Marvel Imagines: Book One

So Much More Beneath The Surface

Characters: Steve x Reader

Warnings: none

Summary: You're usually quiet, always keeping to yourself. The only person who makes you comfortable in your own skin and with who you were was Steve.

Author's Note: The song I used here is called Go listen to it! It's a beautiful song! If you have any requests, please send them in! I would love to hear what you have!

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You were good for one thing and one thing only, hacking. You've become a professional thanks to your family. You grew up in that business, always moving around when law enforcement got to close. Your dad taught you everything you knew and after he died, you made sure to keep his memory alive with hacking.

It started out with the little things like traffic cams and your grades in college but then people started hiring you to do their dirty work. You didn't worry too much since you knew how to cover your tracks. Then, it got to a point where you helped criminals get the information they needed. You weren't proud of it, but you made great money.

The reason you decided to join the Avengers was because when Nick Fury found you, you were in so much trouble with the things you were doing. If you had gotten caught, you would have been sent to jail for life. Nick saw potential in you and got you to turn your life around. You owed everything to Nick and made sure you helped out in every way you could.

When you first joined the Avengers, everyone was so welcoming and tried to get you to join them in the things they did. But, you were the type of person that would rather stay in and read than go out. You always kept to yourself and everyone respected that. But just because you were quiet, didn't mean you stopped paying attention.

You observed everyone's behavior, analyzing what made them tick, the things they liked because it came in handy. You knew who to avoid before and after missions, what to cook them since you were always up early, and just little things about each person.

But the person you paid attention to most was Steve. He was a work of art and you appreciated the kind of person he was. Just because he stayed frozen for 70+ years, didn't mean his morals and the way he talked changed. He kept the past alive just by the way he talked about the things he loved.

Every week, the Avengers would have a movie night, and on the nights that Steve picked the movies, it was always black and white movies that he claimed to watch growing up. You always liked to see him light up when he talked about the things he loved.

He didn't know of your feelings for him. It's not like you could ever tell him since you were so shy. Plus, why would he go for someone like you when there were thousands, if not millions, of women throwing themselves at him? You noticed he liked to go out and explore the world but that wasn't the kind of person you were. You two would never work as a couple and that is what's stopping you from confessing.

During the day, you didn't get much alone time since Tony usually liked to bother you with computer work. If it wasn't Tony, then it would be Natasha trying to hang out since she didn't usually get the feeling of "girl time" around the tower. It was at night, when everyone was asleep, that you really got to be who you were.

You were a music buff and could play a lot of instruments. There weren't many in the tower but when you first found the piano in the ballroom, you knew you had to play it.

It was a rainy night when you found it. You couldn't sleep and decided to walk around the tower, explore what Tony hid from anyone else. When everyone was asleep and everything was quiet, the tower could come off as creepy and unsettling, but you loved it.

When you stepped into the ballroom, the big piano in the room caught your eye. You immediately walked to it, gliding your fingers along its smooth surface. Thunder sounded from outside while lightning lit up the room you were in. You gently touched the keys before pressing one. Compared to the silence, that ring was deafening. It echoed throughout the whole room and you looked to the door to see if anyone would come in and disturb the peace.

When no one showed up, you slid on the bench and stared at the keys in front of you. You loved playing songs on the piano because it sounded more beautiful than any other instrument. It sounded raw, and you could lay all your emotions into a song better than you ever could with words.

A song immediately came to mind as you started to play it on the piano. Immediately, you got lost in the music and started to softly sing the lyrics.

Yesterday, when I drove by your house
The sign out front said that you're moving out
I know why you'd wanna leave this town
But if you wanna talk
I'm better now

You sang the words when they came into your mind, never a note off key.

I'm ready to fall in love again
I'm ready to call you up again
I'm ready to talk and be your friend
I'm ready to fall in love

You didn't know what made you look up, but you did, and there you saw Captain America himself standing in the doorway. You immediately stopped playing and blushed. No one was supposed to hear you. You were insanely shy and didn't usually talk to people unless you knew them really well. And of course, it didn't help that you had a huge crush on the guy.

"S-Steve. Wh-what are you doing here?" You stuttered.

"You have a beautiful voice." He said, walking to you.

"T-thanks." You muttered, looking down.

"I didn't know you could play piano."

"There's a lot you don't know about me." You said softly, the silence in the room becoming more uncomfortable by the minute.

"We need to change that." He took a seat next to you but you couldn't look at him in the eyes.

"I thought you were asleep."

"Well, I was but then I heard someone playing the piano and I had to check it out."

"Sorry." You bit your lip.

"No, don't be sorry. Hey, look at me." He said softly and you did, blushing under the intensity of his gaze.

"I don't want to overstep any lines here but you mind finishing that song? Pretend I'm not even here if that helps." He asked with a smile. You bit your lip and looked at the piano keys in doubt. He already heard you so it should make you feel better, but it didn't.

When you looked at Steve again, you smiled a small one before nodding. For some reason, you felt safe with him, like you could tell him anything and he wouldn't judge you. He was a WW11 veteran, and one of the most respectful men you've ever met.

You turned back to the piano and placed your hands on the keys before resuming your song.

I still got your number memorized
I feel your body when I close my eyes
Do you still listen to Nirvana?
I used to play that record all the time

You resumed singing but instead of closing your eyes, you looked at Steve. He looked back at you with such admiration, it gave you the confidence you were looking for.

I'm ready to fall in love again
I'm ready to call you up again
I'm ready to talk and be your friend
I'm ready to fall in love
I'm ready to fall
Again
I'm ready to call
Again
I'm ready to talk
Again
I'm ready to fall

You finished the song only to sing another one, not stopping once. Being here with Steve made you open your eyes and you saw yourself in a new light. He made you feel things you didn't know you would feel. You couldn't wait to have that one person who made you feel like you were on top of the world, and Steve was that for you.