bakerstreet | Mistletoe meme

[Yes, it's a Christmas party. SHIELD had though even before Stark joined in and decided to turn it into a flashy show. He definitely upped the quality of the food though so she won't say anything against it. The mistletoe is a new addition though and one she's been avoiding all night. An unoccupied room with a amazing breathtaking view of the city though should be a safe temporary retreat from the more raucous parts of the celebration though and that's where Maria's briefly secluded herself, a slightly watered down Coke she's been nursing most of the night in one hand, shoulder tipped against the glass to look out at the man made stars of the city in the night.

More's the pity she's not paying attention to the mischievous appearance of mistletoe on the ceiling above her.]

[Steve makes his way through the party, talking here and there with various agents and Avengers. It's strange, seeing SHIELD staff out of their usual black outfits. He's afraid he doesn't recognize half of them when they're not looking the part.

There's one face he still hasn't seen though and as he makes his way around the room, he finds himself looking for Agent Hill. When he does find her, it's in a secluded room, looking out at the city below.

He knocks lightly before he enters, giving her a small smile.]

Mind if I join you?

[She stiffens away from the window, a barely noticeable move, as if she's been caught slacking off at her job - and to her this is part of the job. Mingling. She's not a mingler. But she does it anyway because it's expected and because it's part of being a team and in leadership and probably a dozen other reasons she understands it's more important to show up and be available here than to be back at her apartment, tucked in with a fuzzy blanket and a fierce game of Words with Friends. Parties always make her feel awkward as much as she's professional enough not to show it. Most times.

Her shoulders relax though, barely visible, when she sees who it is and even the edges of her mouth do, so it's almost a smile. Captain Rogers. Somehow, and she doesn't let herself wonder why, he doesn't get included in the feeling awkward part of everything.]

No. [The slightest shift but to anyone watching who knew her subtle moves, it was an obvious drop of her defenses to invite him to join her. So is the admission:] It's a little quieter over here.

[He grins and nods. He's never actually lost that feeling of being on the outside looking in at parties. Even the few that have been thrown in his honor have felt strange and uncomfortable. Deep down inside he still feels like the guy who spends the entire night with his back against the wall, watching everyone else.] I can appreciate quiet.

[He steps up beside her, looking out over the city. It's impressive and the lights make his fingers itch for his pencil and sketchpad, but of course he doesn't have them on him here.] I love New York Covered in snow. It makes everything look brand new.

[She appreciates those easy grins of his. They make it easier to feel relaxed around him and her own lips shift upward just a bit more in subconscious reaction to it. She also finds that when he comes to stand nearby it's comfortable as well but she's not surprised. After their dance at the bar not so long ago, she's finding herself realizing just how nice it is just to be standing near him. It makes things feel... better. Just - better. Which she's not going to either analyze, which is rare for her, or give any indication. She's pretty sure he gets that kind of thing enough. It still feels nice and has her relaxing when he comes to stand close by. Her eyes shift to the city below as well. New York... brand new... it earns a bit more of her smile. Much more poetic than what she was thinking but - she's not only learned to expect that kind of thing from him at surprising times but to enjoy the fact he'll share it. Snow and poets in love with New York and city lights and finding ways to reattach him to the world and his city and who is he going to have for the holidays? and - ]

Have you been down to Rockefeller since they put up the Christmas lights?

No, not yet.

[He shifts a little on his feet, memories of Christmases from years past playing them out in his head. Rockefeller is something that was a tradition even in his day. It's strange how some things change and some things stay exactly the same.

He turns to her slightly, wondering if Rockefeller is something that she appreciates. As tough as Maria comes across he knows there's more to her than the dedicated soldier. He often worries what she does when she's not on SHIELD time.]

Have you been?

[She responds to his shift subconsciously, head tipping a bit, eyes lifting to watch for his, shoulders adjusting the smallest bit so she's turned into the curve of his without actually touching. As unaware as she is of that surprisingly natural response, she's just as unaware of the way her eyebrows knit for a brief second at his question. It's an obvious giveaway, for her at least, that she has no idea why the question would come back around. It's her duty to worry about everyone else and make sure they get what they need, free time away from it all included. As far as she knows, it's not reciprocal, which has always seemed appropriate to her. If she's started to worry about Steve a bit more than perhaps is entirely dedication to duty... well, it's not harmful to him and - after all he does, a little bit of extra attention is more than deserved.]

No. Not for years. Agent Romanoff says it's particularly nice this year though.

