To Be Reborn The Butterfly

Steve is sitting quietly on the couch sketching the New York City skyline when Tony and the others descend upon him in a conspiratorial manner. He quirks an eyebrow at all of them. What the hell?
“Steve, it has been decided that you have pined after Loki long enough.” Tony says.
“It’s time for you to move on Steve.” Natasha affirms.
“So I have taken it upon myself to hold a “The Bachelor” style party in which there will be dozens of ladies all vying for you.” Tony says as his fingertips tap against one another in a mad scientist fashion.
“Oh no! No! I thank you all for your concern, but I don’t need your help. I’m fine now. I’ve really let Loki go this time and I’m ready to move on. That doesn’t mean I’m going to let you turn me into a show pony at USO dance hall.” Steve states with yet another outdated cultural reference. It wasn’t uncommon for there to be dozens of ladies vying for a chance to dance with a man, any man, during the war when so many were overseas.
“We’re ganging up on you. You don’t have a choice. The event is tonight, in 2 hours to be precise. The tux is being delivered as we speak. You are going.” Bruce says.
“Et tu Brute?” Steve says. Bruce gives a sardonic smile with his arms folded.
“Don’t worry! You’re going to love it. I’ve had three of the city’s best matchmakers spend the last several weeks combing the entire eastern seaboard looking for the right lady for you. The list was narrowed down to 36 lovely ladies. They are beautiful, old fashioned, Christian, boring librarian types that’ll make you feel like you are right back in 1940. It’ll be the snooze fest of the century. Not a whore in sight!”
“Tony!” Pepper admonishes.
“Steve, the final selection of the ladies attending tonight’s gala was performed by me. The matchmakers sent me hundreds of entries. I know that this ‘style’ of event is not necessarily to your liking, but it is a quick and effective way to meet a lot of potential partners in a very short amount of time. I am asking you to trust my judgment. Will you?” Pepper asks as she takes Steve’s hand in hers. She then adds, “We just want to see you happy again.” Steve relents. He does trust her judgment, and in an odd way he trusts Tony’s as well. He was smart enough to choose Pepper after all, wasn’t he?
“Give me the damn tux.” Steve says with resignation. Tony squeals like a high school prom queen.
Steve gets ready for the event. They all do. How could his friends pass up the chance to watch Steve be swarmed by a crowd of marriage eager women all dying to walk down the aisle and pop out a dozen children in quick succession. It’s going to be a Donna Reid Blood Bath. They all pile into an awaiting limo and are driven down town to a nice hotel with a large ballroom. The crew arrives and Tony drags Steve on stage to present him to a room full of beautiful ladies. Steve looks around the room. The whole room has an ice blue motif and there are emblems of glass slippers everywhere, even the table centerpieces.
“Cinderella? Really Tony?” Steve asks
“It was Peppers idea. Let’s face it, you are a real life Prince Charming. Besides it gave us the excuse to end the event abruptly at midnight. We know you have your limits.” Tony says.
“Good evening ladies. I assume I need no introduction. Tony Stark playboy, billionaire, genius, philanthropist, but I am sorry to inform you that I am already spoken for. So I present to you without further ado, Captain Steven Rogers!” Tony shouts and the ladies go wild. After the roomful of squeals dies down a bit Tony continues. “Now we have divided you all up three ladies to a table. Each table has a very noticeable empty fourth chair. That chair is for Steve. Some of you may have noticed this great big clock here on stage. It is not a prop, it is a timer. When Steve comes to your table you have 15 minutes to make an impression. After tonight Steve will decide which lady or ladies he wants to get know better in a one on one setting. While your table waits for its turn with Steve I encourage you all to kill time at the buffet and on the dance floor. Many of you no doubt have figured out it will take a little over three hours for Steve to talk to all the tables. It is almost 8 o’clock now, so he will finish up shortly after 11. He will then be given time to make his selection and at the stroke of midnight most of you will be dismissed. Those of you that Steve wishes to see again will be presented with a beautiful plastique cheesy glass slipper. Steve may choose to give out more than one, or only one. It will be up to him. Thank you and may the odds be ever in your favor!”
Steve gulps audibly after hearing Tony’s long speech. He feels a bit overwhelmed and for a moment almost chickens out when the clock strikes eight and he is dragged to the first table by Tony. The introductions begin. “Hi I’m Barbara, I’m Colleen, I’m Stephany…..” Steve listens intently to each of them. Some of the ladies are more assertive than the others and Steve tries to be fair to each of them and give each an opportunity to speak. They are all lovely. Each is beautiful in her own way. Steve noticed about half of the women in the room have dark hair and light eyes. He didn’t realize he had a type until this moment, but considering Loki and Peggy he does. He is pleasantly surprised by it. Some of these women are so beautiful it makes Steve’s heart ache. They are beautiful body and soul. At first Steve feels hard pressed to choose just one. By the fifth table Steve is thoroughly convinced he won’t be able to make a decision. It is when he gets to the sixth table that one stands out among all the others. Her name is Aditi. She was born in America but her parents are of Indian decent. She is a Hindu and her name means Mother of Gods. Her skin is bronzed chocolate perfection and her hair is black as midnight. Her eyes are a deep brown and her face is feminine perfection. She is wearing a red dress and she has the signature red dot in the middle of her forehead. Steve can’t take his eyes off her. She has beautiful henna designs painstakingly painted onto her hands. She is dressed like a bride, which Steve does not realize. He knows little of Indian culture. He can tell she is old school, but assertive. She has no trouble making herself known. Three minutes into the meeting and the other two ladies at the table can tell the game is over. Steve has lost all interest in the other women in the room. It becomes even more obvious when Steve is forced to move on to other tables and keeps looking back at her.
