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jamlally · 4 years

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Memories

This was written for the 25 days of Christmas Challenge that is hosted by @panicfob . The Day 19 Challenge prompt was Figgy Pudding. Figgy pudding is something I very much enjoy at Christmas. It was a family tradition we had that the kids helped make it with my mother/grandmother

Warnings: Some anxiety, fluff, friendship

Pairing: Platonic!Bucky/OFC (Belle Porter)

Summary: One of the Team is having a bad day. Belle finds a way to help them and learns a little more about an old Christmas tradition

With the Christmas season well underway Belle had treated herself to a day off. All of the reports had been finalized and the threat assessments completed. Tony had asked whether she was taking the day to get his Christmas present. She had just laughed and kissed him on he cheek. He didn’t need to know that it was already fully wrapped and hidden away.

She had mostly spent the day down in what was fast becoming her old apartment grabbing items that could really use when she stayed with Tony, which was fast becoming most nights. Of course as with all such tasks she had gotten tied up looking through items and reading bits of books and had achieved a lot less than she had planned on. Deciding that she needed to take a break before really tackling the task, so she headed to the communal kitchen.

Belle had thought that she might bump into a team member or two, but what she didn’t expect to see was what appeared to an explosion of flour and fruit and a crying super soldier in the middle of it all.

“Bucky, oh god what’s the matter?” She hurried to the older man hr hands going straight to his shoulders

“I can’t…” he broke down into even louder sobs

Belle had no idea what was wrong or how on earth to help the man. For a moment she thought about asking FRIDAY where Steve, but looking at how broken he seemed she didn’t want to have to wait.

“Hey Bucky, come on lets get you cleaned up and then we can work on the sides” She took his hand and gently pulled him towards the sink turning on the tap and encouraging him to rinse his hands. While she got kitchen towel to damp down and wipe off his face. The seemingly meaningless tasks seemed to ease the actual sobbing, though the tears still fell. Turning Bucky to face her she raised on her tip toes to plant a gentle kiss on his cheek. When he looked confused she pointed up at the mistletoe and gave him a soft smile.

“Come on and sit down Bucky. Tell me what’s going on”. He let her guide him towards the sofa picking up something along the way. He sat his head dropping into his hands as he drew in a shuddering breath trying to collect his thoughts. Belle just waited sat beside him one hand resting on his shoulder

“I got a call today” his voice was rough and broken “From the home that Becca is in. She, she isn’t having a good day and she was asking for our Ma, and saying it was time to make the pudding”. The tears started to fall and she shuffled a little closer giving his as much of a hug as she could

“I had forgotten about it, until I spoke to her the pudding. Ma would make it every Christmas about now and Becca and I would help her. She was crying and so sad. I said that it was ok that Ma had me do it and I’d bring it down to her. I have Becca’s things and found the recipe but I’ve tried three of four times but I can’t do it. I promised her Belle and I can’t do it. I even looked online and I can’t get one that looks like Ma’s”. The sobs started again

Belle could feel her own eyes welling up but crying right now wouldn’t help her. Moving Belle knelt in front of Bucky both her hands wrapping around his. “Is that the recipe” She pointed to the crumpled paper in his hand. Bucky nodded “Ok so let me see”.

The recipe seemed simple, though she wasn’t familiar with all the ingredients. The steps seemed to make sense but she wanted to check

“OK I think we can do this. FRIDAY find me videos of people making traditional figgy pudding - we need one using the ingredients on this list” Belle held the list up to allow FRIDAY to scan it.

“OK Bucky here’s the plan. You and I will clean up the mess, check we have the ingredients and then we will see what we can do”

Getting Bucky on his feet took a moment but once she assigned him a task he seemed to manage better. She wondered if sometimes resorting to treating him more like a soldier made things easier when his mind was overwhelmed. It didn’t take long for them to clean up the worst of the mess and get everything prepared ready to start again.

“I have found 3 videos that match your request Agent Porter” FRIDAY’s voice broke the silence that they had been working in

“Thank you Friday, and Belle is fine. Bucky lets look at these and see if any of them look like you remember”

Bucky picked the one closest to what he remembered them doing when he was a child and Belle had Friday project it in the kitchen. They worked together pausing the video as they needed and comparing the video with the steps in Becca’s recipe. Eventually the puddings were ready to steam but Bucky stopped her before she could start putting them in

“I need to do one last thing, it’s a surprise.”

