Guardian Angel | Steve Rogers

29

Steve Rogers is a man of his word. He promised Arden he would prove to her that they should be together, that they are destined to be together. She knew it, but she wanted him to show her how much it means to him after all of their years apart. Years of hiding feelings, pushing them aside and dealing their demons alone. 

"How far are we going? You're not going to kill me are you?" Arden jokes as they walk past more trees, further into the woods. 

"We're almost there." He answers, ignoring her joke. Steve stops with Arden following suit, looking at the trees surrounding her, noticing it was the only spot that had a clear opening. 

"Here." He adds. 

"Okay, and what are we doing here?" 

"Your body is healing, but your powers are still unsteady, so I figured it would be best if we were in a safe place for you to practice." He explains. A part of her is smitten at the fact that he cares for her enough to do this, and drag her out in the middle of nowhere, and the other part of her is hating herself for even struggling with her powers. Powers she had grown to manage at a young age as she was disciplined not only from herself but from her mother's friend, her caretaker, her guardian for some part of her life. 

"They're not unsteady, they're just being spontaneous." She tried to defend herself. "But, fine. Since we're already here, I'll try it your way." 

"Good." He smiles, kissing the side of her head before taking a few steps back from her. "Whenever you're ready." 

Arden rolls her eyes as he backs up. "I'm not going to kill you." 

"Tell that to all of the flowers you killed at Tony's cabin." Steve reminded her, making Arden pout out her bottom lip. 

"Yeah, Morgan wasn't very happy with me." She sighed, replaying the image of Morgan's sad frown, trying not to be mad at Arden for the accident, but couldn't help a tear fall down her small face. 

"Let's start with something easy then." She suggested to herself, picking up her hands and doing a simple spell. To grow flowers from the ground, one of the first spells she did as a child. Going back to her roots and old techniques. Closing her eyes, taking a deep breath, and focusing on the growth of the flowers themselves, connecting herself to nature. Raising her hands, she felt the presence of growth, just like her first success of the spell. Opening her eyes to see flowers sprouted all around her and Steve. 

"Wow." Steve exhaled, plucking a daisy from its stem, walking towards Arden, tucking her hair behind her ear to put the daisy on top of her ear. He cupped her cheek, her face leaning into his touch, closing her eyes. A spark forming on her cheek, heat between her face and his hand, the sun dampening and forming dark clouds around them, rain falling quickly. 

They both look up at the sky, laughing at the rain Arden caused, but wasn't negatively effected by it. Looking back at each other, Steve's eyes mimicked the sky, blue mixed with gray and she was falling in love with him all over again. 

"How come every time we touch, something happens?" She asked, smiling at each other. 

"I guess I just have that effect on you." He teases with her, cupping both of her cheeks now, pulling her closer. 

"Maybe." She teases back, leaning into him. Their lips slowly touching, a needy but gentle kiss. Kissing each other, like their lives depended on it. The amount of times they both wondered what kissing each other again would be like, this moment topped it all. Their lips perfectly fitting with one another, their tongues gliding past each others, fighting for dominance, a battle Arden was surprised that Steve had in him. The clouds began to part, the sun peeking through again, the heat radiating their skin, they finally pulled apart looking at the clear sky. 

"Looks like your kiss cured me." She jokes, and he laughs, planting one more peck onto her lips and smiles at her. 

"You cured me." He reciprocates. In any other moment, she would think about how cringe and too romantic this moment was if she had seen it in a movie, but she can't help but melt. 

"You know what I want?" Arden exhales, keeping her arms wrapped around the back of Steve's neck, his hands around her waist. He raises a brow, waiting for her to answer her own question. 

"I want to see your place. How disgustingly organized and bland it is." She answers, and he gives her a small laugh. Knowing she would not ruin this sweet moment, but would make humor out of it. 

"It's not disgusting." He tries to defend himself. 

"I said disgustingly organized." Arden repeated.

"Then, let's go." He smiled. 

"Right now?" 

"Right now." He repeated. 

"Look at you being spontaneous and having fun. What's up with that?" 

"I just don't want to waste anymore time. Being with you is all I want." He expressed, planting another small kiss on her lips.

"Let's go back so I can pack some things." Arden pulled him through the woods. 

They ran through the woods, Arden letting go to indicate it was now a race. His light expression turning into a competitive one, he pushes himself to catch up with her. The wind brushing past the trees, loud thumps onto the grass as they ran. It was like they were teenagers forbidden to be with one another. But that's how their story was, they both forbid themselves from loving to get the job done, but now there was no job. All the time in the world to finally free themselves and to have the chance to give their love to someone else. 

When they got back to Tony and Pepper's place, they were giggling but immediately stopped when they walked in on being late for dinner. Tony and Pepper at the ends of the table while Morgan was smiling at Arden eating a piece of grilled chicken. 

"You're late." Tony leans back into his chair, crossing his arms. Obviously joking, but keeps a serious face. Arden rolls her eyes, closing the door behind Steve, about to stop him as she notices how big of a mistake he was about to make. Steve directed towards the seat next to Morgan, and as his hand reached for the back of the chair, Morgan placed her hand on top of his to stop him. 

"That seat is taken." Morgan joins her dad with attitude. Arden can't help but stifle her laugh, Steve keeping his eyes on Morgan to see if she was serious. 

"Morgan." Pepper scolds her daughter. 

"It's okay, I will sit on the other side." Steve smiles at Morgan, and she raises a brow at him back, showing that she is not backing down. 

Arden and Steve pass each other to take their seats, their fingertips brushing as they pass, Arden purposely sending a small sting of electricity to make him jump a little. Movement from everyone continues again once they're seated, eating and putting potatoes and chicken onto their plate. 

"So, Steve. Are you still at the compound?" Pepper breaks the silence. 

"No, I actually got my own place. Still Upstate so I'm close enough just in case." Steve answers. 

"We'll have to come see it sometime." She adds. 

"Yeah, anytime. Arden's actually coming over to see it. She thinks it's going to be disgustingly organized." He mentions. 

"Oh, really? And when will you be back missy? We have plans." Tony turns his head to Arden, she stops chewing swallows abruptly. 

"Relax, I'll be back in like a couple days or something." She answers, this time Steve stops chewing and chokes on his food a little. Pepper and Arden tuck their lips in their mouth, stopping themselves from laughing from the awkward tension while Tony points at Morgan. 

"There's a child present." Tony jokingly argues. 

"Didn't you say that people who sleep in the same bed love each other? Do you love each other?" Morgan blurts out, looking up at Steve. 

"I love her very much." He answers, smiling at Arden. 

"Fine, at least bring back the good coffee beans." Tony exhales, leaving the conversation alone.