The White Queen (S.Rogers)

Chapter 88

Immediately he froze against her, his hands tightening for a second, before he let go, lifting himself off of her, and getting off the bed. She sat up, her elbows holding her body up, as she panted.

His face had gone from confused to concerned, his hands out in front of him as if to placate her. "Brooklyn?"

She sat up further, before flipping her legs over her head so she was on her knees, climbing off the bed, keeping it between them. "No."

"Okay." His forehead wrinkled for a moment. "Then let's talk about it. What was wrong?"

How did she make him understand?

"You aren't Steve." She blurted out, because, really, that was the simplistic explanation. "You aren't him."

He went back to looking confused for a moment, before he looked down at himself. "The suit? Babydoll, it's just an outfit."

"No, it's not." She insisted, pointing at it. "That's not my Steve. That's... you're somebody else."

He held is hands out to his side, palms open. Then he slowly turned in a circle. "It's still me, Brooklyn. I'm still Steve."

"No!" She waved a hand at him. "You're... you're the Captain!"

He blew out the air from his lungs, ending in a soft groan. "Okay. So, you don't like the suit."

"No, I don't like it!" She snapped, taking a step back. "Why would you...Why?"

"I wanted to show you." He explained softly. "That we figured out the kinks. That I have a suit that protects me. So I can always return to you. So you can see that I'm safe."

She snorted. "So, you spring it on me? Not even a heads up, so I can mentally prepare? Just, 'hey Babydoll! Here's my snazzy getup? I actually go out in public like this!'? Really, Rogers?"

He sighed. "I'm sorry. You're right. I wasn't thinking. But I just wanted to reassure you, I'm safe."

Still upset with him, she eyed his armor. Now she was upset, because she had to admit that it was decent armor. The protection looked to be sound. Hell, hadn't she just been trying to figure out the weaknesses in it, when she was trying to figure out how to attack him?

"It's passable." She allowed, grudgingly. "Can you take it off now?"

His eyes started to twinkle a bit, as a small smile formed on his lips. "Are you asking me to strip for you?"

She made a disgusted sound, resisting the urge to stomp her foot. "I want my Steve back. I want you to put the Captain in the closet and lock him away. I don't sleep with Captain America. I sleep with Steve Rogers."

"Babydoll..." A bit of a sad look chased across his face, before he took a deep breath, taking a step to bring himself up to the edge of the bed. "They are the same person."

Brooklyn shook her head. "Not to me."

He nodded his head. "I think I'm starting to get that."

"Take it off." She ordered, folding her arms across her chest. "Get rid of it."

He nodded again, reaching up for one of the straps over his shoulder, working at the buckle.

"What's that for, anyhow?" She asked, flexing her fingers against her sides.

"The..." He took a deep breath. "For my shield. There's also these electro magnetic panels on my sleeve and gloves. It allows me to help call my shield back, if I don't catch it on the rebound."

She shifted, a bit uncomfortable. "I didn't think that Vibranium was magnetic."

"It's not." He smirked, pulling the harness off. "We managed to add a few magnets to the straps. It's not... ideal. But it does the trick, in a fight."