ᴀɴᴀʀᴄʜɪsᴛ sᴇʀɪᴇs | B. Barnes, S. Rogers, L. Laufeyson

Captain America Pouts | 14 |

"Thank you sir, Mr. Rogers here is a little uh, technologically challenged."

"Hey-" Steve protested, and Harli shushed him.

"Call me Stan." The old man said, winking at her in the rear-view mirror.

-

12:43 pm
June 7

Steve handed the old man payment and he drove off, coming to stand next to Harli who was looking up at the mall.

"Dude. This is freaking huge."

"You're the one who dragged me here." He said, giving her the side-eye.

"Shut it, old man." She swatted at him, grabbed his hand, and led him through the doors.

She froze, "...I take back what I said, this is fucking enormous."

There were four floors, and it was absolutely crowded with people. She could see a few stores she recognized from her world, but then again, she had never been to New York in her reality.

Steve pulled her out of the main flow of traffic and into a corner, "Is there any way you could hide uh, those?" He pointed to her ears.

"I have no idea how I did it last time, so no, not likely."

He signed in frustration.

"I really don't mind if people come up and ask for pictures, but really," she placed a hand on her hip, "who's going to be looking that closely?" She gestured at the crowds of people.

He frowned, "I still don't like it."

"Well, pout on the way, we've got shopping to do."

"I do not pout-"

-

They had found a map of the mall, and were currently in JCPenney, Harli browsing through clothes while Steve hovered anxiously nearby.

"Steve, you need to chill- pun not intended." Steve just looked at her stonily, "But seriously, relax. We're not going to be attacked in here."

"I know, but being in public isn't my thing."

Harli sighed, putting the shirt she was looking at back onto the rack. She grabbed his face and pulled him down to her level, looking straight into his eyes.

"I have terrible social anxiety, and a terror of social spaces. I hate being in public. But do you know why we're here?"

"Why?"

"Because both of us need to learn how to be around people without freaking out... and because I need clothing and you need to be schooled in the ways of the twenty-first century."

He rolled his eyes, and Harli released his face. He stood back up to his full height, looking less stressed than he did before, but still alert.

She sighed, never gonna change, is he?

She continued browsing the women's section, she eventually shooed him away to go look at less 'old man' clothing. By the time she was done, she had found several pairs of black skinny jeans, graphic t-shirts, hoodies, flannels and more.

She had especially taken a liking to a leather jacket, and after a moment of consideration, grabbed it off the rack.

She wandered off to the shoes section, trying to find a good pair of combat boots.

"Alright, what can we do here." She mumbled, parking it in a corner and going to wander amongst the shelves.

"Harli?" She heard a voice yell, and she peered over the shelves to see a slightly panicked Steve looking around.