Burn and America (Avengers/Captain America Fan Fic)

Chapter 20

Steve Rogers - Captain America

Its been a two weeks now since that incident with Rage Factor and Loki's interrogation.

Freya's back to her old self, the ever present smile and the strong confidence I admire in her.

I still haven't told her how I feel. I don't know what possesed me to, but two weeks ago, when we fell off of that hospital bed, I was going to tell her I loved her when the rest of the Avengers walked in.

Like I said, I don't know what possessed me, but I tried too.

Things are back to normal, no awkwardness, just the same friendly chemistry between the two of us as we spar in the gym.

But that's exactly what's bothering me. Everything's normal again.

I'm not holding her hand, I'm holding her down on the mat, trying to win this round of our sparring match.

She's not gazing intently into my eyes, she's trying to poke them out as she tries to wiggle free.

I'm not hugging her to my chest, I'm hugging my sides, which she just tazed under my rib cage with her delicate fingers.

We were back to being friends.

Damn it.

The other night in the lab with Tony and Bruce, they had tried to explain to me what the friendzone was, and that I was sadly, hopelessly, neck deep in it.

Now that I know what it is, I can honestly tell you that the friendzone sucks.

"Damn it." I muttered, rubbing my sides. Freya giggled lightly, but not as lively as before.

I look at her, confused. "Hey, what's wrong?" I ask her.

She smiles lightly. "Me? No, nothing. Nothing at all."

But there is. Something.... Sad, in her normally bright and happy eyes.

Somethings bothering her, its so odd.

Come to think of it, she's been a little quiet now a days. A little quieter, a little less excited about everything. Like a little piece of her happiness was taken away.

"Come on. Lets finish this match. The scores 2 for you, 1 for me, right? We have two more rounds to go." She stands in a defensive position, holding her boxing gloves high near her face, and bouncing on the balls of her feet.

I manage a smile before I charge.

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Freya Taschereau - Burn

Its been two weeks, to be exact, since Rage Factor came out and she first made her existance known.

Ever since then, she's been kind of helping me along with my training, giving me tips as we go.

Straighten your elbows. She whispers in my mind as I snap a punch towards Steve's arm. He blocks it, obviously, and launches his own punch for my gut.

Steve may have the size and strength on me, but I'm much agiler than he is. I dodge the other direction of the punch, and kick the back of his legs as I go down. He tumbles backwards, and I try to pin him down, but he just rolls over, and I fall off him.

He pins me down for five seconds before I manage to slip my hands out of his grasp and taze him right under the rib cage.

He reacts as if he were electrocuted, and jumps back, off of me. I tackle him to the ground and, using all my weight, push him down until the customary ten seconds is up and I win my second round.

He's been very quiet lately. Around me, at least. I don't know about when I'm not in the room.

Things aren't exactly awkward between us, but they aren't right.

Damn it, what I'd do to find out the rest of his sentence before Tony and the rest of the Avengers barged in.

"Damn it." He mutters. His nose is crinkled slightly in irritation as he rubs his sides. I giggle lightly, but I'm just not in the mood, so it sounds half hearted. Which, since I'm not in the mood, is technically true.

Ugh, whatever. I just want to beat something up. Its much easier than trying to sift through my emotions and feelings.

"Come on. Lets finish this match. The scores 2 for you, 1 for me, right? We have two more rounds to go." I position myself into a defensive position. Steve managed to smile right before he charges.

I don't know why, but I run right for him. I'm almost about to hit him when I dive to the side and roll. On the way down, I hook my left leg around the back of his knee and pull him down. Once I feel him falling, I unlatch my leg and roll.

He falls to the floor with a thud, and I jump on top of him the second he hits the mat.

I use both hands to pin his wrists down, and I kneel on his chest heavily. He pants lightly as he looks up at me in surprise.

I grin at his perplexed expression, counting the seconds in my head as I stare intensely into his eyes.

His clear blue eyes......

They look so...

Hopeful?

I imagine my eyes would have looked the same. Hopeful, anyway. Hopeful that we'll kiss? I glance down at his lips. He licks them lightly.

As I feel my hormones go into overdrive, its confirmed. Yup. Hopeful that we'll kiss.

I start to lean down, my eyes never leaving his. He leans forward as much as he can under my weight. Oh God, my weight. Whatever, no backing down now, no pun intended.

I feel the tip of our noses just brush when a loud, authorotative voice rings out and reverberates around the whole gym.

"All Avengers and related personnel to the conference room, all Avengers and related personel. This is an emergency, you are all needed immediately. That means you, Stark." Fury's voice booms over the intercom.

I jump off of Steve in surprise. I look down at him. He's still lying on the floor. I stick my hand in front of his face. He grabs it instantly. I help him up and flash him a forced grin. "Lets go see what Fury wants."

I run out the door before I can hear his response.