘’Do you? Maybe you can teach me or something.’’

‘’ Sorry to disappoint you, Trevor. I have only watched poker. I bet you can read about it and try to play on your laptop a bit. I will come with you so we can establish when you think you might need me. I can come over at the beginning of every round hoping that our target wouldn’t suspect anything.’’

Despite the plan being solid you still found yourselves running around in the casino trying to escape from the guards chasing you. You were still lucky that it was just your target’s guards and not the casino ones as well. One of them noticed you looking at him for too long and thought you were trying to cheat. Fortunately, you still managed to put the bug on him before being made.

‘’(Y/N) we need to hurry. I already informed John to wait for us by the entrance so all we have to do is to make it there. Are you ok? Can you even run in these shoes?’’

‘’I’m fine Steve. Don’t worry about me.’’ You tried to hide the fact that your feet hurt like hell. In the attempt to avoid the guards you took a turn and hit the heel of your right foot on a column. However, you wouldn’t allow Steve to see you in pain. He is too overprotective of you.

‘’This is the second to last door but it’s locked. Do you want to do the honors of kicking it open?’’ Steve loved how you always react to doing small things that you have seen in movies and he always offered to let you try anything.

‘’It’s fine Steve. You go right ahead.’’ You still managed to sound calm in order to fool him until you made it to the car.

‘’But why? You love things like that.’’

‘’Because I am a lady. That’s why. Just kick the door, Trevor.’’ You yelled at him while looking around for the guards.

He was startled by your outburst yet he remained silent. When you finally made it to the car waiting outside, he turned to you.

‘’Can we talk about what happened earlier? You never talk to me like that. If you were refusing to kick the door due to the shoes or the outfit you are wearing I understand. It must have been difficult to manage it.’’

You tried to answer him except he was sitting too close to you that when you tried to sit up you winched in pain.

‘’What’s wrong, partner? Are you hurt?’’ He looked you over trying to see any bruise or cut.

‘’It’s just my ankle. I had sprained it a couple of weeks ago and now I must have twisted it again. It’s not a big deal. I just didn’t tell you anything not to worry you. And because I knew you would react like that.’’

He was already examining you and putting his jacket under your ankle. He was always caring like that with his friends and even if you thought it was sweet sometimes it became too much.

‘’I will alert Diana to prepare a nurse to check on you. And I will take care of you with everything you need. Let me start by removing your shoes.’’ Resisting his care would be futile so you let him massage your injured ankle. By the time you reached the headquarters, a doctor and two nurses were ready to see you. Apparently, Steve had made it look like you were dying.

The doctor advised you to rest for some days. All your friends made sure you wouldn’t be bored while bedridden. Diana informed you that the mission was successful in stopping the smuggling operation and brought you some crosswords to spend the time. Etta came by to entertain you with her stories. And of course, Steve was there all the time checking on you and not letting you forget why he was the best partner. You felt so lucky having those people in your life and couldn’t wait to get back to working with them.

Tony Stark had never been given a normal life. As the son of Howard Stark everyone always wanted to know what he was doing and when. There were magazine articles written about him at age two never ceasing, one after another they came to pry into his private life. There would be no break in his life, no down period where he wasn't bombarded by paparazzi. Never was Tony given a sense of peace, a sense of comfort.

Over the years he became used to it. Nothing seemed to bother him about it, he became resigned to the fact that his life was forever going to be public. Everything about his life would be shared with the world, he'd only had the secret of Iron Man for a few weeks and then announced that on live television. There was never any secrets left for the media to dig into. Not even the fact that Tony Stark hadn't found his soulmate.

He refused to show his soulmark. It was always covered as he couldn't be certain that a photo wouldn’t be taken of it. How could he know if someone truly was his soulmate if, as a public figure, his soulmark was put out in the world for anyone to pretend they had that matching mark. In his mind he'd believe he would know straight away who was his soulmate and who was not but people had always been manipulative when it came to money and he really didn't want to take any chances.

If Tony was honest with himself he would admit that he was tired. Not only was he tired of searching for his soulmate, he was tired of always being under watch. He was tired of being held to high standards as Iron Man. He was tired of being seen as a hero that had no weakness. He simply wanted to be seen as an ordinary man, no different from anyone else. But he was Tony Stark, he was Iron Man, and that was impossible.

