Shang-Chi Oneshots

A Bad Shoe

A/N: PRE Shang-Chi, so he's going by Shaun here, just because his big murdery past has yet to be revealed.

Pairings: Shang-Chi x Stark!Reader (am I'm making a Stark!Reader-verse? no idea)

Warnings: The usual for me, lots of swears.

Summary: The first day you meet Shaun (Shang-Chi) was something out of a cheesy rom-com.

(not my gif obviously, those are effort, I, I am of little effort)

This was fine.

(Y/N) Stark, but at the moment going by your mother's last name and trying to keep it casual as you explored the West Coast on some sort of post-Blip/post-everyone you love dying sort of sabbatical. Your journey brought you to San Francisco rather than Malibu, as, thanks to The Mandarin, that place wasn't as enjoyable as it used to be either.

You didn't have any work to do, really. Your work with your company was done for the day. You weren't doing any Avenger duties, you were just free to do what you wanted, whether that was exploring Chinatown for the amazing food, riding the side of the trolley to live out your favorite opening sequences, or sitting by the Wharf and debating on stealing a sea lion, it was a free day.

For the moment, you were enjoying a nice walk trying to break in some new shoes you had just gotten. It was a sharp stiletto that you knew you were going to need down the road, and the best way, you thought, was a quick walk around the neighborhood of your hotel to break them in the quickest: with bandages, socks, and scuffing them up outdoors so you wouldn't slip somewhere else.

The universe had other plans for you.

In all your years of living in New York City, not once did you ever get a heel stuck anywhere in the street. It was kind of a magic superpower to manage not to do that. No grate or crack was a match for you, but your first time taking these shoes on a spin in San Francisco, and you were fucked.

It startled you, and you nearly fell forward on the sidewalk because your entire leg was stuck in place. Stepping back, you realized your heel was stuck in a crack, and part of you just wanted to set the shoe on fire at that moment for being so uncooperative. You stood there trying to yank the shoe out without grabbing too much attention to yourself. But even so, even as an Avenger, you failed to see the car down the block losing control, because you just wanted to release this god damn shoe from its unholy trap.

Hearing screaming and a honking, you sighed and finally looked up. This wasn't new to you. You heard this sort of thing just because a Yankee fan cab driver hated the group of chanting Mets fans passing his car. This time, however, the screaming was due to a small sedan losing control and swerving right towards you.

"Oh, shit," you mumbled under your breath and reached down quickly to unbuckle the shoe from your ankle and make a dive for it.

You didn't have to. Someone from your right sped towards you and tackled you out of the way of the car. You both rolled on the ground for a little while, grunting at the feeling of absolutely destroying a Pepsi can on your spine before you both came to a stop rolling into the side of a building. You huffed at the heavy individual laying on top of you, who was sparing a quick glance at the car to see two teenagers stumbling out of it from the front.

When he looked down at you, your eyebrows went up and you made a mental note to take back everything you said about those shoes.

"Are you okay?" He asked you, quickly looking you over for any injuries.

You cringed, "Aside from the soda can I just demolished? My pride is destroyed. God, I hope that was a soda can. Please just be a soda can–an empty one, even."

He smiled and stood up, pulling you along with him and confirming that it was, in fact, an empty soda can. You sighed in relief and put weight on your other leg, immediately your eyes widened as you bit your cheek and planted your hand firmly on his shoulder, which may have been the firmest thing on that entire block at the moment, including the sidewalk.

"Oh, that is not okay," He kept you steady and glanced down at your foot, which you saw was now sans shoe, which was now firmly crushed into the sidewalk. "Sorry about that shoe, but at least your foot is still attached."

"A definite plus," You cleared your throat. "Thank you....uh...?"

"Shaun," He said quickly. "It's Shaun. Just, you know, Shaun."

"Hi, Shaun." You chuckled a little, "(Y/N). Thank you for the daring rescue."

"Well, I saw a damsel in distress, I had to save the day and rescue her."

You chuckled, "Hey, I'm a damsel. I'm in distress, I can handle it. Or I could've totally handled it."

"Yeah, okay, Megara." He teased and looked around, "Uh, where were you headed? Is it nearby?"

"My hotel, actually, is right there," You pointed at the hotel and glanced down at your foot, "How much hepatitis can possibly be on the sidewalk if I walk it? Eh, it's fine. I've walked through worse without shoes."

"That's a story I definitely want to hear, maybe over drinks some time," Shaun said as he extended a hand to you.

Surprised, you stepped back a bit before grinning and taking his hand, "Forward, huh, Shaun? Really feeling that hero thing, aren't you?"

"Well, I mean, if a hero saves the day, does he not deserve to celebrate?" He grinned. "I'm kidding. No pressure to join me or anything like that and I'm not expecting anything in return. I'm not a hero, just happy I could help you. Your shoe, on the other hand," He glanced down at the destroyed devil in the sidewalk, "That is a casualty."

"It deserves it for betraying me," You mumbled, and then you were shrieking in surprise when he picked you up, "Hey!"

"Your hotel is right across the street, and it happens to be where I work," He said casually as he carried you along. " I can't just let you drag yourself across the street like that, not very heroic of me, the not-hero-hero. And about those drinks – "

"Yeah?"

"My friend and I, she's right over there eying that Audi with a look that screams joyride, we're actually going out for drinks tonight, might do a little karaoke. You're welcome to join us, if you're up to it, or even want to."

You stared at this pretty man with his cute little grin and twinkling eyes and couldn't help but to want to see more of him, "Sure. Drinks are on me, as thanks."

"You don't have to–"

"I want to," You said quickly as he passed a very curious Katy and walked to the hotel doors. "I got it from here."

"Are you sure?"

"Yeah, yeah. Like I've said, I've had worse injuries," you said, then quickly had to recover so questions wouldn't be asked. "Clumsy childhood. But um, I'll see you tonight, Shaun?"

"Yes, definitely. Uh."

"Here," Katy appeared by Shaun's side, shoving a pen and napkin in your face. "Number, I'll make sure he calls you. Sometimes he gets nervous."

"I don't–I don't get nervous," Shaun muttered defensively as you scribbled down your information."

"Sure, sure you don't." Katy rolled her eyes. "Remember Rider in senior year? You nearly vomited."

"Anyway," Shaun said loudly, glaring at Katy who smiled happily.

"Well, thank you for saving my life, Shaun," you smiled and handed him the paper and pen, "and I will see you tonight."

"It's a date," He grinned. "A throuple date – wait. A hangout – uh–"

"Christ, Shaun," Katy mumbled. "Hi, Katy. Can't wait to officially meet you later, shoeless lady! See ya tonight," She said to you as she steered her stuttering best friend away.

Laughing, you shook your head and limped into the hotel room. (Y/N) Stark, Avenger, victim to a bad crack in the sidewalk. But, you know what? Maybe the West Coast wasn't going to be too bad after all.