Marvel One-Shots

Between Bookworms

Steve Rogers and Female Reader (slightly nsfw)

As if the words had slipped from the page and crawled into her bloodstream, the scene played out in her brain as her eyes glided through the lines. It was a classic and a favourite, a book she had read repeatedly. A romance she wished might play out in her authentic life one day.

Both characters were strong-willed yet kind-hearted and were pure children in mind, both in touch with nature and their emotions. They both suffered from great insecurities and had never felt love before- completely shielded from the emotion and destined to never get it; or so they thought.

It was one of his favourites too. Extensive and complex, the love story followed people (who were slightly similar in the way they carried themselves) who became unlikely lovers and companions.

Y/n frequented the bookshop/library that Steve worked at, constantly coming by to pick up, read and return the same three or four books. He could never blame or judge her, he himself had read that book countless times and wished he had the courage to share his opinions on the writer and plot with her.

She had noticed him too: his dazzling azure eyes that followed her with a gentle gaze, thick thighs and arms (perfect for cuddles, she always thought) a pleasant smile that lit up when she walked through the entrance, that white cable-knit and a soft beard.

Feeling judged was something she was used to, but never from him- granted, she had never spoken to him before. During her stay at the shop, he would come and sit opposite her on a beanbag and read silently; never looking up and never making eye-contact (something which she admittedly craved from him).

He always glimpsed at her pretty face when she wasn't paying attention; when her nose dove too deep into that loving alternate reality, when she undoubtedly stuck herself in her favourite story. His heart would always drop into his stomach when she left and he would regret not making conversation with her- he yearned to hear her angelic voice.

Women confused and intrigued him- that's because he had never had one to call his own or to look after. He dreamed to feel the kiss of feminine lips and the soft body pushed against him as he never had before. He dreamed to feel love and to give love, and so did she.

But as she sat there, nestled into the corner of the shop with the story in her hand and her own personal conquest for love far from her mind, so lost from the present as her brain worked to create a more genuine picture of the events from the book. He admired her from afar.

He loved the way her lips would pucker when she flipped a page, how her eyes would twinkle when she got to the part she liked, or how her brows would pinch together when she struggled to read a word. He adored her little quirks. Unknown to him- she loved his quirks too.

She loved the way he would hold his book in one hand and a cup of coffee in the other, how he would stroke his beard after serving a customer (almost a way to relieve the tension that built up in his jaw), or the way he would tap his left foot when he restocked the shelves.

Often, they would make their way to the romance section and take turns peeking at each other through the myriad of literature. The encounters would usually end with some awkward smiles and both of them scampering away to their own corners of the shop. She waited patiently for the day when he spoke to her. She could feel the anticipation for the event bubbling in her veins.

Y/n just hoped that it wouldn't be too long before she interacted with the most gorgeous man she had ever seen.

-----

She heard him before she saw him- pacing on the other side of the shelf. Her body slumped on an uncomfortable chair as the sound of his footsteps swarmed around her and engulfed her senses. She couldn't concentrate on her reading for the life of her.

Patiently, she waited for him to stop, go away and leave her alone like he normally did, and disappoint her again. But today, destined to make conversation and finally learn her name- he primed himself for the chat and cleared his throat.

"Hi."

Consciously, she lifted her head and wondered if it was her he was talking to. She had made a habit recently of getting confused whether he was talking to her or a customer. It was normally a customer.

"Hello." She whispered. Her voice was small and unsure, but just as gentle as he thought it would be. Hearing her speak was like listening to church bells- glorifying and peaceful. He let the word wrap around him and soothe his mind before he said anything else.

"I noticed you keep reading that one..." He stopped talking to point at the book in her hands. The same one you had been reading in the shop for the past couple of days. She didn't like taking books home, as she didn't trust herself with them. That's what she told herself. The real reason was that she enjoyed coming into the store to see him. Seeing his handsome face kept her going.

"Oh, yes." Her face lit up as she spoke, wanting to unload her opinions on her new acquaintance. "It's my favourite. My mum used to read it to me every night when I was little. I wouldn't sleep if she didn't."

He chuckled, wishing he had built the confidence earlier, swallowed his worries and spoken to her earlier. Smiling widely, he stared at her as she launched into a vast story of her past with the book and how it had comforted her through so much. As her mind dug through her memories, she grinned in nostalgia and relief that she could finally tell someone her undiluted feelings.

As she picked through the information in her brain, her soft smile dropped as she realised how lonely she was. He was the first person she had spoken to, apart from the Starbucks barista in days. She worked from home, and she had no friends.

"Hey, hey..." He comforted her. Slowly, making his way closer to where she was sitting. He placed his warm palm on her to keep her grounded, and she leaned into his touch, not realising how much she needed physical contact. A hug, or a kiss.

----

That's how they ended up here. Months later and they were sitting on her bed, in her apartment, as he read her an excerpt from the book that had brought them together. He was positioned on his side, supported by his elbow, and she was laid flat on her back looking up at him.

Lifting her hand up, she pressed it to his cheek feeling the clean cut of his newly shaven face. He was undeniably gorgeous with or without the beard, but she always preferred the softness of the short hair that grew there- it made him look friendlier and more loveable. Now he looked intimidating as he laid there shirtless, with his few tattoos on show. She had never known about them when he worked in the library.

He laughed as he felt her hand on his face, and it pulled his attention away from the page and onto her. He slipped his hand from the paper and laid it on her chest, just above her heart. He would never admit what she did for him- she made loneliness a feeling of the past for him too.

He thanked her with a deep kiss. She still blushed when he devoured her lips like that- like a starved animal. Giggling, she pulled away and buried her face in his chest, lightly pecking the taught skin that laid there as she trailed her hand up and down his abdomen.

Sighing in content, he turned the corner of the page and closed to book, setting it down on the duvet. He gave her his full attention, as she lifted her head from his chest and puckered her lips, awaiting another kiss. He pecked her once and drew back, watching as her eyebrows furrowed and she rolled her eyes. "One isn't enough" she would always say.

Staring in each other's eyes was like reading the story of their love, they gazed at one another with matched stares of adoration and warmth. He had finally gotten what he wanted- the kiss of feminine lips and the soft body pushed against him as he never had before.