Belle smiled and turned her back to give him some privacy. She could hear him rustling about and moving things

“I’m done. Can you help me tie the cloth?”

Belle nodded and helped before the put the puddings in the pots and set a timer.

“How about we have a coffee while we wait and you tell me what else you can remember about Christmas when you were younger, I bet you and Becca got up to all kinds of trouble”

By the time the timer went off Bucky had a smile on his face and was telling her about when Becca had used their mothers best makeup to decorate both herself, Bucky, Steve and the family cat

“Oh god your poor mother must had been furious, how on earth did you get the cat clean?”

“I don’t know Ma dealt with that, but we got dish duty for weeks and I don’t think we could sit comfortably for a week”

They moved in tandem to take the puddings out, setting them to cool a little before unwrapping the smallest one and each taking a spoon.

“You first Bucky. You know what it’s supposed to taste like”.

She watched Bucky scooped a spoon of the steamed desert. Puffed on it and then put it in his mouth. He chewed eyes closed before looking at her with a smile.

“It’s not 100% the same but it’s close”

“I guess that the ingredients are probably a little different now, you know since we’ve changed the way we make things, and I bet your Ma added other things as she thought of them”

“I guess so. “ Bucky rubbed at the back of his neck “Belle I’m sorry you had to see and deal with that mess”

“Hey now non of that - Christmas is hard for a lot of people and I can’t even begin to understand how you feel, whether it’s just memories that were lost, or whether it’s ones that were taken for you”. Belle wrapped an arm around Bucky’s shoulder, squeezing him a little in a side hug.

“It’s ok to feel lost Bucky but the rest of us are happy to be there for you when that’s how you feel”

Bucky looked up through his eyelashes, and she could see that was obviously a little embarrassed about the show of emotion.

“I get that things are different now, but it’s not all bad. It’s ok to let people see that you’re not ok”

Belle watched as Bucky looked back down and seemed to curl in on himself. Belle couldn’t help but worry that she had pushed the shy man too far

“You know I spent a lot of time not feeling anything, or feeling confused and angry. Before that I was scarred a lot, things weren’t easy and the war made everything even worse, but you couldn’t say anything. Now…now when the feelings come it ’s like a panic, I don’t know what to do with them”

Belle rested her head on Bucky’s shoulder “That’s not something that I ever really thought about, it’s not just the world that has changed, but how people deal with what they feel, that must be a million miles away what you knew. YOu’ll get there though Bucky. You’ll find what works for you”

Bucky rested his head on the top of Belle’s taking a moment of comfort “I hope so doll. Sometimes it seems like I’ll never get there”

She felt Bucky draw in a deep breath “You know you didn’t find the surprise”

Belle gave a small laugh “You’re right. So are you gonna share what it is then, or does it have to remain a mystery?”

“Well now that’s asking. I’ll tell you what, if I show you then you need to make one promise and do one thing for me”

“That’s a steep price, but I guess to understand the special surprise in the Barnes Figgy Pudding I will probably be happy to agree, within reason” Belle found herself smiling

“Ok well here it is. in the pudding you hide a few trinkets which all mean something a silver dollar, a button, a thimble, a ring an anchor and a wishbone”

“How on earth did you manage to hide all of that in there?” Belle gestured over to the pudding they had both take a bite from/

Bucky laughed “ Well in the trial one I only put a quarter in it that I had cleaned, the bigger one has all of the tokens in it, I put in ones that may Ma had. They’re silver and my Da had some of them made specially and the others came from their parents. The other small pudding just has a wishbone and a silver dollar in it.”

“That makes it fun I guess, but why put such odd things in a desert?”

