A Fragile Hope (and other Avengers Oneshots)

For Agent_Prim_Of_221B- Steve/Kiara/Loki Oneshot

Hey, all! This is an Avengers/Loki Oneshot that I'm posting in here for @Agent_Prim_Of_221B 

She has a WONDERFUL AMAZING Avengers fanfic that you should definitely read, if you haven't already. Actually, you should go do that because if you continue reading it won't make much sense, probably. Anyway. 

Here it is! 

Kiara slowly sipped a warm mug of apple cider as she nervously tried to remember how breathing worked. 

"Hey, it's only a boy," teased Todd, coming up behind her and grinning. "You do live with one, after all." 

"Shut up," she said irritably. "It's only Captain America, you genius. What if I, like, burn his house down or something?" 

"I thought you only burned things when you were angry?" Todd inquired with a thoughtful look. 

"Well," Kiara said sheepishly. "Also i-if I'm nervous. Which never happens. Except apparently now." 

"Why are you so nervous?" Todd exclaimed, sitting next to her on the couch. "I figured that after Loki, nobody could make you nervous." 

Kiara's eyes flashed at the name. Loki was in the past, and she had to move on. Earth was her home now, and Steve...well, she liked him. Really liked him. And in five minutes, he was going to pick her up for a date. 

"Okay, I'm sorry I mentioned Loki." Todd said, grimacing. "But Steve is a nice lad." 

"Lad?" Kiara said with a wry smile. "You sound like Thor." 

"Hast thou seen my silvery hammer?" he replied in an exaggerated British accent. 

"Okay," Kiara said, shoving him. "Now you sound like Stark." 

Todd looked up at her from the floor. "Hey," he said reproachfully. "That hurt." 

Kiara rolled her eyes. "I'm sorry I'm stronger than you, now get off the--" 

She froze as the doorbell rang. 7:00, on the dot. Todd shot her one last reassuring glance as she stepped to the door. 

"Very punctual, are you?" Kiara said as soon as she opened the door. 

"Ma'am," said Steve, his warm blue eyes twinkling. "When I was in the Army, they taught us to always be on time." 

She laughed and he helped her onto his motorcycle. 

The lights blinked on as soon as he opened the door. 

"Fancy light sensors," Kiara observed. 

Steve ran a hand through his hair apologetically. "Stark did it," he said with a smile. "I told him not to, but..." 

He led her through the foyer of his house towards, presumably, the dining room. She noticed that his house was simple, not anything fancy or gaudy, like Stark's place or Banner's science labs. A few old World War II era posters were framed and tastefully hung on the wall, and Steve's classic bomber jacket hung on a coat rack. 

With a smile, Steve opened the door and presented a set table, with tall candles and a small vase of white lilies decorating the table. "It's lovely," Kiara said, running a finger along the tablecloth. "Thank you, Steve."  

"Of course," he laughed. But she could see his baby-blue eyes darting around nervously. He was so adorable. 

They sat down to dinner. 

Kiara thought that they would have nothing to talk about, but as it happened, they never didn't have anything to talk about. It was well past 9:00 when their conversation finally started to slow down. Steve had gotten up to pour more wine when the doorbell rang.