"conversations with other women" by zauberer_sirin (G)
Fandom: The Avengers (movieverse)
Pairing: Steve Rogers/Maria Hill, Peggy Carter/Steve Rogers, Pepper Potts/Tony Stark, Bruce Banner/Natasha Romanov if you squint
Length: ~9500 words
Author on LJ: zauberer_sirin
Author Website: 42number
Why this must be read: It's well-established in canon and fanon alike that Steve Rogers' familiarity with the opposite sex is limited, but it's nice to see a fic where he's perfectly capable of talking to a woman. As he says, he's waiting for the right partner. This story is in part about that, but it's also about the various friendships and interactions that define him. "conversations with other women" is funny and moving and smart by turns, and well worth a read.
He looks down at the tiny cup of very dark coffee in his hand.
`What is this?´
`It's an espresso.´
Pepper Potts sits by his side on the couch and watches him as he drinks the coffee, looking expectant, waiting for his approval.
`It's very good, ma'am´ he says.
Steve has never got used to being alone with a woman, specially not in her house, it's in his nature to find it odd, but Pepper is a soothing presence, Steve doesn't really feel unnerved like he does with other people. There's a calm and friendliness about her and Steve likes that she feels a bit removed from their world, obviously aware of what's going on but not part of the battles.
`Tony will be down shortly,´ she tells him. `He tends to lose track of time when he's in the lab. Even I haven't seen him in about ten hours.´
`I don't find it hard to imagine he is a man easily distracted,´ Steve says.
`You have no idea.´
He looks away, embarrassed to have assumed he knows anything about Tony Stark -if he thinks about it it's sobering how little he knows- in front of this woman.
`This place looks different,´ he comments.
`Yeah, nothing like having your house destroyed by a mythical god to make you reconsider your taste in interior decoration.´
`It looks better.´
`I think so too.´
`I used to think this building was very ugly,´ Steve confides. `But now I think it's growing on me.´
Pepper gives him a curious look.
`I'm glad to hear that,´ she says.
(she studies his face - she doesn't mean to make him uncomfortable but she can't resist the chance, now that she has him close and they are in a casual environment; she knows the story, she has read the -um, classified but oh well- reports, she would love to pick Steve's mind about what it feels like waking up in this period after so many decades; and there's also the way Tony talks, and not-talks, about him, how there's a bit of old resentment because Steve knew Howard Stark, and how Tony is struggling to let that go; Pepper cannot help it if she finds it fascinating, having a quiet moment with Captain America, she's only human)
`Another cup of coffee?´ she asks, because she can see the silence it's starting to bother him.
`Thank you, ma'am.´
Pepper puts her hand over her mouth, shaking with laughter - it's a rich, warm noise.
`I'm sorry, Steve. Every time you call me ma'am I have this uncontrollable urge to giggle.´
`That won't do, Cap,´ a voice calls from the open elevator. Tony is pointing at Steve. `Don't make my girl giggle.´
Pepper gets up in a hurry and walks to him.
`Your girl? I don't like that.´
`No?´
`No, it's possessive, it's backwards, it's - first of all, I'm not a girl.´
`A woman, then. My woman,´ he tries, the palms of his hands against Pepper's hips.
`No. That sounds way worse.´
Tony winces.
`My Pepper?´
Pepper thinks about it for a moment, slowly putting her arms around Tony's neck.
`The jury will concede that. For now.´
She kisses him and they exchange hellos.
`I can come back later,´ Steve says. `If I'm int-´
`Of course you are interrupting, go away,´ Tony tells him in a voice that makes Steve grin.
`Of course you are not interrupting,´ Pepper says at the same time.
Tony groans.
`First of all. Tell me... how many homely, salt-of-the-earth girls got their hearts broken by Captain America during your trip? More importantly: did you bring me any souvenirs? Did you see the World's Largest Frying Pan? You swung by Iowa, right?´
conversations with other women
Pairing: Steve Rogers/Maria Hill, Peggy Carter/Steve Rogers, Pepper Potts/Tony Stark, Bruce Banner/Natasha Romanov if you squint
Length: ~9500 words
Author on LJ: zauberer_sirin
Author Website: 42number
Why this must be read: It's well-established in canon and fanon alike that Steve Rogers' familiarity with the opposite sex is limited, but it's nice to see a fic where he's perfectly capable of talking to a woman. As he says, he's waiting for the right partner. This story is in part about that, but it's also about the various friendships and interactions that define him. "conversations with other women" is funny and moving and smart by turns, and well worth a read.
He looks down at the tiny cup of very dark coffee in his hand.
`What is this?´
`It's an espresso.´
Pepper Potts sits by his side on the couch and watches him as he drinks the coffee, looking expectant, waiting for his approval.
`It's very good, ma'am´ he says.
Steve has never got used to being alone with a woman, specially not in her house, it's in his nature to find it odd, but Pepper is a soothing presence, Steve doesn't really feel unnerved like he does with other people. There's a calm and friendliness about her and Steve likes that she feels a bit removed from their world, obviously aware of what's going on but not part of the battles.
`Tony will be down shortly,´ she tells him. `He tends to lose track of time when he's in the lab. Even I haven't seen him in about ten hours.´
`I don't find it hard to imagine he is a man easily distracted,´ Steve says.
`You have no idea.´
He looks away, embarrassed to have assumed he knows anything about Tony Stark -if he thinks about it it's sobering how little he knows- in front of this woman.
`This place looks different,´ he comments.
`Yeah, nothing like having your house destroyed by a mythical god to make you reconsider your taste in interior decoration.´
`It looks better.´
`I think so too.´
`I used to think this building was very ugly,´ Steve confides. `But now I think it's growing on me.´
Pepper gives him a curious look.
`I'm glad to hear that,´ she says.
(she studies his face - she doesn't mean to make him uncomfortable but she can't resist the chance, now that she has him close and they are in a casual environment; she knows the story, she has read the -um, classified but oh well- reports, she would love to pick Steve's mind about what it feels like waking up in this period after so many decades; and there's also the way Tony talks, and not-talks, about him, how there's a bit of old resentment because Steve knew Howard Stark, and how Tony is struggling to let that go; Pepper cannot help it if she finds it fascinating, having a quiet moment with Captain America, she's only human)
`Another cup of coffee?´ she asks, because she can see the silence it's starting to bother him.
`Thank you, ma'am.´
Pepper puts her hand over her mouth, shaking with laughter - it's a rich, warm noise.
`I'm sorry, Steve. Every time you call me ma'am I have this uncontrollable urge to giggle.´
`That won't do, Cap,´ a voice calls from the open elevator. Tony is pointing at Steve. `Don't make my girl giggle.´
Pepper gets up in a hurry and walks to him.
`Your girl? I don't like that.´
`No?´
`No, it's possessive, it's backwards, it's - first of all, I'm not a girl.´
`A woman, then. My woman,´ he tries, the palms of his hands against Pepper's hips.
`No. That sounds way worse.´
Tony winces.
`My Pepper?´
Pepper thinks about it for a moment, slowly putting her arms around Tony's neck.
`The jury will concede that. For now.´
She kisses him and they exchange hellos.
`I can come back later,´ Steve says. `If I'm int-´
`Of course you are interrupting, go away,´ Tony tells him in a voice that makes Steve grin.
`Of course you are not interrupting,´ Pepper says at the same time.
Tony groans.
`First of all. Tell me... how many homely, salt-of-the-earth girls got their hearts broken by Captain America during your trip? More importantly: did you bring me any souvenirs? Did you see the World's Largest Frying Pan? You swung by Iowa, right?´
conversations with other women