“Well they used to mean things about the coming year. The coin made who ever found it the the King or Queen of the meal. If a single man found the button then he would be single for the rest of the year and the same thing happened if a woman found the thimble . The ring was supposed to say that who ever found it would be married, the anchor was supposed to keep you safe and protected from danger and the wishbone brought luck”

Belle looked impressed “Wow that’s amazing, I never knew that there was so much history in a pudding”

“Yeah it was a big thing and people really looked forward to having the pudding and seeing if they got a token. You have to eat carefully and at the end of dinner, people always handed their tokens back to Ma to use them for the next year”

“Thats wonderful, and the bigger pudding is….”

“I was going to serve it after dinner tomorrow. Ma made brandy sauce or custard sometimes, I mean they might think it silly but I really wanted to share it with them….but perhaps ..”

“That’s wonderful Bucky I think that everyone will love it, and you can tell them about what the tokens mean. I think it’s a beautiful thing to share” Belle squeeze him in another hug

“So that’s the promise but what about the last part of the deal?” Belle sat up and poked him in the side “Come on what nefarious deed do I have to complete?”

Bucky jerked a little at her poke pushing his hair out of his face and giving Belle a smile “ Ah yes, it is cunning and most devious. We are going to ….. go and visit Becca in the home and take the smaller pudding to her. I …. I find it harder when she is having a bad day”

“Oh Bucky really? You’re really ok with coming ?” Belle found herself grinning and nearly bouncing in place

“Yeah - I mean I wouldn’t have asked otherwise”

“I would love to - give me ten minutes to clean up” Belle looked down at her messy clothes “Well maybe make it 15”

“How about I meet you in the garage in an hour and I’ll drive us there?”

“Awesome, see you there”. Belle was off leaving Bucky to shake his head in confusion before packing up the puddings.

The trip to the home had gone better than Bucky could have hoped. Becca had managed to remember who Bucky was and she thought Belle was his gal. When he had tried to correct her Belle had stopped him leaning In to whisper “She likely won’t remember me, let her think what makes her happy”. Belle had helped his sister eat her pudding and Bucky had grinned when she told him it was good but missed the dash of cocoa that their mother had always added, and he made a mental note to add it to the recipe. Glancing over at Belle he say her contentedly looking out the window tapping her fingers in time to the music.

“Thank you Belle, for today. It meant a lot to me”

Belle glanced over “You know Bucky, I’d of gone at the the drop of a hat. Your sister is a lot of fun and it was a really honor to meet her”. Belle watched as Bucky blinked away tears

“So tell me, who do you think will get the tokens?”

“Now that’s a question…..”

#panic's 25 days of christmas #christmas #oneshot #fluff

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ginnypotterlightning · 4 years

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Ranking of the Harry Potter Books based off my Reread

For anyone who is not aware, this is my 4th or 5th time reading the Harry Potter books (I honestly don’t know). I started rereading it during my senior year of college, read the first one and then stopped in the middle of the second one, sometime, the following year I finished the Chamber of Secrets, I have no idea when I started Prisoner of Azkaban, but I didn’t seriously start rereading them until the end of 2019 or beginning of 2020. It took me a little bit to properly get back into reading, where it was enjoyable, and I could sustain reading more than just reading a few pages before putting down the book. And luckily I can now say I have repaired my relationship with reading that college oh so nicely damaged, anyways now on to my ranking.

For this ranking I want to focus more on how enjoyable it was to read each of these books, and less on how much I enjoy the storyline of each of these books, I feel like another reread will be required to properly reform my list, but it does feel like it has changed.

Starting from the bottom:

At 7th Place is

Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets

While this book has always been one of my favorite books of the series I did not find it as enjoyable this time. Since I read HP1 and started HP3 in 2018 I feel like they are unfairly placed at the bottom, 1) because they were read during a different time period 2) They were read at the beginning of my trying to fall back in love with reading (the question is could I finish a Harry Potter book in 2 or 3 days like I used to, maybe, but now I feel too anxious if I’m not cleaning, going to the gym or what not on a down day)

(I remember 2 things about my rereading, in 2018 thinking ????? when I was reading a Lockhart scene, and in 2019 finishing the book on an overnight when I think I was the only other *** and Au was the nurse on)

in 6th Place is

Harry Potter and the Sorcerers Stone

This book has always been my least favorite book in the series because it has been the most difficult for me to read, I find myself consistently losing my attention span around Platform 9 and 3/4. If I’m not mistaken I did not find this re read as difficult, and I definitely cried at the end of rereading it.

in 5th Place is

Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince

This book has always been my favorite, it may have fallen because of my expectations for it, but I think it had to do more to do with my lack of expectations, or more like me forgetting plot points in books 3-5 which enhanced my reading of the book.

