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“Ugh, I can’t believe we’ll miss the party,” Sam whined a little as he stared pout of the window with binoculars.
The two of you had been on surveillance for two weeks now and not much had come of it. Aggravating as it was, this wasn’t new to either one. Every now and again tips simply turned out to be wrong or fake. It was only natural and everyone on the team was used to it. However the prospect of missing one of Tony’s extravagant parties, for the sake of such a misdirection, soured the mood considerably.
Sam and you both loved to party, he even more so than you. He loved the way Tony would go all out for these nights and this time the theme was Halloween, since it was held the weekend before. Dressing up always made the entire atmosphere a little lighter. It really was the party of the year.
You were bummed, but knew neither one of you would leave the confines of this small apartment until Fury allowed it. That wasn’t likely to happen at this point.
You sighed, not bothering to vocalise your agreement to his statement, he knew already. Instead you leaned your back against the couch, staring at the ceiling and hoping it would suddenly show you something new or different than you had in the past few weeks. You didn’t.
The apartment consisted of two room; an open plan living room and kitchen, although kitchen was perhaps a big word for the small counter and two pitter to cook on. To the side was a small bedroom with adjoining bathroom, which was about as small as the kitchen was. The entire place was very sparsely furnished. A small couch and table in the living room and a simple but rather comfortable bed in the bedroom. The place didn’t leave much room for privacy and it was slowly wearing you down.
Sam was a good roommate, but everyone needed some alone time every now and then. Unfortunately due to the nature of your job, the bedroom door was never closed and the apartment was too small to really retreat anywhere else. The bathroom was the only place of solace and it really wasn’t much.
It also didn’t help that you had caught a glimpse of Sam’s half naked body more than once. Glistening with droplets that remained of his shower. The sight didn’t leave you unaffected and it was getting harder to hide that. By now you were certain that he was catching on to you liking him as more than a friend.
Your phone buzzed, pulling you from your thoughts and you glanced down to see Natasha’s name pop up. Opening the text, you smiled while reading. For all her tough notoriety, she was incredibly sweet. She offered to arrange costumes for the two of you, just in case you managed to make it back in time for the party. With the smile still on your face, you turned the screen towards your teammate, allowing him to read it too, before you answered. He smiled and nodded eagerly, holding out hope that he would get to wear whatever she picked for him.
“Nothing weird or stupid,” he mentioned and you chuckled, knowing that if you put any restrictions on the widow’s help that she would make you regret it. She loved pranks and it would not be in your favour. So you neglected to repeat his message back to her, instead thanking her for the offer and taking her up on it.
“You never know with Nat,” you told Sam honestly, shrugging it off with a chuckle and Sam could only agree with you.
He turned his attention back to the garage you were surveilling, some added spunk to his stature again. You smiled, feeling it too even though there was no inclination that you would get home in time. And all too soon, the glee of hope had left you both, as the monotonous nature of this assignment settled in again. It made the apartment appear even smaller than it already was.
The two of you switched places every few hours, catching up on sleep every so often. This wasn’t the first time you worked together and it went quite seamlessly. He really was easy to get along with, even with your crush often making it unnecessarily complicated and at times even awkward.
Sam was usually teamed up with Bucky, if a duo was required, but much to his own despair Bucky was stuck in the hospital wing when this assignment came in. He had been nursing a badly broken leg and though he healed faster than most, the break was complicated enough to require pins to keep it in place. It had angered the soldier greatly.
To ease the pain, at least he knew for certain that he would attend the part, you thought to yourself, slightly more bitter than you had intended.
Two more days were spend in a similar fashion before director Fury finally deemed the tip null and void, allowing you to come back to the compound. Elated you packed your bag and left the horrible apartment, practically racing towards the airport where Fury had arranged a plan to meet you.
You’d arrive home in the nick of time for the party, mostly likely dead on your feet, but nothing was going to stop you from going.
****
A few hours later you were standing in your bedroom, looking at the outfit splayed on your bed. You had managed a few hours of sleep, before Natasha had come to wake you. A shower had removed the last remnants of sleep and you were excited again. That was until she had shown you your costume and confusion had taken over.
