Marvel Imagines: Book One

The Better Captain America (steve rogers)

Pairing: Steve Rogers x Reader

Warnings: none

Summary: Now that you're free from Tony's clutches, you're able to do whatever you want. You've grown close with the rest of the avengers, and have gone closer to Steve. You're learning more about the world since you've spent so long running from it. When Peter mentions Comic Con, you can't help but be excited to go.

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Despite being free from Tony's constant training and scrutiny, you still wanted to be at the tower. It's where Steve is, and you two have become a lot closer since his birthday. You two wanted to take it slow and get to know each other, but that picked up after he caught you in France.

Knowing that you're free and actually being free are two different things. Seeing your parents for so long brought back feelings and memories you didn't know you had. Memories that were lost in the depth of your mind. Feelings that got buried so far deep that you didn't think they would surface again.

You and the idea of you is so fragile that Steve has to walk on eggshells around you. He hates doing it, but your mind is so delicate that he has to. Seeing your parents after so long brought back painful memories, and it kept you locked inside your own mind.

The only thing that seemed to take your mind off things is YouTube. It has so many videos that can take your mind off what you're feeling, and the kinds of videos you've gravitated toward are makeup ones.

It's something you never really got into before HYDRA found you, but during your time with them, you started getting into it. After leaving them, you turned to it a lot more. Makeup provides you with a facade you can hide behind, especially if you use face paint and other creative SFX special makeup.

Your room is a mess with a bunch of boxes of face paint and other makeup all around you. You're sitting on your floor with a ring light in front of you so you can see everything perfectly. There is a mirror in the middle of the ring light, so you're able to see what you're doing.

Everyone else inside the compound is asleep, and there is comfort knowing you have no responsibilities right now. No one needs you. No one needs saving. You're not needed for training. It's just you and your makeup, something you need desperately.

You're about to put false eyelashes on you when someone knocks on your door. Whoever it is waits a few seconds before entering. Steve pops his head in and takes in the state of your room before moving his eyes to your face.

"Impressive," he chuckles at the Captain America tribute. "How long have you been up?"

"I never went to sleep," you say and turn to face your mirror again.

"Are you sad?"

"Yeah, kind of."

"Would you like me to keep you company?"

"If you want to stay," you shrug.

Steve closes the door behind him and carefully makes his way to your bed. This is how you two sit. In silence and in peace. He watches you paint your face, and you focus on the task at hand.

You're grateful to have someone like Steve in your life to keep you grounded otherwise you'd drown for sure. The other Avengers are making it very easy for you to fit in, and during the downtime you have, you've been teaching Steve to draw. He likes the comfort it brings, and it's a nice pace compared to that of a mission.

Art can be interpreted as anything, the only limit is the imagination, and Steve has a pretty big one. While drawing can be calming for you, your true passion is sewing and working with different kinds of fabric. After all, you used to work in a clothing store in the 40s back in Germany, and you practically grew up in your mother's shop.