So far I’ve mostly been talking about the negatives about the book, in part because I don’t remember my reread of the 1st two books, but here is what I like about the Half Blood Prince.

The Half Blood Prince has always been my favorite book because it gives you a little bit of everything, the trio, the classes, Quidditch, Harry at the Dursleys, love interest, friendship, Voldemort, harry’s relationship with Dumbeldore, and a good balance of our antagonist.

This book is interesting because Voldemort isn’t in the book, and yet a decent portion of the book is about him. The memories weren’t quite as amazing as I remember them being, I particularly found the Marvolvo flashback difficult to read. When best sellers like Harry Potter come out, once you read the big storylines, it’s not as easy to forget them, and as this has been my favorite book it could’ve been harder to forget these parts, but I also wouldn’t be surprised if my head wasn’t quite at the same place as books 3-5. And then again, maybe I don’t want to admit to myself I’m not as in love with book 6 as I used to be, anyways.

Ginny and Harry and beautifully written in this book, Ginny’s character development starting in book 5 is enjoyable to read. I think reading this book, and 7, made me more uncomfortable with Ron and Hermonie, it just kind of happens, and it doesn’t feel as natural, but then again were in Harry’s head and not theirs.

After having read HP5, I think I was disappointed in the length of this book because I wanted more, I especially loved reading about the classes, and the story of the Half Blood Prince, and while at the beginning I just said I enjoyed having the many storylines, I wish there was even more emphasize on the classes, and what Harry needs to do to become an Auror.

in 4th Place is

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows

Unlike HP6, I find this book to be perfectly paced. I was surprised when we were suddenly at Hogwarts, I for some reason thought there was more time before jumping off the dragon and apparating to Hogsmead. I didn’t cry as much as I have in the past while reading this, but I think it was in part from taking a month to read this book and continuously changing locations to read this, and COVID, that defs slowed down my reading.

The second half of the book is, ofc where the book shines, as we find out a lot of information, everyone is coming out of isolation and fighting, and there is more action. My one disappointment is where the book ends, I enjoy the epilogue, minus the kids names, but the final chapter left me wanting more. Like yes I wanted to see more about the aftermath of the war, but with the final last few words saying that Harry wanted to sleep and hoped Kreacher would bring him a sandwich didn’t quite hit the heart strings. But I do like that the epilogue brings us to the place where it all began, and where we now know, that Harry is happy, and no longer has this hurt he has carried with him for years (not to say the boy didn’t have PSD).

While they mention the flaw of Harry never trusting in others, or relying too much on Dumbledore, at times it was frustrating at the lack of information he gave others, it’s like you could just say youre on a secret mission as to end voldemort, but then again I guess it might have made it easier for voldemort to figure it out the more he talked about it. I hated reading the Lupin scene I cringed so much.

I forgot that Dean was captured by the snactchers, and was upset they couldn’t have added this ti the movie, but I also get it, kind of

I’ve never understood the hate for the camping scenes, they really aren’t that bad, but youre also not wrong that they’re not the most exciting scenes in the book, because ofc theyre not

in 3rd Place is

Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban

I picked this book up at the beginning of the year, starting from the place I had left off on weeks (or months) ago. It took me a few chapters before I was fully submerged back into the wizard of world of Harry Potter and I was soo happy.

There were elements that I forgot such as the extended backstory of the maururders. I wasn’t a huge fan of the chapter focused on scanners and crookshanks, by I also wasn’t mad at it.

Reading 3-5, as I progressed from book to book I loved what I was reading more and more.

in 2nd Place is

Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire

I was surprised by how much I had forgotten in this particular book including the rolls or Ludo Bagman, Winky, and the killing of Bart Crouch.

