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Your leg bounced in anticipation as you sat in the passenger seat of an oversized U-Haul next to Steve, only the sound of radio filling your ears.
Occasionally, you glanced over to observe the man. You checked out his new, thick beard, the hair on top of his head that was box dyed much darker, and his light eyes that were focused on the road. You couldn’t help but feel… weird when he hummed quietly along to the music from the truck’s radio, feeling oddly intimate for two people who barely knew each other, despite being on the same team as each other.
After hours in the car, Steve pulled up to a rather large house on the edge of a small Midwestern town. The porch was large and still furnished, and the driveway was long enough for Steve to pull in with no problem. You looked up at the colonial styled home, and took a deep breath.
“You ready to do this, Joseph?”
Steve nodded, “ready as I can be.”
——
You’d settled in much easier than you’d expected, spending the first few hours at your new place unloading the few boxes that were in the moving truck and unpacking them. This turned out to be a rather easy task when you had a super soldier doing the majority of the heavy lifting, both literally and figuratively.
You tried to keep things as not-awkward as they could be, spending the majority of your move in time with headphones on top of your head that were large enough to deter any person with adequate social skills from you.
You felt a bit guilty as you hung clothes up in the closet of the master bedroom, Steve opting to stay in a guest suite. It really wasn’t fair of you to be avoiding Steve like this, especially when he didn’t particularly ask to go on this mission.
To make it worse, this was your first mission as an official Avenger, after the fall of a corrupt SHIELD. You were just slightly disappointed, as becoming the neighbor of an arms dealer in order to take him out didn’t exactly seem like the same level of excitement as your past field work.
Finishing up the last of the clothing, you flopped onto the mattress in the connected bedroom, only having the chance to enjoy your position for a moment before the chime of a doorbell rang throughout the house, alerting you of someone’s presence.
You sat up and rose from your place on the bed, exiting the bedroom and making your way through the hallway, peeking down the stairs at the front door while Steve answered it.
“Hi there,” a middle aged woman exclaimed, observing Steve’s figure and offering him a smile. “You just moved in, right?”
You recognized that pale, round face, even from afar. She was your target’s wife, and apparently, your new next door neighbor. You took a deep breath before going down the stairs in the coolest manner you could muster, trying to hold your excitement in. You didn’t even have to approach them first! Maybe this mission was going to be easier than you’d expected.
You appeared right next to Steve as he’d finished introducing himself, notifying him of your presence with an oddly natural kiss on the cheek. You were really trying to sell this.
“Hey, sweetheart,” he greeted. It didn’t even sound weird coming from him. “This is Cathy, our new neighbor. Cathy, this is my wife, Ella,” Steve wrapped an arm around your waist, and pulled you closer to him.
“So good to meet you, Cathy,” you grinned.
“Great to meet you, Ella! I was just stopping by to welcome you both to the neighborhood.”
“You’re so kind! We really appreciate it,” you hummed.
“Any dinner plans tonight?” Cathy asked, glancing between you and your partner.
You looked towards Steve, who looked back at you with a shrug. You almost felt like you were communicating telepathically, agreeing that any in with your target was a good in.
“We were probably just going to stay in,” Steve offered.
“Well, that’s no fun! Why don’t you two come by our place tonight? I’m sure Zack would love to meet his new neighbors.”
You beamed in a manner that would put Cheshire Cat to shame. Maybe Cathy would just think you were happy to be welcomed so warmly, “that actually sounds perfect,” you gushed.
“Yeah? Does 6:30 work for you?”
Steve gave you that telepathic look again. Despite his poker face, you could tell he was just as excited about this as you were, “that’s perfectly fine with us,” he nodded.
“See you then?” you added.
——
You’d just finished putting on your shoes when Steve showed up beside you, dressed in some of the most casual attire you’d ever seen the man in. While the whole Captain America tactical getup tended to suit him well, it was nothing compared to the sight of him in jeans and a button-up shirt. Okay, maybe you shouldn’t be thirsting so hard over someone you were about to play house with. Maybe you’re just method acting?
“That dress looks really great on you,” Steve complimented out of the blue. If you weren’t mistaken, you felt a tiny tug in your stomach.
“Aw, thank you, Steve. You don’t look too bad yourself,” you gave him a little wink, and pushed open your front door. After stepping outside, you let out a big breath that you hadn’t realized you’d been holding in. Steve trailed about a foot behind you for good measure, hands in his pockets while you both made the short trek to your new neighbors’ home.
Moments after Steve rang their doorbell, he slipped a hand from his pocket out, and to your side, offering it to you. You instinctively returned the gesture, putting your palm next to his and lacing your fingers.
Just as you did so, the door swung open, and a man whose face you’d only seen in files was welcoming you. This must’ve been Zack.
He corralled you into the house where you swore you took your shoes off, and were sitting in their dining room with food on your plates after 30 seconds, tops.
The couple immediately began berating you with questions, how you met, where you were from, why you decided to move in. If you didn’t know better, you’d suspect that they were suspicious of your existence. In reality, they just seemed to want to know more about their neighbors, specifically Steve, who was set to start working for Zack in just a few days.
About an hour into a dinner filled with white lies and improvisations of your past, you could tell that things were beginning to wind down. You leaned back comfortably in your chair as Zack and Steve spoke about football.
“Cath, where’s your bathroom?” you asked casually.
“Our downstairs bathroom is currently… out of order. But if you go upstairs and directly down the hall, you should find it on your right,” she responded.
This must’ve been your lucky day, or something. You had the perfect excuse to go upstairs and rummage through their shit! And of course, after you excused yourself from the table, you did.