“Who am I supposed to be?” You asked as you assessed the outfit. It was reminiscent of the late twenties, early thirties of the twentieth century and you tried to grasp who it would be, drawing a blank.
“Bonnie…” Natasha hesitantly stated, drawing out the name. You kinked your eyebrow, hoping to prompt her into an explanation. Bonnie who? If she meant Bonnie Parker, you were missing half of a duo. And if she meant any other Bonnie, you didn’t have a clue.
“Listen, I can’t explain it, you’ll have to trust me,” she finally stated and you chuckled, wondering just what she had planned. Still too happy that you had managed to make it back in time, you decided not to fight her over the lack of information. You simply put the outfit on and let her help you with your hair. She managed to create a beautiful up-do that appeared quite glamorous.
“What about you?” You finally asked, glancing at her through the large mirror. She was wearing a read sleek sweater and a long black skirt. Her hair was hidden underneath a black wig.
“Olive” she stated simply and suddenly the look clicked, she really did look the part.
“So does that make Steve Brutus or Popeye?” You joked and she shook her head with a smile.
“Popeye of course, her one true love,” she then countered with a wink.
“Oh barf,” you joked, earning a laugh from your friend. You stood from your seat and smoothed out your skirt before linking your arm through Natasha’s and leaving your room. It was time to party.
Happily chatting the two of you made your wait to the elevators, only to be interrupted by an angrily stomping Bucky. He seemed annoyed with her and as he held up his costume you burst out laughing, understanding his annoyance completely.
“Nat! What is this?” He asked, holding up an orange spotted pelt, a blue tie and a fake wooden bat.
He glared your way upon your laughter and you tried to keep it in as you looked to Natasha for an explanation. He wasn’t going to accept his costume as readily as you had.
“Fred!” Natasha answered with a smile and a twinkle in her eyes. She was up to something.
“Who the fuck is Fred?” He growled, looking very much like a tantrum throwing toddler. All he was missing was a stomping foot.
“Flintstone, from tv, from the stone-age,” you finally burst out laughing, joined by Natasha.
“Don’t pout, I thought it was a nice fit” Natasha smiled angelically and you laughed loudly as Bucky grumbled and walked away. He had limited choices with the party having already started downstairs. He either refused to wear his costume, which Tony frowned upon, or he sucked it up. Third option, improvising something with his own clothes. Either way he had to decide fast.
“I’ve got a surprise for him, if he puts that on, but I’m not telling him just yet,” Natasha whispered as the soldier had walked back into his room at the end of the hall.
You shook your head with a smile, there was one thing Natasha loved to do more than anything during these parties and that is set people up. You could only wonder who would be dressed as Wilma Flintstone tonight. And while this was funny to imagine, you also knew that a similar fate was probably waiting for you. Stepping into the elevator, it dawned on you that someone down there would be dressed as Clyde and you had no idea who it was.
A few moments later you entered the large room, marvelling at the decorations and looking around to find Pepper and congratulate her on a job well done. The room was decorated in everything and anything halloween themed. There were plastic spiders in sticky webs, pumpkins, witch hats and brooms. The punch had eyeball shaped ice cubes in it and all cocktails had special names, such as witches brew, Carrie’s revenge and screamers. It looked absolutely amazing.
When you finally found Pepper, dressed as a vampire bride, she was surrounded by the waiters who she was giving directions. You waited a moment for her to finish and then stepped forward, telling her how amazing you thought everything was and that it was time for her to relax and enjoy the party she so magnificently put together. Humble as she was, she tried to tell you that it was all Tony, but you both knew that it was merely his idea and that she had given it life. As always, though Tony often helped where he could. They made a good team, balancing each other out, for she would have never thought up some his extravagant ideas.
Dracula Tony finally came to sweep her off her feet and bring her to the dance floor, where they soon caught the eye of everyone with their effortless dancing. They were always a stunning couple, even decked out as bloody vampires, and they looked so happy.
You smiled as you watched them sway to the tunes, accepting the cocktail that Natasha handed you. You couldn’t decipher what was in this witches brew, but it tasted rather good and you were drinking it down as lemonade. It was yet to be seen if this was a good think. It probably wasn’t.