Ron being upset at Harry didn’t feel as drawout as I remember (compared to the movie, that is always a question when it comes to thinking about the book, am I actually thinking about it or am I just thinking about the movie?) and SPEW wasn’t as annoying as I remember it being. This book has a different storyline as it’s following the twiwizard tournament so naturally I feel like most people find this book more exciting. The book creates the perfect building blocks for the next book, something in which the movies fail to do, but even with that, I feel like they could have done a better job at joining together the two stories even it it was coming from OOTP

in 1st Place is

Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoniex

People always complain that this book is too long but I found it perfect. Right after this random event happening at hogwarts we need normalcy, we need hormonal relationship, and we have that foundation of politics which leads the book. My hatred for the book is what made me enjoy the book the most upon reread, because it really wasn’t that bad. I have been watching a booktuber review the books after I have finished each consecutive book, and Inthink she said it well in that, when you are younger you don’t understand the book as well, I’ve now experienced loss, and forms of depression. Not on the level of Harry, but on enough of a level that I can understand. I now know the intensity of your teenage years. And now emphasize with his anger at the government, and more people should be upset, he should be more upset, and again as this youtubers said Ron and Hermonie let him know when he was becoming to much or when his anger became misleaded and directed towards them but it was not in fact them who he was mad at, especially when given the full facts. I believe this is the book that I cried like the last 100 pages. The dialogue at the end of the book is brilliant.

*when comparing the books to the movies, 5-7 had the worst adaptation of the battle at the end. I was never a huge fan of OOTP battle, but the half blood prince battle made me the most upset, and everyone said that David Yates did the action scenes the best. I’ve just never been a big fan. He did a decent job at the l dealthly hallows but 5 and 6. 👎🏽

#hp1 #harry potter and the order of the phoniex #harry potter #harry potter and the chamber of secrets #harry potter and the socerers stone #harry potter and the prisoner of azkaban #harry potter and the goblet of fire #harry potter and the half blood prince #harry potter and the deathly hallows #hp5 #hp2 #hp3 #hp4 #hp6 #hp7 #this entry could defs be cleaned up but 🤷🏽‍♀️

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fandomliane · 5 years

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I’m Still Standing (2/3)

This is part two of my submission for the 6K challenge hosted by @tilltheendwilliwrite . It’s my first OFC fic so I’m a little nervous! This takes place in an Avengers AU, post Civil War, but I’ve chosen to believe that after a few years, they all forgave each other and worked together without Infinity War or Endgame happening. Yes, I am in denial. Part 3 will be up tomorrow. I need to proofread it once more.

Pairing: Steve Rogers x OFC Word Count:1970

Warnings: Nothing in this part. maybe some bad Canadian humour and definitely Canadian spelling, but I am Canadian, so it’s allowed.

Summary: I chose Elton John’s “I’m Still Standing”. This story tells the tale of how this song brought Mia Rivers and Steve Rogers together.

I’m Still Standing Part 2

“And did you think this fool could never win

Well look at me, I’m coming back again

I got a taste of love in a simple way

And if you need to know while I’m still standing you just fade away

Don’t you know I’m still standing better than I ever did

Looking like a true survivor, feeling like a little kid

I’m still standing after all this time

Picking up the pieces of my life without you on my mind

I’m still standing yeah yeah yeah

I’m still standing yeah yeah yeah”

“Oh, no,” Steve groaned as he walked down the hall towards his apartment a week later. He had spent time over the last few days thinking about the cute, curvy redhead who lived across the hall from him. Bucky had asked a dozen questions about the singing once Steve had gotten home the night he met Mia. However, once he’d figured out that the person behind the music had piqued Steve’s interest, Sam had been told and the teasing had begun.

So Steve had avoided her a bit, hoping she was getting over the butthead ex and praying that Bucky and Sam would stop nudging Steve to talk to her or “run” into her at the building. But since that song was currently being blared from her apartment, Steve figured he should do something. But what? He stopped in front of her door and listened to Mia belting the tune out at the top of her lungs, all while he went over his options: ask her to turn it down and see if she was okay or maybe just turn around and go be teased by his friends for running away from the pretty girl.

After about 2 minutes of debating with himself, Steve went to the door intending to knock. Suddenly, the music stopped, and the door flew open, revealing Mia, dressed in a cute, blue gingham swing dress, with her red hair loosely curled and pinned up.