[He watches her closely, noting the small knit of the brows and fighting the unmistakable and ridiculous urge to reach out and smooth out her forehead again. He knows she doesn't think about herself the way she does about others. It's one of the things that he admires most about her.

He swallows lightly and forces his smile to widen the tiniest bit.]

Maybe we should go together.

[He's never been good at this. At talking to beautiful women and SHIELD seems to have more than most. Talking to beautiful, capable women whose respect he values more than anything else is proving to be just as difficult as ever.

He tilts his head to the side slightly, his words coming out a little fast.]

If you get a chance.

[She catches the swallow simply because she's watching him with the same secret studiousness she's taken to doing when she can get away with it and there's the flicker of concern that something's wrong that she hadn't anticipated and -

and then he asks his question and not only do her eyes go a fraction wider but her lips actually part the smallest bit in pure unexpected shock.

go... together?

She's usually good about immediate reactions to unexpected situations. It's what's kept her alive for so long but - here, now, she freezes instead. He - wants to go to Rockefeller. Together. With her.

It's not that she's unused to being included so much as she's unused to being included in anything that isn't duty oriented. Rockefeller - isn't duty oriented. Before her mind can kick in the awkwardness of why her? however that swallow from before and the rush in his words after, as subtle as they both were, register faster and she finally blinks after that endless second of looking like a deer in the headlights. He's nervous. About - asking her? And that single fact overrides the 'why her?' path her mind would usually take and focuses her on him instead. He wants to see Rockefeller with her.]

I can make the time. [Another twitch to those eyebrows, there and gone, a slight tilt of her own chin, still a little confused but with a quietly growing pleasure at the thought and her lips start to smile, small but real, at their edges.] If you're sure.

[He sees the small widening of surprise in her eyes and immediately regrets being so forward. The last thing he wants Maria to think is that he has some boyish crush on her. He's far past that kind of interest, even if he can't express himself well.

He's almost positive that she's about to let him down gently - or Maria's honest version of gently - when she speaks and gives him something close to a smile.

He grins in relief, his eyes moving upward silently to thank God for not letting himself embarrass himself completely. His eyes catch on the bit of mistletoe above them and he pauses.

He looks back at her, a small smile on his own lips.] I'm sure.

[He shifts slightly on his feet and then gives a small laugh.] Agent Hill, how do you feel about tradition? Particularly, the old fashioned ones.

[His grin says it's all right and she's not even sure, not really, what it is that's all right. Used to analyzing every situation as naturally as she breathes, for some reason her mind just isn't tackling this one head on the way it should. Just - it's an invitation. And for the moment that's enough. For some reason she wants to put off over-analyzing it for a little longer. The question though is a bit of a conversation jump, distraction enough, and her eyebrows lift at it. She wasn't aware there were any old traditions involving Rockefeller but now he has her curious.]

I suppose it depends on the tradition.

[He clears his throat, a faint smile on his lips as he takes a breath.]

Well, in my day if you found yourself under the mistletoe with a woman it was customary to give her a kiss. [He studies her expression, looking for the slightest hint of discomfort.] Does that still stand today, or is it mostly for decoration?

[The words go in one ear and lodge somewhere and it takes her another of those long frozen moments to unravel what he's just said because it simply doesn't make sense. Her eyes go up for conformation that she really is under a booby trapping plant but that's honestly secondary to the real point. Which is...

he wants to kiss her?

Steve... wants to kiss...her.

Her eyes jerk down and to the side, brow furrowing again as the information processes. That's... definitely not duty related. And it clarifies the whole invitation to spend time with him outside of work as well. And - why is she even thinking about this? The clear answer is no. No to everything. Work should be the reason it's a no but really the real reason is - she's just not built that way. Something's... off inside her and it has been since she was born and while it used to bother her, she's since simply grown used to accepting what that meant. She's respectable and appreciable but... she just doesn't have whatever it is that makes people want to form emotional attachments with her. Which...he really already ought to know.

Except - why would Steve, who she knows would take a kiss seriously, ask to kiss her unless - unless he wanted to...? Her mind clicks rapidly through reasons but nothing comes up as an alternative to 'he wants to'. It's not discomfort on her face as she lifts it back to look at him. Just pure puzzlement and it's much less Nick Fury's stoic right hand and much more the seldom seen Maria who manages to ignore his question and focus on the point instead to ask:]

Really?

