Helios (Steve Rogers x Male!OC x Darkling)

I

"What is it?" Steve asked as he entered the room where Mark sat. He was Steve's new PR manager. Better get this over with, he thought as he had to go for a meeting with the team after this, Fury was going to introduce a new teammate which just didn't sit right with Steve. There had been so many additions to the Avengers Initiative lately. 

Ever since the Battle of New York, things had changed entirely for the Avengers. With each major mission, things became more and more produced. They were invited for talk shows, podcasts, movie cameos, and whatnot. Being an avenger started to feel less like saving the world and more like being a celebrity. Even trainees of SHIELD started to look up to being an Avenger as some star-job with tons of admirers and fans.

Steve hated it in particular, made him remember the times when he was the poster child for the army. It had corrupted the whole system. The Avengers' missions and appearances started to be affected by these production politics as well. Steve had stood up with it for some time, having felt obligated to show up for the team, and tried his best to be the Captain America he was. But what started from a show every couple of weeks got to a show or an event almost every other day, sometimes twice a day. They were all assigned personal assistants, stylists, managers, etc. Steve feared that some of his teammates spent more time in salons and dressing rooms than training sessions.

It had started to take its toll on Steve too until he had finally retreated. He only showed up for the events and sat there, letting Tony and the others take over. Steve's previous PR manager had hated it. People had started to lose interest in Captain America and he had been nagging Steve to play his part on the shows. Steve had finally snapped and dismissed him, only to be assigned another manager a few weeks later. This was the first time he was meeting him, apparently.

"Your public imagine, Mr Rogers. Considering where it's now... It's concerning." He said, clearly finding words to put his thoughts into conversation.

Steve eyed him closely and raised a brow. "How old are you?"

Mark shifted uncomfortably under his gaze, "Twenty three." He answered.

"Aren't you a little too young for the job?" Steve asked. "Shouldn't you be in college?"

Steve regretted asking it as Mark looked offended. That's what Steve didn't like. Nothing was about the personal connection anymore. Wherever he went, whomever he talked to, he was supposed to keep his Captain America facade up and stick to business. Even during the interviews, it was a make-pretend get to know each other and poof, disappear after the wrap-up.

"I have a master's in business administration and brand management," Mark said and sat up straighter. "Considering my age group is your biggest audience, I should be regarded as rather perfect for the job."

"I apologize," Steve said.

"It's okay," Mark replied, though Steve could see it clearly wasn't. He cleared his throat and projected a presentation and started speaking. Most of it went over Steve's head but from what he could understand, people were starting to forget he was even a part of the Avengers.

"They're starting to question your leadership," Mark concluded, finally. "At least 78% of people on the internet agreed to a poll that Tony Stark should be the Captain, not you."

Steve rolled his eyes. Of course Tony was the favourite, he sure knew how to put on a show. "Why does it matter what the public thinks? My job is to save them from dangers, not listen to their fantasies."

"I agree," Mark said and sat down across from Steve. "But a lot of things are influenced by what the world thinks. Especially who gets to save it." He said. "It becomes your business too when SHIELD starts taking it seriously."

"What?" Steve asked, shocked, furrowing his brows.

Mark leaned in closer to Steve, his tone grave. "I take my work very seriously, Mr Rogers. My job is to make you look good. I have some sources across SHIELD that gathered ]information for me and apparently, the Council is considering giving the charge to Iron Man. He holds the majority of the finances of the initiative anyway."

"They can't," Steve protested. "It's too-"

"Absurd, I know," Mark said and backed away, reclining back on his chair. "SHIELD's an expensive organization and a very diplomatic one. It has to handle relations first to be able to independently deal with the world governments."

Steve started really listening to him for the first time now. Most of what Mark said started coming together and finally made sense.

"Not to mention what you stand for," Mark said. "The world's changing, Mr Rogers. The youth doesn't want a straight, white male wearing America's flag saving the world. Your image is too heteronormative and imperialistic. They see you as a proud, cold person. You don't show vulnerability and it becomes a problem." He said but all Steve could think about was how it made sense. Steve didn't consider himself straight, really, but he didn't consider himself anything. He hated the idea of labels but he could also see how it doesn't really matter now.

"But surely SHIELD won't actually go through it." Steve thought aloud. "Tony has his own company, brand out of the Avengers. He's not fit for it even if seen from this angle."

"What you say isn't incorrect," Mark nodded. "But think about it, what reason does SHIELD have to not do it that would actually outweigh the benefits for both SHIELD and the Avengers Initiative?"

Steve fell silent. "What do you suggest?"

Mark looked at Steve calculatingly and nodded, considering Steve's openness a small victory. He looked down at his laptop and make at Steve, "Where we're at right now... We'll need something solid to bring back your brand before SHIELD takes the decision." He said and tapped his finger against his laptop, thinking. Steve only sat there and looked at him.

"A story arc," Mark said. "Maybe you have PTSD from your time at the war, a physical disability you continue to fight despite of, or... are you dating anyone, Mr Rogers?" He asked and Steve shook his head. Mark sighed, "The public loves a love story. A wedding would've been the right camera magnet." He said and wrote some things on his laptop. "Give me some time. I'll think about it. But until then, please participate in any of the future events as much as you can. Show personality and vulnerability, just make people fall in love with you." He said.

Steve sighed, nodded, and got up. He wished Mark a good evening and left, wondering about all that Mark had said. Was it really this that the Avengers had come to now?