“Steve! Oh god, tell me my music wasn’t bugging you! I went over to your place and knocked. No one answered, so I assumed you weren’t home. God, you weren’t sleeping, were you?” Mia rambled, hoping she hadn’t bothered her newish, very cute neighbour again.

“No, no. You didn’t. I was just getting in, and well, when I heard the song again, I thought I’d check to see if you were ok. I mean, last time you seemed sort of…well…drunk and I wanted to make sure the ex hadn’t done anything to bother you again.” Steve explained, hoping that he wasn’t blushing as much as he felt he was.

“Oh god, that’s so sweet, Steve! Are you sure you aren’t Canadian? Sorry, joking! Thanks, neighbour, but I’m okay.” Mia tried to reassure him, as she patted him on the arm. “I just found out that the idiot ex was going to be at my friend’s party tonight so I needed to sort of psyche myself up for it. Convince myself that I don’t need him, and I’m okay and all that stuff. You know?”

Steve smiled down at where Mia’s arm rested on his. “Sure, I guess I can understand. I mean, my last relationship ended when our career paths went in a different direction” You know, when you went on the run from the law and basically hid for years from Sharon, he thought to himself.

“That stinks, Steve, seriously. But hey, you found someone again, right? James is a lucky guy! You moved on, so I have to believe there’s hope for me!” She stopped as her cell started to ring. “Sorry, Steve, but that’s my ride! I better go. Promise there’ll be no more Elton John playing tonight. Honest! Hey, I hope I get to meet James soon! Night!”

“Have fun!” Steve called back as Mia rushed down the hall to the elevator. She quickly waved back at him, and gave him one of her dazzling smiles. Steve just stood there staring at her as she left for the night. Hang on, what did she mean I found someone again? He wondered. James is a lucky guy? Does she mean Bucky? After a couple of minutes, he shook his head cluing in that Mia thought he and Bucky were a couple. I’m going to have to fix that assumption, he realized. Before she runs into Bucky and Sam.

______________________________________________________________________

Why, oh why, do the good ones have to be taken or in a happy relationship with another man? Mia wondered as she sat at a booth in her friend’s favourite pub. Seriously, who comes to check on a neighbour you’ve meet once after that neighbour has disturbed you. Oh, wait. I know who. Steve. Cutie pie, sweetheart, blue-eyed wonder, Steve Rogers.

“Okay, Mia. Spill it. Why do you keep grinning over here?” Caroline, Mia’s oldest New York friend, slid into the booth across from her. Mia looked at her friend, and tried to wipe the silly, Steve inspired smile from her face.

“It’s nothing, Caro, honest. Just me, having a good time, watching the idiot make a fool of himself.” Mia answered as she kept an eye on her ex, who was currently lurking at the bar shooting looks her direction.

“Nope. I don’t buy it.” Caroline grinned, as she poked Mia in the arm. “You’ve had the same dopey look for the last couple of days, and I want to know why. I mean, I’ve known you for the last six months, and the whole time you were with you know who, you didn’t have that look on your face. Not once.”

“Seriously, it’s nothing. I’ve just…umm…been thinking about the future. That’s all. And why is Colin here tonight?” Mia gave her friend her whole attention.

“He was invited before you guys broke up. Before the incident, you know? I asked Aaron to uninvite him, but he didn’t. I couldn’t figure out why at first, but I think Colin convinced Aaron that he wants to talk to you. I mean, look at him. He’s been trying to get your attention all night.” Caroline pointed to Colin at the bar. Mia glanced over to see him shoot her a tentative smile, wink and a wave.

“Nope. Nope. No. Not happening.” Mia assured Caroline. “I have no intention of talking to him tonight. We talked a few days ago over the phone, and he assured me that the rest of my stuff would be in my possession in a couple of days. I’m not going back. I’m moving forward.”

Caroline leaned forward on the table as she said, “That’s incredibly positive of you, Mia. I mean, if Aaron cheated on me, I’d want to rip his heart out with a spoon and feed it to the crows in the park for at least 6 months or so. But it’s only been, what, a month and you’re looking forward. I’m impressed.”