[She breaks eye contact and his smile frays the tiniest bit around the edges. He's obviously underestimated his ability to make a fool out of himself in front of a beautiful woman. More than that, in front of a beautiful woman who is one of the fiercest soldiers he's ever met.

He wonders if he thinks the idea of this - of his attempt at romancing her to be completely laughable. Though, she's not laughing. Mostly she just looks confused and maybe not a little what he's going to take as repulsed at the idea.

His lips even out and his shoulders sag the tiniest bit as she looks back up at him.]

It was the custom back in the day, though I'm sure things have changed since then. [He takes a deep breath, and squares his shoulder.] I'm sorry, Agent Hill. I shouldn't have... [Spoken.] Been so forward.

[He glances back towards the party.] I should... probably... leave you.

[The real problem is that Maria doesn't quite catch that Steve is attempting to romance her. She's a very quick mind and she's almost insanely fast about picking up on cues - except in this area. Being taught, repeatedly, in childhood that she was unloveable, she has a blind spot there and so, even though she's picking up on the mechanics of what's going on and is vaguely aware of what that would mean with someone else on the recieving end, there's still no real mental connection inside her that applies them to her.

Which has her watching him even more closely than usual for cues and so she catches his reactions and they hit her inside strongly enough to make her feel them too. And it's what has her catching the glance - and the verbal offer - but also that he, in fact, doesn't leave her. Or make any real move to realign his body and do so.]

Steve. [She's aware he's Captain Rogers and she should be using that title but her gut... perhaps her heart, tells her that's not who he is in this moment and she trusts her instincts. Which she has to because she truly has no idea what she's doing. She wants... her mind blanks off on supplying an answer no matter how much there's something trapped in her chest that should have a name and a definition. It's what has her reaching up despite the fact there's no reason to as he's neither bolting nor needing support, and has her fingers curling, just lightly, around the label of his uniform jacket that should look stuffy but instead seems to suit him. leave you... It's a horrible sound but her mind shys away from telling her why it makes her stomach feel sick. She doesn't know what she's doing so it's straight forward and up through the middle because that's the only thing she knows to do.]

Would you still want to? Kiss me if there wasn't mistletoe?

[The question catches him off guard and he can feel a dull warmth move up the back of his neck at the answer that is automatic in his mind, but much slower to speak.

He studies her expression for a split second, seeing genuine curiosity mixed with a softness that he's only seen in her more relaxed and unassuming moments.

He admires the fact that she's a straight shooter, even if the question is hard to own up to now that he thinks the answer might offend her. Still, there's something about the way that she worded the question that makes him think maybe it didn't. Maybe it isn't.

He nods slowly.]

I mean no offense, Agent Hill. But yes, I would.

[As closely as he's studying her face, she's watching his right back. There's a tightening in her chest and she recognizes it as nerves, something she rarely feels anymore, not even in the middle of battle. She's got them now though. She's too well trained to fidget or even tighten her fingers on the lapel of his uniform though.

He wouldn't ask if he didn't want to but maybe mistletoe was a more ingrained tradition back in the forties than she was aware of and maybe -

the smile of relief and a little surprise comes so suddenly she doesn't even think to hold it back on the heels of his answer. He's being just as straight forward with her, not backing out with a joke or trying to avoid and somehow, she knew he was that kind of man already.]

Well [there's still a warning hesitation inside her but Maria's used to ignoring internal warning bells when it's something important and this - she pauses long enough to set her drink down on the windowsill, still without letting go of his jacket with her other hand. Straightening back up, she steps in closer again, almost close enough to dance, watching him because she's still waiting for him to recant. There are those damn nerves again but she still tilts her face to look up at him and her pride hopes her eyes aren't as vulnerable as she feels. The smile flickers back onto her lips again though because - she trusts him. It has her shoulders relaxing the smallest bit, has her relaxing the smallest bit.]

Then you should probably kiss me, Captain Rogers.

[Maria is a beautiful woman normally, even if she can sometimes come across a little cool, but when she smiles Steve feels something in his chest catch. He's pretty sure that it would be impossible to flee from this moment even if he wanted to and as she sets down her drink and steps in closer he's more and more convinced that he doesn't want to.

A small grin moves over his lips as he looks down at her, relief flooding through him at the fact that he hasn't offended her and the hope that maybe she's feeling half of the small thrill he's feeling taking hold in his heart. He gives her a small nod.]

Yes ma'm.

[He reaches up, cupping her face and lowering his lips to hers. The way he's always wanted to kiss a woman, the way he'd dreamed about kissing Peggy. If this were a movie, he probably would've said something smooth, but it isn't. Maria's too real for anything contrived and he's not sure he would be able to find the right words anyway.