The weight of the world was on his shoulders and with that came lack of sleep. Pacing around his home and tinkering with new suits was doing nothing. Thoughts came racing into his mind and they didn't seem as though they were going to slow down at any moment. Counting sheep wasn't working, nothing was. It was impossible for Tony to journey outside into the city anonymously but Tony felt it necessary. If he was to clear his mind then it would be easiest to put all his focus on something else, navigating the city was just a good a way as any.

Tony didn't know what had drawn him to the diner. He'd passed plenty that were open 24hrs and yet he'd entered none of them. They all looked the same, counter up front, booths lining the interior, neon signs. Nothing was vastly different except the name of the diner and he guessed the menu as well. Maybe it was the fact that there weren't many people sitting in the diner, that's what he would tell you it was later on.

He sat at a booth off in the corner and flipped through the menu. Hearing the whispers he knew he was recognized by the wait staff and let the waitress who came over to the booth know that he'd sign autographs if wanted. Not being able to sleep was his excuse for having a burger at two in the morning. 

Staring was rude, that was what his mother had taught him at a young age. It was something he always remembered and something that he knew never to do. However he couldn't help but stare at you. A diner seemed like the last place you'd bring a laptop to. That was a coffeeshop thing to do, work while you ate. A diner was a place to read a book perhaps, not work on whatever it was you were typing away at. That was the first peak of curiosity.

Tony ordered more fries and sat watching you. You knew he was watching you, you also knew who he was, both things you refused to acknowledge. Tony noticed how you interacted with the staff, it was clear that you had been here plenty of times before. He wondered if you had worked here at one point or if because of frequency you had been able to know everyone and everyone had been able to know you.

Tony had been at the diner for 45 minutes before deciding to come sit with you. If you said anything about minding it or wanting him to leave than he would, he knew how being approached by random strangers when you were working was not only annoying but a little creepy. When he grabbed his food and sat down at the table with you, you didn't bother looking up. You knew he was there and you knew who he was, he'd talk and you'd answer. It was simple.

"What are you working on and why here at this time of night?" He began.

"Couldn't sleep and had an idea. I'm a writer. Have to write sometime I guess"

"Yes but isn't that why Starbucks exists?"

"If I wanted to be a cliche it is. Plus I like the food here and no one minds my working."

"So. This novel. Talk to me about it."

And you did looking up at him only occasionally while continuing to type. You didn't know how long you had been talking to him, the conversation had started with talk of the world you were creating and it moved on to talk of your life, of movies the two of you had seen, of musicians you liked. Antidotes from one another lives, Tony being careful to reveal who he was as you had yet to broach the subject of his fame or of him being Iron Man.

He hadn't even noticed your soulmark until you went to the counter to order more coffee. Of all the places and of all the times to meet you he never anticipated it to be here and now. Fate wasn't something Tony believed in but he figured that meeting you might just have been the reason he felt compelled to enter the diner that night. Maybe it was the reason he wasn't able to sleep that night. Maybe it was the reason for your idea in the middle of the night.

Tony rolled up his sleeves so the mark on his forearm was evident hoping that you'd notice it instead of him having to broach the subject of you being his soulmate. Too focused on talking about the novel you nearly missed it until he reached to grab a few more napkins. You stopped mid sentence and stared back and forth between his arm and your own.

"Tony fucking Stark is my soulmate! The hell!" You exclaimed, trying not to draw attention over to your table.

"You know who I am?!" Tony asked.

You shrugged, "Well yeah who doesn't. You're Tony Stark, it's hard not to know you. Just because you happen to be Iron Man doesn't mean you aren't just another person. I don't know I guess if I ever become famous I don't want to be revered, I just want to be a regular person, figured maybe that's how you felt." 

"That's actually…really great. Sometimes I feel I always have to play the hero, be the strongest person. It gets tiring."

"So I know what you mean but. I feel like since I just found out we're soulmates I can be candid here. Strength isn't what makes a hero, it's the vulnerability that does"

"I'm sorry what?"

"Strength is fine but it isn't everything. Strength isn't the measure of a man for a true hero isn’t measured by the size of his strength, but by the strength of his heart. Being open about who you are might be as helpful as punching people in the face, maybe even more. You never know, there could be someone out there who looks up to you and might be relieved to know you feel the same way they do sometimes.”

Tony nodded contemplating what you said realizing that you were right and what he never considered an option was perhaps the solution he needed.

"I love you," he blurted, "Is that too soon to say?"

You laughed, "A little but we are soulmates I don't know that it takes very long for love to happen"

"Well how about we start tomorrow? Are you free for dinner?"