The Daughter Of Love & Mischief

13/14

Ali sits in a chair at a cafe in the city, a fancy white chocolate strawberry latte in front of her, tinted sunglasses hide her eyes as she looks up at the old Stark Tower, surrounded in scaffolding. A shadow descends over her and she smiles looking up expecting to see Bucky, she does not. Steve offers her a small smile.

"Bucky couldn't make it" Steve offers. "So he sent me instead.....If you'd rather not..."

"No" she stops him touching his arm. "Stay, please" she assures him with a smile, Steve nods back and takes the seat across from her. After her talk with Bucky about her powers and Steve she decided to delve deeper into her feelings for Steve, she doesn't normally let herself feel things like attraction or lust, after her experiences with Sam she just couldn't let herself get hurt like that again, so she settled on being friends with men. But when Bucky told her that he thought Steve felt something for her, it started effecting her. So she's wanting to test the water, today, with coffee, it had been a join plan by her and Bucky to let her send some time with Steve alone. The waitress approaches their table but Steve doesn't look away from Ali as she brushes her blonde hair behind her ear.

"Can I get you anything?" the waitress asks Steve, batting her eye lashes and smirking, trying to block off Ali completely.

"Coffee, black" Steve orders still watching Ali. The waitress looks between them before walking away, Ali glances to Steve.

"I think she was angling for a flirt, Captain" Ali offers, Steve shrugs.

"I'm not interested in her" he counters, they share a look. Steve suddenly blushes realising what he's just said, he looks down mentally scolding himself, Ali smiles and bites her lip.

"Good" she whispers, Steve glances to her. Yes, there is definitely something there, something in her for him, feelings rising, shifting. Yes she definitely attracted to Steve, and it's more then physical, she knows who he is through Bucky, she's heard the stories, he's moral, strong, kind, caring, protective, he's willing to protect the innocent, to defend those that can't defend themselves, he's sweet, pure hearted and has a strong sense of justice, what's not for her to love. Not to mention his physical aspect, he is a very beautiful man. And there is something between them, a tension to the air.

........................

Steve brushes his fingers against Ali's as they walk down the street, she smiles softly and brushes her fingers back against his. He smiles like a teenage boy touching the subject of his affections, he supposes it's similar, his every thought is infected with her, even when she's not around, he lays awake at night thinking about her, he sits watching tv and he thinks about her, he eats cereal and he thinks about Ali. He has to do this now or he is going to loose his nerve.

"Ali" he stops turning to her, threading his fingers with hers, her eyes drop down to them and a smile works it's way onto her lips. "Would you..." he pauses a little trying to work up the courage. "Would you like to join me for dinner?" he asks. "There is this great little French place..."

"I would love to" she interrupts him, he frowns a little.

"You would?" he asks, she smiles lifting her eyes.

"Of course I would" she assures him, he smiles at her, relaxing significantly. He had been worried about plucking up the courage to ask her out, to try and work up to that point. He wasn't sure if she was as interested in him as he is in her, but today he's seen a little more to her, she's showing him a little more. Steve lingers close to her, her eyes lifting to his, she's tiny next to him, even with heels he towers over her. He raises his hands gently taking her face in them. His eyes search her before he kisses her. Gently, softly at first, testing the waters. She reaches up and fists at his shirt pulling him closer as she kisses him back, he smirks against her lips and kisses her just a little bit harder. She tastes like the strawberry and white chocolate coffee she'd had earlier, and something sweet, something Ali. His hands moving to thread through her hair to cradle her head. He pulls back and smiles.