He hopes she doesn't mind.]

[There's a half second in which her mind tries to kick in, panicked spark of worry over what she's supposed to do for her part of all of this - but then his hand is there, warm and steady and it has her eyes already starting to close before his lips even touch hers. And no... she doesn't need him to say anything at all after that.

There's a whole technical manual on kissing stored in some infrequent corner of her mind - but it doesn't even get the chance for her to try to dredge it up. It's a soft kiss, a sweet kiss, but one that has a whole heart behind its touch and it steals all the worry and nerves right out of her, so that her body softens, relaxes. Her empty hand comes up, slides without her mind being involved until it can rest over the thrum of his heart, reassuring and strong against her palm. For the first time in longer than she can remember, her mind simply... shuts off. And it's safe to do that.

It's him and warmth and right and she sways forward a little, lips moving under his in soft request.

She's like a time extension on that kiss, captain.]

[Steve is all too happy to grant that request, sure that Maria can feel his heart pumping fast and strong in response to the warmth of her kiss and the kick of adrenaline that comes from doing something that he once thought would be impossible.

He deepens the kiss, his hand tightening the tiniest bit on her waist as he loses himself in the moment. You don't get to be Captain America without kissing some girls along the way, but even when he was touring he wasn't prone to kissing women often. Most of the time, if he was honest, it was they who ended up kissing him.

And so this time was different. He'd made the move on this one. The only other person he'd ever genuinely wanted to do that with had been Peggy and she'd beaten him to the punchline.

When he pulls away, it's reluctantly. He looks down at Maria and grins slowly. He swallows.]

I think this may be my new favorite spot in all of New York.

[She feels that, his hand tightening on her, and it thrums down through her just as strongly as the kiss itself does. She's used to knowing when someone needs her. It's her job to be there for them when they do, before they even realize it themselves, and it's a matter of pride to her to be able to be reliable and someone they'd trust that way. His hand, that slight pull - it's not a need for supplies or air support or extract. But she still feels the need in it and the trust that reaching for her that way implies and - it feels good. Deep down and buried inside her... it feels good.

So does the kiss, a trust of a different kind and so sweet and warm and deep-hearted that she can't help but respond in kind. She's trained herself to be ruthlessly logical and emotionless in most situations but... this isn't most situations and she's never even though to put up guards against something like this. When he pulls back, her eyes stay closed for just a moment longer because inside her feels so good and when she opens them it's to see his spreading grin. She really can't help the way her own lips respond to that, spreading into a surprisingly soft smile as well. Her hands stay on him and she doesn't make any move to pull away. For that moment, she's relaxed enough to tease.]

Better than Rockefeller?

[His grin widens into an all out smile. He pulls her a little closer, but only by the tiniest amount. Still, it's surprising how easy this is. How right it feels.]

Oh, yeah. It doesn't even begin to compare.

[He wants to kiss her again and again and maybe one more time after that, but he's not about to push his luck. Even if her smile seems to make everything that much brighter.

He feels giddy, in a way that he hasn't felt since before they carved him out of the ice. The weight that has been lying heavy on his shoulders suddenly seems tons lighter and he's beginning to realize just how much this actually meant to him.

He glances towards the other room, with the sound of guests talking, dancing and laughing and then looks back at Maria.]

Maria, how do you feel about doing something dangerous? [He raised his eyebrows the tiniest bit.] Namely, dancing with me.

[Steve's not slow with a smile but there's something about it when he really means it and his whole heart is behind it that makes everything suddenly better. It has her own smile growing in response because, as much as she usually keeps herself streamline and minimal with her emotions, it's just too impossible to resist how good she feels in that moment.

There's no desire to step away and he hasn't let go of her either. It feels good, the fact that he's still holding her. As if she's worth holding on to. It makes her want to stay that way when she so rarely ever stays put for long.

She catches the glance though, knows what's coming and knows they really should -

Eyebrows go up at his challenge but it's not because she's withdrawing. And then he names it and the smile comes back, growing again and tipping the corners of her eyes. She gives it a decent shot at pretending to 'think about it though', it being a dangerous situation and all. Her answer is her shifting her feet to slip out of her heels.]

I think I'm up to the challenge, captain.

Mistletoe meme

Maria Hill | Avengers MCU

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

aww, Steve

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

God, that tag melted me.

:3 they're a melty couple

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject