Article upon article, Steve poured over everything he could about the Stark family. So far, all he could find about a Stark daughter was a sole obituary. And even then, it was so obtuse that Steve doubted it was even the right person.
The more Steve dug and the less he found, Steve wondered why they would keep her a secret. If Howard Stark had a daughter, surely there would be something about her. She had existed. Loki had said so. And Steve trusted Loki's memory more than a lack of paper trail.
Especially since Steve was stuck scrolling through all the archived newspapers instead of finishing some homework that he left for the last minute. In the quiet school library, hidden away in a secluded corner, Steve delved into his own investigation. Desperately needing to understand why he was having these strange vis--
"Boo!" Sharon whispered in Steve's ear, poking Steve's sides.
Nearly jumping entirely out of his skin at the surprise, Steve held his chest as he looked over at Sharon with wide eyes while trying to catch his breath. Sharon held her hands up in surrender, but she was also trying not to laugh at pulling one over on Steve.
Removing his glasses, Steve rubbed at his tired eyes and deadpanned, "I guess, ya got me."
"Yeah, I did," Sharon giggled and pulled up a chair beside him. Gesturing towards the computer screen, Sharon curiously asked, "What cha up to, Rogers? Shit, I didn't forget a history project, did I?"
"Nah," Steve reassured. Hoping that she hadn't looked too deeply into the newspaper clippings that were currently on the screen, Steve casually closed the tabs, "Just... bored."
"Bored?" Sharon quirked a brow and watched as Steve logged off the school computer. Steve nodded, but Sharon didn't seem too convinced. For a moment, Steve attempted to think up an excuse, but stopped when Sharon laughed and teased, "You sure do have some funny hobbies."
"I'm sorry, but who crochets different hats for their friends' cats?" Steve snarked with a quirked brow and a good-humored smirk.
"Shh," Sharon replied, trying to hold off her own giggles as she playfully held her hand over Steve's mouth to stop him from talking.
Childishly, Steve licked Sharon's palm and earned a squealed, "Ew," from the tall blonde. Standing from the computer table, Sharon wiped her hand on her jeans while Steve slung his backpack over his shoulder. Pushing in his chair, Steve started following Sharon out of the library, just in time for the bell to ring, ending their free hour.
As the pair walked down the hallway, Steve became increasingly aware that Sharon was looking at him. A bit hesitantly, Steve glanced out the corner of his eye at the other blonde, still not entirely convinced that she had been looking at him. For a moment, convinced that he was just paranoid. Of course, that changed when Steve's observation was correct. Sharon was watching him. With a funny crinkle to her brows, she studied Steve unabashedly.
"You okay?" Sharon finally questioned, breaking the silence like a spell.
"Of course," Steve lied, nervous giggling being an easy tell.
Sharon pursed her lips like she was trying to decide if she should say something. That was one thing that Steve both appreciated and loathed about Sharon. Sharon was considerate. Thoughtful in the way she spoke. Most times, it was a relief to be friends with someone who knew when not to say something. Other times, when she decided against speaking her mind, it made Steve anxious. Made him worry that whatever Sharon was thinking would be harsh. Harsh, and right.
Wincing with his own decision, Steve decided, "Just say it."
After all, if Uncle Loki had his way, Steve wouldn't be spending very much time with his mortal comrades. So, Steve thought it'd be best to have what they thought about him out in the open. Air out all their grievances before he disappeared to a prestigious art preparatory.
"Nothing," Sharon started, casually opening her locker. With a shrug, she added, "Just seems like you're stressed lately."
Preparing for an argument, Steve felt the words on his tongue. Tasting the bitterness of his own lies as he took in a breath to steady his voice. Before he could say anything though, a mischievous glint sparkled in Sharon's eyes while an impish smirk tugged at her lips, "Especially with this being Stevie-palooza!"