Tony and the others watch on with excited fascination. She is exotic looking and according to Pepper very accomplished. She is a pharmacist by trade, plays the violin, and paints. She is also bilingual in both her native Indian and of course English. Pepper took a risk choosing a non-Christian girl, but she figured after Loki that Steve is more open minded than most give him credit for. In many respects she reminds Pepper of Loki. The waist length Raven hair, the exotic look, and a sweet personality hiding a fiery soul. She is strong in her sense of self. She knows who she is and knows what she wants. Steve could use a little of that.
Steve struggles through the remaining six tables. All the ladies look dismally disappointed. They can all tell he’s not interested in them. When Steve is done interviewing the last table several of the ladies leave, not bothering to wait and see if Steve asks to see them again. They know he doesn’t. Many remain, however, hopeful that maybe they still have a shot. They don’t. At one minute to midnight Steve presents Aditi with a (Tony wasn’t kidding about the cheesy part) faux glass slipper and his phone number. He asks her out to dinner tomorrow night. She smiles broadly and accepts.
The Avengers watch on as Steve goes on his first, fifth, and twentieth date with Aditi. Both are too old fashioned to skip to the sex part of a serious relationship. Aditi has made it clear he won’t get any unless there is a wedding night. Steve is totally fine with this. Tony thinks he’s a chump. After three months of dating it is obvious it is serious and everyone in the group approves of her. Natasha has made a concerted effort to buddy up to the woman and find out any weird deal breaking flaws the woman might have. She doesn’t have any. She occasionally snorts when she laughs really hard, and then gets embarrassed by it. She cooks mostly vegetarian meals and eats very little meat, usually chicken when she does. Steve is a big meat eater. He has to be. They learn to compromise. Chicken at home, and then beef for Steve when they eat out. Aditi spent years earning her medical degree but would hang it up in a heart-beat to be a homemaker. She wants lots of children.
The group hold a meeting. She’s the one. They all like her, Steve clearly loves her and she loves him.
“Why do we need to give them a love potion? I mean what does it even do exactly?” Bruce asks.
“Don’t know exactly. Loki said it was a blessing and to quote ‘not choose a psycho bitch and choose wisely’ so it must do something.”
“I don’t feel comfortable giving Steve something without knowing what it does.” Clint says.
“Don’t be a kill joy. And besides, she has to drink it too.” Tony says like giddy kid.
“Are we sure we want to do this?” Natasha asks.
“No.” Clint says.
“We’re doing this. Steve deserves to be happy, and if I have to put up with another mopey depressed Steve I might kill myself.” Tony says. Tony brews up a pot of tea and pours two mugs for the abstinent couple. He pours in equal amounts of the love potion Loki gave him and gives them a stir. “Pepper you serve it to them.” Tony says
“Me? Why me?”
“Because if I try to get them to both drink a ‘special tea’ they won’t touch it. Steve will assume I’m trying to drug him (which technically he is) and Aditi has learned there are certain things to never trust me with. Beverages is one of them.”
“Fine.” Pepper says. Pepper takes the two mugs in hand and carries them out to the love birds who are sitting on the couch watching some chick flick. “Hey guys, I made something for the two of you. It is a special tea, my yoga instructor says it has lots of antioxidants and tastes really good. I made you guys a cup.” Pepper says.
“Oh thank you Pepper, that is very considerate of you.” Aditi says. Steve thanks her as well and both of them take a cup and sip down a mouthful. Everyone in the kitchen watches them in silent anticipation. Steve feels the hot liquid go down his throat. The warming sensation there spreads to the rest of him. He starts to feel euphoric and elated. Aditi feels the same sensation. Steven then notices Aditi looking at him and he feels like his whole world is on fire. Her eyes are like liquid pools that he could happily drown in. It is then that he can feel HER. Her emotions are flooding him and he feels a deep tangible connection that was not there before. If she were on the other side of the world Steven would know her emotional state. It is a bond that is strong and lasting. The affection and attraction they feel for each other floods their hearts. Aditi is consumed by Steven’s love for her. They kiss each other passionately.
They continue kissing each other passionately. Finally Steve starts pulling at her clothes and Aditi doesn’t stop him. They clumsily get off the couch, trying to walk towards Steve’s room without breaking the kiss. They bump into a lot of furniture along the way. The moaning that follows lasts for several hours and is repeated every night the rest of their blissful happy lives.

Notes