Into the War || A Captain America Love Story

29

STEVE

I like to be prepared, but this was something that I never would've thought would be this difficult. From Tori and I arguing over the color scheme to immediately agreeing on another tiny detail, wedding planning has definitely been a pain. So far, we've decided on a church that I went to in the forties that's miraculously still standing as the setting of the ceremony, the small courtyard outside of it for the reception, a color scheme of light blue and white, and to have it late spring or early summer (in approximately four months). I'm pretty damn proud that we've even made it this far.

"It all really depends on when we decide to have the wedding," Tori had said, contemplating whether or not to have it soon or later.

"Winter is too cold," I stated, leaving only three other options.

"I don't really like any autumn color schemes," Tori said, canceling out another option. "So that leaves spring and summer. I was thinking more of spring than summer."

"Yeah, summer is too hot," I agreed.

And that's how our conversations went after that — listing all of our options, leaving it down to two, then choosing based on their pros and cons. I think we've done well so far.

Now we just sit on the couch, Tori laying in my lap and me staring at the setting sun through the long windows. The view is incredible here, and I'll never get tired of it. Swirls of orange and purple fill the sky, the sun barely scraping the horizon. It's the signal that the stars and the moon are to come out and leave a new day in its wake. I love how it's so beautiful, yet it has to end so quickly. Thankfully it happens again when it rises and falls again the next day.

Tori pulls a blanket closer to her, snuggling up closer to me. I smile, twirling a lock of her dark hair around my finger. The computer screen still illuminates the room in her lap, showcasing the decisions we've made on several open tabs. I watch her slowly drift in and out of sleep, trying to keep her eyes open. I eventually feel a little guilty, peeling the laptop from her grasp and put in on the coffee table.

I carefully rise from the sofa, carrying Tori up with me bridal style. I take her into our bedroom, gently laying her on the bed after I move the sheets down. Unlacing her shoes, I gingerly slide them off her feet and pull the blankets up to her chest. She groans, turning onto her side. I quickly put her shoes up in the closet, taking my own off and heading back into the bedroom.

"Steve," she whispers.

"Yeah, honey?" I ask softly, sitting on the edge of the bed and brushing her hair out of her face.

"Come hither," she mumbles, seizing my wrist and tugging me onto the bed. I let out a low laugh, holding her close to me. "You must be tired too."

"Yeah, you're right," I whisper.

"I know I am," she grins, placing her hand on my chest and gazing up at me. She plants a kiss on my jaw, curling back up next to me.

Not much longer after that do we both fall asleep, and it wasn't even eight o'clock.

•••

I wake to my phone ringing on the nightstand. I groggily grab for it with my eyes closed, answering it without looking at who is exactly calling me. "Hello?"

"Rise and shine, Sleeping Beauty."

"What do you want, Tony?" I ask him, rubbing my eyes. Tori glances up at me, still half asleep.

"Actually what you want," he replies. "Look, there's some HYDRA-like stuff happening in Paris. Wanna lend me a hand?"

I sit up from the bed, now wide awake from this news. "Just me and when?"