Fated (A Chris Evans Series)

Loose Lips

Denise chewed on her left thumbnail and tapped her right foot, anxiously and impatiently waiting for Chris' FaceTime call. He'd texted her while she was in class, just four simple but angst inducing words: "We need to talk." She hated those four words when they had no context, they seemed to always only result with terribly unhappy endings. She tried to guess what it was they needed to talk about, but she hadn't even the slightest of clue.

Things between them since the engagement were back to being extraordinary with no disagreements, no fights, and no misunderstandings. Denise had even been in Atlanta over the weekend for Chris' belated birthday celebration where she spent time with him and met his cast in person. Everything had been perfect, so what could he have possibly needed to talk to her about? Was he having doubts about marrying her? It seemed impossible, he'd stated time and time again he wanted and was ready to marry her. Her anxiety was definitely eating her up. If he didn't call soon, she was going to call him first.

The front door swung open and Luca burst through, panting as though she'd just ran ten blocks. Denise looked up from her laptop and narrowed her eyes at the magazine Luca was holding up while trying to catch her breath. Was that- "I know what Chris wants to talk to you about," Luca blurted all in one breath. Just as she did, Denise's MacBook started ringing; it was Chris calling. "Is that Chris? Answer it," she instructed as she rushed to Denise's side.

Denise felt her jaw tighten as she answered the call, hoping her fiancé- who agreed things between them were to be kept away from the limelight and under the radar until she graduated- had a good explanation for why they were on the front page of US Weekly.

"Hey, baby," Chris greeted Denise with a smile that hid his angst. He, too, had been having a hard time since he sent the 'we-need-to-talk' text, especially when he was the reason they needed to talk. "How's your day been? You look gre-"

"Cut the act, Evans," Luca cut him off, holding up the magazine; Chris screwed his eyes shut, letting out a sigh. "She knows, we all know. It's not just US Weekly, by the way," she whispered to Denise, who scoffed at Chris, who was staring at Luca to stop talking. "Tumblr is blowing up, your followers are freaking out. They are filling my inbox with a buttload of questions, I can only imagine what yours is filled with. You're also all over-"

"Luca?" Chris interjected and Luca turned away from Denise to look at him. "Can I please talk to my fiancée in private?" Luca pressed her lips together and nodded, lowering the magazine onto the table as she left for her room. "Look, sweetheart," he began as Denise picked up the magazine, shaking her head in disbelief at the title: 'Chris Evans announces engagement to nineteen year old girlfriend.' "I know how it looks, but- it was an accident, I swear."

"How do you accidentally announce an engagement, Christopher?"

"Wow, you're using 'Christopher'. You're definitely mad," he mumbled then pressed his lips together when she glared at him. He was well-aware it was a breach of the promise he'd made to her, but surely she knew it wasn't done deliberately. "It slipped, Denise. I was doing an on-set interview and they asked if I had anyone special waiting on me at home. Y'know, like they always do and- Mackie mentioned your name and I- I said 'yeah, I'm definitely missing my fiancée' and- things snowballed from there. I am so sorry, I know this makes things very difficult for you."

"Yes, it does." It may have been an accident but it was careless and it could've been avoided so she was still a little annoyed. "Chris-" She huffed, "having people find out that I was your friend was overwhelming enough." He nodded at the reminder of the beginning. "Then people found out I was your girlfriend and that was-" she huffed again, "insane. But it was manageable because we didn't publicly confirm anything."

"I know, but-"

"You just officially and publicly labeled me as your fiancée, Chris." She interrupted and he sighed. "Honey, I love you and I know this is my life now but- I am not ready to prepare myself for what people are going to say, what's-" she held up the magazine, "in this magazine. I mean- they didn't even give me a name, just 'nineteen year old girlfriend.'"

"Your name's inside, and on other..." He trailed off when he saw her deadpan expression had returned. "Yeah, but that's not your point." He said and she nodded with tightly pursed lips. "I am really sorry, Denise. See," a small, cheeky smile appeared on his lips, "I know your name." A weary chuckle was released from her throat which calmed Chris slightly. "Believe me, sweetheart. Soon it won't be 'Chris Evans announces engagement to nineteen year old,' it'll be 'Denise Hogan marries redundant Captain America star.'"

"You'll never be redundant," Denise assured him with a small smile.

"And you are going to be a superstar," Chris assured her with a big grin.

"You are not getting out of this so easily, Evans," she chuckled when she realized what he was doing. He suppressed his smile, nodding in agreement though he knew otherwise. "We're going to have to talk about this, you're going to have to help me figure out how to live life under the public eye." She heaved a loud, dramatic sigh to which he winced at with a small, apologetic smile. "I guess I might as well get used to it now," she groaned monotonously and he laughed.

"It's really not that bad," he tried to console her.

"Says the man who loves his job, but hates the limelight."

"You're going to be fine," he assured her. "You are so much stronger than me, so much better with being under the public eye. I mean- you look good all the time," he complimented and she tried not to smile because once again, she knew what he was doing. "When we walk side by side on the street, people often mistake you for the famous one." She rolled her eyes because that only happened once. Someone thought Denise was an actress and Chris was her bodyguard. "You're going to be fine. It's going to be hard at first, but soon everyone will see how amazing you are and understand that I'm the lucky one in the relationship."

"I can't wait to go back on Tumblr," she said with a sarcastic enthusiasm and Chris chuckled. "Did you hear what Luca said? She's just the best friend and her inbox is flooded. I can't even imagine what mine's going to be like, just questions and messages to pass on to you and- definitely hate mail. I'm going to be hated by so many people." He tried to speak but he couldn't before she asserted, "so many, Chris."

"I can't imagine how anyone could hate you, darling."

"That's because you're in-love with me, Chris," she frowned.

"Exactly," he smiled and she sighed, knowing he was right before he even got his point out. "I love you, that is all that matters- all that should matter. Who cares what dumb magazines are writing about? Who cares what strangers who don't know anything about us think? Our friends and families approve, we approve. I mean- we are what matter here, Denise. So pop on a hat and some sunglasses, say nothing, stay away from the tabloids, and live your life as you've always lived it."

She said nothing for a while, just watched her handsome fiancé's face in the computer screen as he smiled at her. Finally the words "okay, fine" were said, widening his smile. "I suppose it's not so bad, I can actually wear my engagement ring now." She said and he nodded. "But don't think you're completely off the hook, 'cause you're not." He nodded in acknowledgment, laughing. "If things get too overwhelming, I'm going to hate and blame you."

"Don't care as long as you still marry me."