“Yeah, I just, I don’t know. I still hate that he did it, and I don’t know if I will ever fully forgive him, but, I don’t know. It got me to leave home and my safety net, and I really love a lot about my life here. I just…I don’t want to be a rage monster all the time.” Mia continued, “Don’t get me wrong, I have cried and raged. I even got drunk a few nights ago when Elton John and I had a ‘Time to Move On’ party.”

“Oh god. You and Elton John are a force to be reckoned with. What did you do?” Caroline chuckled.

“I may have been drinking white wine while singing along to my favourite. I guess I had it on repeat and annoyed my neighbour. He’s a nice guy. Sweet, you know?” Mia commented as the silly smile started again on her face.

“Amelia Rivers!” Caroline exclaimed. “Have you met someone who interests you already? I am shocked. I am stunned. Hell, I’m impressed!”

“No, it’s nothing like that,” Mia assured Caroline. “Steve’s just a nice guy who I annoyed. He lives with his boyfriend, James. I think he said boyfriend, not partner. I can’t remember. Besides, if you saw him, you would know he wouldn’t be interested in me. I mean, he’s blonde, has these beautiful blue eyes that are insane, and he’s really nicely built, you know? But honestly, he’s sweet, just seems like a good human. Trustworthy aura and all that. Hey, he even checked up on me tonight when he heard my music playing again. Steve Rogers is simply my nice neighbour.”

“STEVE ROGERS??” Caroline shrieked as she heard Mia say his name. “Mia, how did you not recognize Steve Rogers? He’s…that’s…he was Captain America before he retired.”

Mia stared at Caroline in shock. She had thought Steve looked a little familiar but thought that was from seeing him around the building and not because he was a celebrity or an ex-Avenger or anything. She blushed when she remembered how she first met him.

“Oh god,” she groaned. “He must think I’m an idiot. How could I not recognize him? Although I mean, I’m not from here, so I don’t pay that much attention to who is saving the world and all that. I’m just thankful the world is saved, you know? It’s not like he’s a big Canadian deal like Nelvana or Captain Canuck, but still…Good work, Mia.” She dropped her head onto the table and groaned again.

“Ummm, Mia, I also think you may be wrong about his lifestyle choices.” Caroline tried to comfort her friend as she reached over and patted Mia’s head. “Steve Rogers retired from active duty, passing the mantle of Captain America to his friend, Sam Wilson. When he stepped down as Cap, he said it was to help his oldest friend, James ‘Bucky’ Barnes adjust to civilian life. There was a whole statement and everything. I mean, he still works with the Avengers, but not the fighting stuff, you know. Now you, my friend, are living across the hall from two bona fide superhero friends, not a superhero supercouple.”

“Oh god, Caro. What do I do?” Mia moaned as she leaned back in the padded booth. “I didn’t even recognize him, and he’s this amazing, world-saving guy. Ugh. Even if I did like him and happened to think he has the nicest eyes and is a big sweetie, someone like him wouldn’t ever be into someone like-”

“Don’t you dare say what you are going to say, Mia. I will get seriously pissed off if you say you wouldn’t be enough for him.” Caroline stood up, looked at Mia, and firmly stated. “Steve Rogers retired so that he could have some sort of anonymity and normalcy, and you gave him that. You didn’t fawn all over him, you didn’t make a big deal about him and chances are, he probably appreciated that. And just so you know, you are one gorgeous human being, so get any negative thoughts out of your head. Just because Colin, the 5-minute wonder, cheated on you is not a statement on you. You are a curvy woman with a killer smile, a personality as big as Canada, and I, for one, would love to have that hair of yours. When you see Steve Rogers next time, just be you. You’re the person who picked up her life after moving across the continent for a guy who didn’t deserve you. You didn’t slink back home, you went on and you’re kicking ass. You’re the person who is still smiling after everything. You, my friend, are awesome.”

Mia looked at Caroline with a huge smile on her face, and tears in her eyes. She stood up, hugged her friend, and cheekily asked, “Cause I’m still standing?”

#t6ksongfic #Steve Rogers x ofc #Steve Rogers fanfic #Steve Rogers au #liane writes

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