Now that the war's over

[stephrogers]

Steph had taken to hanging out at Howard's workshop these days. Usually with her sketchbook or with whatever assignments her class had saddled her with that week. Really, she just liked idly sketching him in graphite, almost feeling like a schoolgirl with a crush again. But no. Howard was the brilliant mechanical engineer she knew during those days of trenches and jumping into the fray. They had spent countless nights and days huddled over this or that new invention that would keep her team safe.

But lately, she's noticed a pattern to her sketches and studies. He was looking worn. Talking of Maria or Tony, whenever she could get two words out of him, hurt him deeply. As did other things.

"There's a marathon of movies by Ginger Rogers on tonight. Wash up and we could catch Shall We Dance," she offered.

Comments

ALL OF IT

[msrogers.livejournal.com]

She held him back, careful not to hold too tight so that she would hurt him. Steph continued to kiss him, feeling it down to her toes. "Howard," she sighed against his lips.

[au-avenger.livejournal.com]

"Stephanie," he murmured, feeling the reality of this wash over him. This was really happening. Stephanie, who could probably charm her way into anyone's heart on accident, had actually picked him. That threw him for a loop, it really did.

[msrogers.livejournal.com]

A small whimper escaped her and Steph pulled away. She was breathing a bit hard even though she knew she wasn't going to be fatigued easily. She blushed and glanced at him. "Wow," she said dumbly.

[au-avenger.livejournal.com]

"Only you could make that sound cute." He smiles, gently tucking a stray strand of hair behind her ear.

[msrogers.livejournal.com]

Steph blushed and laughed softly. "Hey, cut me some slack, I haven't kissed like that in...I don't think I've ever been kissed like that."

[au-avenger.livejournal.com]

"I wasn't teasing. I mean it. For having punched Hitler two hundred times, you're surprisingly adorable."

[msrogers.livejournal.com]

She laughed and nuzzled his cheek. "Let's not count how many HYDRA agents I knocked out."

[au-avenger.livejournal.com]

"Hey, I made the shield. I deserve a little credit," he pouted.

[msrogers.livejournal.com]

"You want to fight over credit or would you want to kiss again?" she teased. "Of course, you could've lost your touch after all these years," she laughed. Okay, so Steph couldn't keep a straight face when saying that.

[au-avenger.livejournal.com]

"I have decades of experience over you. You're just jealous," he shot back, smiling.

[msrogers.livejournal.com]

"Me? Oh I don't think so," she laughed. Steph pushed more of her hair out of her face. "But if you'd rather." She picked up the remote to try and work her way through the different menus.

[au-avenger.livejournal.com]

"I'm trying to take things slow with you - hey, Mythbusters is on!"

[msrogers.livejournal.com]

Steph shook her head and cuddled him once more, stretching out on the couch, as the fellas went about explaining how things blew up.

[au-avenger.livejournal.com]

"I love this show. These guys have my dream job." Even Howard has idols.

[msrogers.livejournal.com]

"Oh yeah? Why am I not surprised?" she chuckled as she made herself very comfortable and laid her head down by the reactor.

[au-avenger.livejournal.com]

"Science is always better with explosions. Always." He paused, wondering if the reactor's faint whirling could be heard with her super senses. But he didn't want to ask. Really, he didn't want to know.

[msrogers.livejournal.com]

"Maybe only to you and these fellas," she laughed. The faint whirring was a comforting white noise to her senses. Something that had let her know that Howard was still alive.

[au-avenger.livejournal.com]

"They blew up a car once when a kid asked them to. He seemed onboard with it." Howard does not see the holes in this logic.

[msrogers.livejournal.com]

She just poked him in the side and watched the episode.

[au-avenger.livejournal.com]

This episode involves fear and their urban legend cures. Howard chuckles as Kari squeals in discomfort as a tarantula is allowed to be in the lab.

"How can she not be afraid of getting into the water with sharks before, but this is somehow cringe worthy?"

[msrogers.livejournal.com]

She wrinkled her nose. "Howard. Spiders. Especially one that creepy?"

[au-avenger.livejournal.com]

"It's adorable and fuzzy," he argued, looking at her with shock. "And this woman handles explosives on a daily basis. She could blow it up. All it can do is look at her from behind a pane of glass."

[msrogers.livejournal.com]

She turned her gaze right back at him. "Howard. They're spiders. Allow the poor gal her own fears. I'm sure if a snake or something came through, you'd jump right up onto a chair."

[au-avenger.livejournal.com]

"I had a pet snake in college, actually." No, Howard's fears are much stupider but have thankfully yet to come up. "Besides, they're going to cure her of it. Or try to, anyway. One time they just gave up scientific cures and had Adam stick his hand in a box full of bees. Maybe they'll have it crawl on her. It might work."

[msrogers.livejournal.com]

She gave him a look, trying to figure it out. Best ot ask. "You mean you had an actual pet snake?"