You were standing silently next to your friend, drinking in the room and all the costumes, when you saw something that had you choking on your drink. You slapped Natasha and she smiled sweetly, knowing exactly what you saw. She rubbed your back as you tried to stop coughing. You’d finally found your Clyde.
Natasha had made use of your crush, which she had figured out long ago and she had made Sam wear the accompanying costume. Unwittingly making the two of you a pair.
Blood rushed to your cheeks as Morticia Addams handed you a glass of water. You smiled gratefully as you swallowed it down, feeling calmer almost instantly. Wanda always had that effect on you. As you were catching your breath, you saw the meaningful glances shared between the two temporary black haired women and wondered if they had worked together.
Upon asking them bluntly, they answered honestly, confirming your suspicions. They had thought it would be a great way to break the proverbial ice between you and Sam.
You silently cursed them, but held it in as Sam was coming your way now. Your coughing fit had probably alerted him to your presence and it wasn’t hard to figure out that you were his match, even if he might not fully understand Natasha’s intentions.
“We match,” Sam said, grasping for your hand and twirling you in place. You smiled, nodding in agreement.
“Care for a dance?” He asked then and despite the want to say yes, you wavered for a moment. Finally you figured you might as well use this moment and accepted him hand, allowing him to lead you to the dance floor where many other people were already dancing. By now the blush on your cheeks was tenacious and you could only hope that he would assume that it meant you were tipsy. There was no hiding it now and you didn’t want to back out of the dance either.
He had one hand carefully splayed on your back and the other was wrapped around your hand as he spun you around the room, moving to the loud beats of the music. Sam was a good dancer, able to lead someone, which came in handy since you were to shaken with your current state to be of much use. All you could do really, was follow his lead. His close proximity was slowly depriving you of all rational thought.
“Why do you think Nat would put us together?” Sam asked, his lips close to your ear and his breath fanning your neck. The blush intensified and spread, reaching well below your neck now. You tried to find a way to answer him honestly, without putting yourself on blast. It wasn’t easy, with the cocktails you had already consumed. Part of you just wanted to tell him that you liked him. However, the fear of rejection held you back.
“She thinks she’s a matchmaker,” you finally said, your voice a little raspy with emotion. His face was still far too close to relax.
You turned your head, to catch your breath, and glanced at the other people on the dance floor. Steve and Nat were wild as they moved around the space, laughing loudly and whispering to one another. You could tell that it wouldn’t be long before they would slip out. They never did manage to reach the end of a party, simply too engrossed in each other. They made a cute couple, a cute and powerful couple that was.
“Is she?” Sam brought your attention back to him. His voice has been soft, sultry and again entirely too close for comfort.
Shocked by the interruption of your thoughts you turned your head back swiftly, your lips suddenly mere inches away from his. Your breath got caught in your throat and you blinked rapidly, glancing from his eyes to his lips repeatedly. Heat was slowly taking a hold your whole body and the blush must now have reached your toes.
“Usually,” you whispered, biting your lower lip as the tension between you build and build. You hoped you had understood his question correctly. Sam didn’t reply immediately, holding you closer still, staring deep into your eyes as he let your words sink in.
“Want to get some air?” His voice matched your tone and volume, rendering you speechless and you could only nod, allowing him to lead you out of the room and down the hall.
The hall greeted you with a deafening silence and a chill in the air as you hastily stepped through it. Though before you got very far, Sam pulled you into an empty office. You felt restless as the door closed behind you and anxious for what would happen. You couldn’t be reading his intentions wrong, could you? Had he brought you here for a kiss?
Your eyes were still trying to adjust to the lack of light in the room when Sam pushed you up against the wall, his hands travelling over your sides and coming to rest on your hips. He pressed himself against you, hovering his lips over yours.
“Are you sure?” He asked, his breathing slightly irregular as he seemingly forced his hands to stay still, gripping you tightly.
You took a deep breath, smiled and whispered your affirmation, not daring to speak louder as if it would break the spell you were under. Sam returned the smile briefly, before crashing his lips on yours. He pushed up against you and your hands moved over his muscular arms, one hand finally resting on his cheek and the other nestled in his neck, effectively keeping his in place.
Not that the situation required that, he wasn’t planning on moving away any time soon.