"Oh god," Steve groaned and brought his hand to his forehead, as though the width of his hand could cover his whole face. As though it could hide his embarrassment. Which, it couldn't. The only thing that could do that was if the ground opened up and swallowed him whole. But that wasn't very likely either.
"Oh, c'mon," Sharon playfully pleaded.
Steve peeked through the gaps of his fingers and watched as Sharon pulled out the dreaded gaudy Stevie-palooza pin-on birthday ribbon. The custom made badge was made with different Halloween ribbons that had been found with Great Aunt Peggy's things. Wired black ribbon spotted with orange polka-dots. Beige printed wraps with yellow eyes peeking out from between a mummy's bandages. Decaying green with oozing brains and bones poking out from severed arms. Sheer white webbing with realistic black spiders that occasionally spooked their classmates if they hadn't been paying attention. All of them having been weaved and glued into something for Steve to wear.
"No," Steve backed away with his hands raised to keep Sharon at bay.
"Steven," Sharon attempted to be firm, but found herself giggling as she held it out towards Steve. Switching up her tactic, she teasingly pouted, "It's Stevie-palooza!"
When that didn't seem to work though, Sharon reminded, "We all wear ours."
And it was true. Sam, Bucky, Sharon, and Steve all celebrated their birthdays as week-long extravaganzas. Each had a personal, ridiculously crafted corsage for their own paloozas. It was a thing that they did for each other. Proudly proclaiming their births and feeling damn special for at least one week out of the year.
It had started back when Sharon felt uneasy with people teasing her about being born on the 13th. She hated being called bad luck when her birthday fell on a Friday, so the rest of the group decided to celebrate for a full week. That way, people wouldn't tease her so much. Also, the guys just thought that Sharon deserved to be appreciated just a little bit more.
It also benefited Steve too, considering everyone called him Hell-spawn for being born on Halloween. But it started with Sharon. From then, it became another thing that they did. One of their many traditions that was as easily ingrained in them as their own families' traditions.
Suddenly, sadness started seeping into Steve. How many more paloozas would he have? How many more traditions could he indulge in? How much time left did he have to be surrounded by the love of his friends?
Sharon's hand holding the frilly birthday badge dropped and her brows furrowed as she read Steve's expression like a book. Concerned now, Sharon confirmed, "You don't have to wear it if you don't want to."
Mutely, Steve shook his head. With their deadline ever approaching, Steve took the corsage in his hand and carefully pinned it to his black t-shirt. The damned thing nearly covered his whole slender chest and the tasseled ribbons at the bottom fell the length of his short torso. But he didn't care how ridiculous he probably looked.
Instead, he puffed out his chest, trying to take up more space and dramatically demanded, "Worship me!"
"Don't I always?" Bucky chuckled as he came up behind Steve, smacking a kiss to the side of his face while his arms securely snaked themselves around his petite frame.
Sharon rolled her eyes at Bucky's public display of affection and tossed a wadded up piece of paper at them. Before either Steve or Bucky could retaliate, Sam came up behind Sharon and playfully poked her sides, causing her to squirm away. As she looked behind herself to find a chuckling Sam, Sharon swatted at him and scolded him with a, "You tryin' to give me a heart attack, Wilson?" Which made the boys laugh even more.
Standing there in the noisy hallway, wearing a hideous ribbon on his frame, Steve eased into Bucky's grasp. Placing his hands on top of Bucky's, Steve laced their fingers and rested his head on Bucky's chest. Affectionately, Bucky dipped down and pressed a sweet kiss to the top of Steve's head. He knew that he would give up every last ounce of magic to stay there with his friends forever.
Until, of course, he spotted the same bleeding woman from his nightmares staring at him from across the hall.
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The Chilling Adventures of Steve Rogers: Book One (Magical Hydra Horror AU)
Fanfiction"As though his feet were controlled by something other than himself, Steve stepped out of the trees. Not paying attention to any of the other figures standing as still as statues, Steve crossed the well-lit area. His eyes roamed over the boy. He was...
