pov- imagines

HOTEL CALIFORNIA- SHANGQI

pairings: xu shangqi x past widow!reader
warnings: mentions of red room and just a lot of fluff
about: clingy fluff with shangqi
a/n: im obsessed with shangqi and widow!reader and although this isn't really centered around that, i wanted to include it

time spent between you and your boyfriend had decreased dramatically ever since he became an official superhero. you went from seeing him and katy for over half the day every day to surviving on minute long phone calls and scarce lazy late night cuddle sessions because he had slipped into bed with you in the late hours of the night. the days that you would spend with only each other practically diminished, and the few hours you got with just each other were treasured like precious stones, stretched out as long as you both could until one or the other was called away.

which was why spending every second with each other on the free day you both had was so important. today was the first time in a long time when you both requested a day off— and actually got it approved. bruce and wong had sworn that the world would be fine without shangqi for the day, and your own team had assured you the case that had come in yesterday was in good hands with your most promising intern. the day was stress-free, your phones on complete silence—except for shangqi's for emergent calls from nick fury for either or both of you, of course; you never know when a retired widow and the newest avenger are needed.

luckily, today neither of you were. and the skills engraved in you and shangqi were able to remain inside for the day.

your hands had been joined every minute you were in a crowd of people so you wouldn't lose each other, desperate to savor every second together that you were gifted. frankly, you were both starved of each others' touch for too long, and neither of you were going to take advantage of the time where you had the opportunity to enjoy it.

after sleeping in a little later than usual, you and your boyfriend had goofed around in the kitchen for a while, making a mess while you attempted to make pancakes, during which you both remembered that you weren't exactly gifted in the cooking department. this was proven by the gross difference between your destruction of a pancake and shangqi's own perfectly golden pancake. he had stifled a laugh but refused to let you throw away what you made, taking a proud picture instead.

the next few hours were made up of movie rewatching, ranging from the cheesiest rom-coms you could find to the newest horror movies you had missed. you must have missed at least half the movies displayed on the television from talking with each other and getting distracted by the other.

at some point, you both ended up on the sidewalk, heading to the only shop you knew of that sold the artisanal mango ice cream you had remembered you loved halfway through scream. shangqi had declared you had to have it, and punched in the destination in his gps before you were out the door.

your fingers interlaced without your notice, observing the beauty of san francisco while your arms swung in harmony and you asked your boyfriend how life avenger-ing was going.

"insane," he answered, "the other day, i walked into a room and found freaking captain america brushing his teeth. i swear i peed myself when he waved at me like it wasn't sam wilson standing in front of me and i didn't just die inside a little."

you laugh, pushing him lightly with your shoulder, "you do realize that's how people feel when you wave at them, right? haven't you ever seen the way little kids look at you?"

he blinks, "no." he looks down at you, as if he's just realized it, "holy shit, y/n."

"holy shit indeed, shangqi. you're a hero," you squeeze his hand. "really hot one, too," you add, fanning yourself with your other hand as you lean against shangqi's side. "i'm dating a hero," you gush, then pause, getting more serious. "you're amazing, you know that? who else could defeat a huge organization that's lived for centuries?"