Lessons in Rule Breaking and Other Reader-Inserts*Steve Rogers*Reader*

Hug It Out - Pt.2/4

2. Fancy a rescue?

Another half an hour passed and the number of the people you had hugged climbed to 90. You were really freaking satisfied with yourself. Because majority of them had left you smiling – and if they had already been happy before hugging you, they had just left shining a bit more. You felt almost sorry for having only thirty minutes left according to your plan. You thought about coming back some other day with no agenda besides giving joy to both other people and you.

"Well, helloooo," sounded behind you, the greeting strangely stretched, allowing to the deep baritone to resonate in your bones.

Your heart jumped at the tone the man spoke with; there was simply something not right about it, something that made your hair stand on its ends. Yet, you swallowed against the lump suddenly formed in your throat, reminding yourself of your mission here – you were here to spread joy to everyone, so you just had to bite the bullet.

Plus, ignoring people clearly talking to you, that would be just rude.

You spun on you heels with a smile plastered on your face. Your gaze was met with a man, barely few inches taller than you, jeans and a hoodie suitable for a simple walk in a park. Just your average Joe Schmoe really. You relaxed a little, even though his overcasual stance did not rub you in the right way.

"Hello," you replied politely.

His eyes slid from your face, scanning your whole form, and he licked his lips before returning to look into your eyes. Your heart started racing.

Just ogling. That's fine. Ogle all you want, you testosterone-driven—... man.

You cleared your throat awkwardly. "Can I help you?"

One corner of his lips rose in a lopsided smile; you might even find his face handsome then if it wasn't for the slimy undertone in his grin.

"Sure can, sweet-cheeks. Could use a hug."

Aaaalright, let's get this over with. He most definitely wasn't the first person today whom you weren't delighted to hug. You had experienced an accidental brush of a hand against you bottom too. The rest of the hugs just always seemed to make up for the unpleasant experience and they would have to do so again.

"Alright. Uhm, let's hug then," you said, trying to keep your voice even. On the inside, you were squirming. You hoped it didn't show too much.

His arms went around your waist, one of them sliding up and the other dangerously low. And here it came... You breathed in to calm yourself, closing your eyes.

Just one hug. One butt squeeze. You can live through that. Just remember the class with professor Hilton, you had been coming to his lessons despite the man deciding to torture you all with boredom and you managed a whole semester. You can handle this.

All of those calming techniques flied out of the window when your nose had been assaulted with the odour of alcohol, accompanied by another squeeze of your bottom, the upper arm pulling you closer.

You wanted to stop. The hug was lasting for too long anyway, right? It was alright to end it. Like right now.

You let go of him, manoeuvring yourself off his embrace. He tried to tighten his grip, but with the help of all angels watching over you, you somehow slipped out and wisely took a step back before he could pull you back in.

You shot him a quick fake smile. "There you go. A hug. Works wonders, huh?" you babbled out awkwardly, trying to swallow the panic growing in your chest.