Out of the Shadows
Chapter Four
"Okay... Hold your arms out a little more... Yep, like that. Okay, just stand still for a few seconds..." I heard Tony call from behind the computer. I stood there, holding my arms out from my body, in a pair of leggings and a sports bra, feeling more and more self conscious as the seconds ticked by. After what felt like an age, Tony called that I could stand normally again. Gladly, I put my arms down, and threw on my baggy t-shirt.
Tony looked up, and a grin stretched across his features. "You always take your boyfriends clothes?"
I looked down and smiled gently, shrugging and pulling up a chair next to him, "They're comfortable."
"They would be - they've been worn in by a guy who's like, twice your size."
I shrugged again and looked at the screen, where I could see all my measurements.
"I can get this designed for you, and it should be ready in about four to five days. I'm working on some other gadgets for you right now."
"Thanks Tony, I'll leave you to get back to work." I stood up and walked towards the door, when Tony called me back.
"Claire?"
"Yeah?" I looked back at him. He had an odd look on his face, one that I couldn't quite place.
"You and Steve." He began, before stopping awkwardly, unsure of how to continue.
"What about us?" I made my way back over to him, and leaned against a bench opposite his seat. He looked at his hands.
"I feel like you need a... A support figure, y'know, like a father figure."
I raised an eyebrow, a little confused, until he looked up at me.
"You want that job?" I asked.
"I've grown to like you, kiddo." he held out his hands in a 'what can I do?' gesture, and I smiled, "And I look at you and Steve, and I just..."
I tipped my head to one side as he stopped again. Deep conversation wasn't Tony's forte. Then again, it wasn't exactly mine either.
"I'm happy for the two of you. Proud even. When's the apartment going to be ready?"
I grinned, "Steve thinks it should be ready in a week, so we'll be out of your hair."
"Tell you the truth, I'll miss you both around here." a sad smile crossed his face, and I instantly felt sorry for him. Sitting in his swivel office chair, with his hands folded neatly in his lap, and his head hanging, he looked a little pathetic. I felt my eyebrows knit together.
"Tony..." I began, but he shook his head.
"Claire, if you and Steve ever..." he licked his lips, "Get married..." he stood and looked me in the eye. "Would you consider letting me give you away?"
I stared at him in shock for a few seconds. The arrogant, better-than-you son of a bitch I'd watched in News Scandals, and heard stories about from the Agents of SHIELD; the guy who ate too many takeouts and had an illustrious reputation had just bared his soul to me. I felt incredibly privileged. And a little emotional.
"Of course, Tony." I said warmly, feeling my heart swell. "I would love that."
His face broke into one of the biggest smiles I've ever seen, and he laughed. "You know I'm here, if you need to talk, right?"
"Yeah, of course." I patted his shoulder gently, and gave it a quick squeeze, "But don't get your hopes up; Steve hasn't dropped to one knee just yet."
He laughed and noted it, before shooing me out of his office.
"So you got your fitting done with Tony?" Steve asked as I walked into our room.
"Yep."
"Pity." Steve looked up from the book he was reading and eyed me seriously. "I kind of liked the tight leather look on you."
I pulled his t-shirt off and swatted him with it as I walked past towards the bathroom, leaving the door a crack open behind me.
"Perhaps you should get fitted and ask if we can get matching outfits." I joked, stripping off and stepping into the bathtub, turning on the shower.
"I'm too fond of my red white and blue, thank you very much," he called back.
"You've got the ass for a tight leather outfit." I heard him laugh, "I'm not joking you know."
"Thanks."
I reached for my shampoo, and began to lather up, taking in the smell. I lowered my soapy hands to wash them off in the jet of water, and felt two hands continue to massage my scalp.
"Steve!" I screamed, jumping, (backwards, which, had it not been Steve, probably wasn't the best idea.) I hit his chest, and heard him chuckle.
"Relax." he soothed, massaging my scalp a little more, "It's only me."
"You should give me due warning before you're going to hop in the shower with me."
"Where would the fun be in that?" Steve asked quietly, and I leaned back against him, closing my eyes and breathing in the scents of jasmine that came from my shampoo.
I don't know how long the two of us were stood in the shower for, but when we finally got out, Steve was barely suppressing a yawn. I had to admit that I was pretty relaxed after my head massage, and so after I dried off and pulled on some underwear and one of his t-shirts, I crawled into bed.
He pulled on a pair of boxers and snuggled up next to me, nuzzling me gently. "You're quiet tonight."
"Just thinking." I murmured. In honesty, I'd been thinking about what Tony had said earlier. Did Steve really want marriage? He came from a time and place where that was the norm, and where love was for life. I came from a time and place where marriage wasn't always the life choice. Not everybody got the white picket fence and the two kids. Not everybody wanted it.
I wasn't totally sure if that was even what I wanted.
