#espr

“Yes!” Elodie exclaimed, sending a grin across to Steve as they followed the owner of the dog charity into the back “Well I couldn’t say no could I,” she said, leaning across to Steve as he sent her a look “We’re just looking! You want to meet some of the dogs we’re helping right?”

“Right,” he agreed, unable to stop himself from smiling down to her as she stopped at each kennel to listen to Sally, the owner of the charity, explain about their stories.

“Now, these two,” Sally said, pink scattering along her cheekbones as they reached two curly haired, fluffy brown dogs. They were clearly excited, the two of them jumping up at the kennel door with their tails wagging “They came in together, they’re litter mates...brothers if you like,” she explained, her eyes wandering over to Steve once more “They came in through no fault of their own...their owner had to move on when everyone came back,” she said, continuing quickly when she noticed Steve glance away “They were big fans though! Their, uhm, the dogs' names...they’re called Rogers and Barnes.”

Elodie’s eyes lit up as she clapped her hands over her mouth “Oh my god!” she exclaimed “Can I go in with them?”

“Of course!” Sally exclaimed, plucking a key from her belt “They’re excitable but safe,” she explained as the dogs both began to bark.

Steve stepped closer to the door as he watched Elodie immediately sit down on the floor between the two dogs, a laugh was alive on her face as they rushed toward her. She gathered the two of them up in the same way he had seen her deal with the kids she had taken in during the blip, pressing kisses wherever she could as they excitedly climbed all over her.

“Steve, look!” she exclaimed over her shoulder “They love me!”

“So they do,” he answered, his hands pushed into the pockets of his trousers.

“Have they had much interest?” Elodie asked as she pushed herself up onto her feet, letting out a laugh as one of the dogs dropped a toy at her feet.

Sally let out a sigh “Not really,” she admitted “Labradoodles are the perfect family pet, they just need more training and exercise than people expect and want to give them. It’s the smaller, fluffy ones who seem to get the most interest recently.”

Elodie’s bottom lip jutted out as she reached down to pick up the toy once more, throwing it to the other end of the kennel and watching as the two dogs raced after it “We could take them.”

Steve’s eyebrows arched and he let out a laugh of amusement “We could?”

“They’re called Rogers and Barnes Steve! They’re only homeless because you brought everyone back!”

“Which we are very grateful for Mr Rogers,” Sally injected quickly.

Elodie rolled her eyes “Yeah, yeah, he’s a hero,” she said before crouching down between the two dogs, ruffling the curls on the tops of their heads “Look at them!” she exclaimed, those puppy dog eyes she’d promised wouldn’t make an appearance staring up to him “And they’re siblings so we can’t let them be separated!”

Steve let out a sigh before he turned to Sally “Do you need to come and inspect our house before we take them?” he asked, unable to say no to Elodie or the two dogs’ puppy dog eyes.

“You’ve made a very generous donation to our cause Mr Rogers,” Sally said, the blush back “But we do have to check...I could follow you back to your place with the dogs in my car?”

“That sounds perfect!” Elodie exclaimed, slipping out of the kennel and lacing her fingers through Steve’s “And we could help you with a campaign, take some photos?”

“That would be amazing, thank you both so much,” Sally said as she made sure the kennel was closed properly “I’ll just go and get their harnesses and leads,” she said, sending them a grin before disappearing back toward the office.

“You promised.”

“I know,” Elodie whined, leaning her head on his chest for a second before glancing up to him with a smile “But come on. The names? We can’t leave them behind!”

Steve let out a laugh “And they are very cute.”

“Just like you and Bucky!” Elodie grinned, hopping up onto her toes to press a kiss to his lips “Thank you.”

He smiled down to her, cradling the side of her face and running his thumb along her cheekbone “I knew you wouldn’t be able to resist,” he said as she squeezed her arms around his waist “I did only order one dog bed this morning though, I’ll have to order another.”

She shook her head “You know me more than I know myself sometimes,” she said with a chuckle “I wonder if they have one called Wilson…”

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