I knew that Steve and I were never going to be able to live private, normal lives. Tabloids tried to track our movements, but until now we'd been pretty lucky to keep our faces out of the papers. We both knew publicity was the last thing Fury wanted for us, and Steve was determined to work well at SHIELD. I wasn't as bothered, but I could tell it was important to him.
If we ever got married, it would be the field day the tabloids had been screaming for. 'Captain America and Shadow wed.'
Then there would be the questions about kids. People would be taking wagers on when our first child would be born, and if it was a boy or girl, and how much it would weigh. Then if we did have kids, they'd never be able to live regular lives. Not if the press hounded them. If they were Captain America's child then everyone would want a photo.
What if we did have kids... And what if they ended up having weird super strength or something because of the treatment we'd both undergone?
Thoughts whizzed through my brain at a hundred miles an hour, and I bit my lip. Steve obviously saw, because he brushed back a couple of strands of damp hair.
"Everything okay?" he asked softly, blue eyes shining in the dim light from the bedside lamp.
"Yep, I'm just tired," I lied, kissing his cheek and leaning over him to turn out the light. "Goodnight."
"I love you." he murmured in the darkness as I snuggled into his shoulder, molding against his form perfectly.
"Mmh, I love you too."
"Good morning!" Clint slapped my back cheerily as he walked through the Stark kitchen.
"You're in an oddly good mood this morning." I eyed him suspiciously.
"It's just a beautiful world, Shadow!" Clint grinned, taking a swig of milk straight from the carton. I dreaded to think what Tony would do if he caught Clint in the act.
"Did you finally get the balls to ask Natasha out on a date then?"
He stopped mid swig and narrowed his eyes at me, the carton at his lips. After a few moments silence he nodded.
"Ah, congratulations dude." I grinned at him from the breakfast bar where I was seated, and heard Steve enter the kitchen.
"Don't drink from the carton, Clint." he dropped a kiss on my cheek and sat down beside me, pouring himself a bowl of cereal.
Clint chugged back a large amount of milk and burped loudly, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand and setting the carton down on the counter. A boyish grin was spread across his face, and I couldn't help but smile back.
"How can milk make you belch?" Steve asked, raising an unimpressed eyebrow. Clint shrugged and clapped him on the back, humming to himself as he left the kitchen.
"I guess he finally grasped the courage to talk to Natasha then?" Steve murmured, watching him go. I laughed.
"Don't act all haughty; took you a hell of a lot to kiss me for the first time, remember?" I teased, bumping his shoulder.
"For that I'm going to have to take your cereal." He switched bowls with me and I pouted.
"Pour yourself some milk!"
"After Clint's had his mouth all around it? No thanks, I'd rather have your breakfast."
Tony looked up, and a grin stretched across his features. "You always take your boyfriends clothes?"
I looked down and smiled gently, shrugging and pulling up a chair next to him, "They're comfortable."
"They would be - they've been worn in by a guy who's like, twice your size."
I shrugged again and looked at the screen, where I could see all my measurements.
"I can get this designed for you, and it should be ready in about four to five days. I'm working on some other gadgets for you right now."
"Thanks Tony, I'll leave you to get back to work." I stood up and walked towards the door, when Tony called me back.
"Claire?"
"Yeah?" I looked back at him. He had an odd look on his face, one that I couldn't quite place.
"You and Steve." He began, before stopping awkwardly, unsure of how to continue.
"What about us?" I made my way back over to him, and leaned against a bench opposite his seat. He looked at his hands.
"I feel like you need a... A support figure, y'know, like a father figure."
I raised an eyebrow, a little confused, until he looked up at me.
"You want that job?" I asked.
"I've grown to like you, kiddo." he held out his hands in a 'what can I do?' gesture, and I smiled, "And I look at you and Steve, and I just..."
I tipped my head to one side as he stopped again. Deep conversation wasn't Tony's forte. Then again, it wasn't exactly mine either.
"I'm happy for the two of you. Proud even. When's the apartment going to be ready?"
I grinned, "Steve thinks it should be ready in a week, so we'll be out of your hair."
"Tell you the truth, I'll miss you both around here." a sad smile crossed his face, and I instantly felt sorry for him. Sitting in his swivel office chair, with his hands folded neatly in his lap, and his head hanging, he looked a little pathetic. I felt my eyebrows knit together.
"Tony..." I began, but he shook his head.
"Claire, if you and Steve ever..." he licked his lips, "Get married..." he stood and looked me in the eye. "Would you consider letting me give you away?"
I stared at him in shock for a few seconds. The arrogant, better-than-you son of a bitch I'd watched in News Scandals, and heard stories about from the Agents of SHIELD; the guy who ate too many takeouts and had an illustrious reputation had just bared his soul to me. I felt incredibly privileged. And a little emotional.
"Of course, Tony." I said warmly, feeling my heart swell. "I would love that."
His face broke into one of the biggest smiles I've ever seen, and he laughed. "You know I'm here, if you need to talk, right?"
"Yeah, of course." I patted his shoulder gently, and gave it a quick squeeze, "But don't get your hopes up; Steve hasn't dropped to one knee just yet."
He laughed and noted it, before shooing me out of his office.
"So you got your fitting done with Tony?" Steve asked as I walked into our room.
"Yep."
"Pity." Steve looked up from the book he was reading and eyed me seriously. "I kind of liked the tight leather look on you."
I pulled his t-shirt off and swatted him with it as I walked past towards the bathroom, leaving the door a crack open behind me.
"Perhaps you should get fitted and ask if we can get matching outfits." I joked, stripping off and stepping into the bathtub, turning on the shower.
"I'm too fond of my red white and blue, thank you very much," he called back.
"You've got the ass for a tight leather outfit." I heard him laugh, "I'm not joking you know."
"Thanks."
I reached for my shampoo, and began to lather up, taking in the smell. I lowered my soapy hands to wash them off in the jet of water, and felt two hands continue to massage my scalp.
"Steve!" I screamed, jumping, (backwards, which, had it not been Steve, probably wasn't the best idea.) I hit his chest, and heard him chuckle.
"Relax." he soothed, massaging my scalp a little more, "It's only me."
"You should give me due warning before you're going to hop in the shower with me."
"Where would the fun be in that?" Steve asked quietly, and I leaned back against him, closing my eyes and breathing in the scents of jasmine that came from my shampoo.
I don't know how long the two of us were stood in the shower for, but when we finally got out, Steve was barely suppressing a yawn. I had to admit that I was pretty relaxed after my head massage, and so after I dried off and pulled on some underwear and one of his t-shirts, I crawled into bed.
He pulled on a pair of boxers and snuggled up next to me, nuzzling me gently. "You're quiet tonight."
"Just thinking." I murmured. In honesty, I'd been thinking about what Tony had said earlier. Did Steve really want marriage? He came from a time and place where that was the norm, and where love was for life. I came from a time and place where marriage wasn't always the life choice. Not everybody got the white picket fence and the two kids. Not everybody wanted it.
I wasn't totally sure if that was even what I wanted.
I knew that Steve and I were never going to be able to live private, normal lives. Tabloids tried to track our movements, but until now we'd been pretty lucky to keep our faces out of the papers. We both knew publicity was the last thing Fury wanted for us, and Steve was determined to work well at SHIELD. I wasn't as bothered, but I could tell it was important to him.
If we ever got married, it would be the field day the tabloids had been screaming for. 'Captain America and Shadow wed.'
Then there would be the questions about kids. People would be taking wagers on when our first child would be born, and if it was a boy or girl, and how much it would weigh. Then if we did have kids, they'd never be able to live regular lives. Not if the press hounded them. If they were Captain America's child then everyone would want a photo.
What if we did have kids... And what if they ended up having weird super strength or something because of the treatment we'd both undergone?
Thoughts whizzed through my brain at a hundred miles an hour, and I bit my lip. Steve obviously saw, because he brushed back a couple of strands of damp hair.
"Everything okay?" he asked softly, blue eyes shining in the dim light from the bedside lamp.
"Yep, I'm just tired," I lied, kissing his cheek and leaning over him to turn out the light. "Goodnight."
"I love you." he murmured in the darkness as I snuggled into his shoulder, molding against his form perfectly.
"Mmh, I love you too."
"Good morning!" Clint slapped my back cheerily as he walked through the Stark kitchen.
"You're in an oddly good mood this morning." I eyed him suspiciously.
"It's just a beautiful world, Shadow!" Clint grinned, taking a swig of milk straight from the carton. I dreaded to think what Tony would do if he caught Clint in the act.
"Did you finally get the balls to ask Natasha out on a date then?"
He stopped mid swig and narrowed his eyes at me, the carton at his lips. After a few moments silence he nodded.
"Ah, congratulations dude." I grinned at him from the breakfast bar where I was seated, and heard Steve enter the kitchen.
"Don't drink from the carton, Clint." he dropped a kiss on my cheek and sat down beside me, pouring himself a bowl of cereal.
Clint chugged back a large amount of milk and burped loudly, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand and setting the carton down on the counter. A boyish grin was spread across his face, and I couldn't help but smile back.
"How can milk make you belch?" Steve asked, raising an unimpressed eyebrow. Clint shrugged and clapped him on the back, humming to himself as he left the kitchen.
"I guess he finally grasped the courage to talk to Natasha then?" Steve murmured, watching him go. I laughed.
"Don't act all haughty; took you a hell of a lot to kiss me for the first time, remember?" I teased, bumping his shoulder.
"For that I'm going to have to take your cereal." He switched bowls with me and I pouted.
"Pour yourself some milk!"
"After Clint's had his mouth all around it? No thanks, I'd rather have your breakfast."