You rummaged through dressers, trying to find anything slightly incriminating, but your search came to no avail. You lifted up a corner of their mattress and glanced under it, but still, nothing.
You looked up from where you were standing and glanced out through one of their oddly large windows. Your eyes widened and brows furrowed when you saw what you saw, a very clear view of your own window. The lamp sitting dormant on your nightstand. The soft blues of your duvet. This was going to be a problem.
As you head back down to the lower level, you caught a bit of the conversation and frowned.
“I swear, you just look so familiar!” Zack laughed. You could almost imagine the awkward and forced smile that was likely sitting on Steve’s face.
“I get that all the time, really!” Steve chuckled back uncomfortably. You hurried down the rest of the stairs, figuring that as silly as this interaction was, it was probably in your best interest to help out your fake husband.
You made your way back into the dining room, going straight to the back of Steve’s seat, and giving his shoulder a little squeeze.
You leaned down and whispered a quiet, “we should go,” into his ear, and weren’t surprised when he echoed you in a louder voice directed at your hosts.
“We really appreciated dinner, but this one’s getting sleepy,” he jeered.
“Pasta always makes me tired,” you forced a yawn, playing along.
“We should get going,” Steve hummed, standing up
“Thanks again for having us,” you grinned, slipping your shoes on by the door.
“We should definitely do this again soon. Next time at our place?” Steve offered, holding the door open for you.
You sidestepped him as you walked out onto their porch, heading down their stairs two at a time.
“I was snooping in their bedroom and uh, you can definitely see the master bedroom from their window,” you sighed.
“Well, we have blinds all over the house. That shouldn’t be an issue.”
“We still have silhouettes, pal. Look, I know this sounds crazy, but you can’t stay in the guest bedroom.”
“You mean…” Steve trailed off.
“Yeah. It doesn’t have to mean anything, though. Maybe I can get us two twin beds, or something.”
“It’s fine, I mean, we’re adults. I’m sure we can control ourselves for a few months, or however long this takes us.”
——
You were nearly three months into your mission, and getting way too invested in this lie. In fact, you were digging yourself a bit deeper every day. It was hard not to, when you were climbing into bed every night with an astoundingly attractive super soldier, and essentially playing house with him.
In the mornings you’d make him coffee and toast before he went off to do whatever strange job it was that he was doing, in the evenings you’d watch movies together while he massaged your feet.
Steve seemed to be keeping up on his end, calling out a “Honey I’m home!” with every arrival that began to seem less and less ironic with each entrance. He did dishes with you, folded your laundry, and he may or may not have begged you to teach him how to dance, leading to far too many instances where he stepped on your foot, and apologized so profusely that the sound of the record player was completely drowned out.
You sat in your backyard while pondering this, deep in thought as you tended to your budding snap peas.
“Ella,” you heard from somewhere behind you, leading you to turn your head.
Leaning on your side of the fence, Cathy gave you a big toothy grin. “How are you, dear?”
“I’m doing great! And you?” you questioned, standing up and wiping off some of the dirt that had landed on your lap.
“I’m doing good myself. How’s the hubby?”
You wandered over to her, and she brought her hand up to her brows to shield her face from the sun. “We’re doing well. We just love the neighborhood. Everyone is so sweet and hospitable here!” you gushed.
“Aww,” she cooed, “that’s great to hear. Any chance you’re thinking about stopping by our book club sometime? I mean, we’re about to start a new novel. Some romance murder mystery.”
You shrugged at this invite, mulling it over, “I mean, I don’t have anything else to do.”
“Do you work?” she questioned.
“Mm, not really. At least since we moved. I used to work full time, but that wasn’t really for me. Joe makes enough with this new position, so now I kinda just day drink until he gets back and play around in the garden.”
Cathy giggled at this and shook her head fondly, “I remember when I was young like you. A little bored, but happy and in love. Sometimes, you remind me a little of Zack and I. I see how he looks at you, dear. You’re a very cute couple, it’s honestly hard not to root for you. But I guess that’s besides the point right now. Anyway, I’m sure you’ll find something to do soon.”
You could feel the heat creeping up your neck at this comment and looked down, embarrassed from the mention of your very false relationship, you latched onto the one unrelated comment. “That’s very sweet of you. Y’know, J and I are actually thinking about hosting some sort of neighborhood get together before summer ends, as a way to celebrate.”
The lie slipped out of your mouth before you even had a chance to really think it over. Damn Natasha and her lying seminars.
“Really?” No. “I’ll make sure to tell all the ladies at the club about it!” Please don’t.
“That would be lovely! I appreciate it.”
“Of course!” she hummed, “as long as you attend our next meeting.”
You chuckled, “deal.”
——
“Honey, I’m home!” Steve called out as he entered from the garage.
“In the living room!” you responded, popping up from the sofa onto your feet.
Steve walked in and plopped right down onto the couch with a yawn, his now dirty white shirt straining against his chest as he did so.
“Long day?” you questioned, finding yourself situated on the furniture next to him.
“Mhm,” he hummed, rubbing his forehead with his palm.
“Well, I have some news,” you crossed your legs, “I may or may not have promised Cath to throw a little party on Saturday…”
“Saturday?” Steve repeated, surprise laced in his voice.
“Sorry…” you offered.
“It’s fine, that’s just… We’ll have to crunch.”
“I’m sorry, Steve. If I order you a pizza will you accept my apology?” you gave him a knowing look and he returned it.
You hopped up from the sofa and shook your head, “you’re an easy bargain.”
“Hey!”
——
“Is it so wrong of me to believe that you’ve been secretly waiting for this moment for all your life?” you asked as Steve tossed a few packages of hot dogs into your cart.
“What makes you say that?”
“You’re just way too enthused,” you giggled as Steve resumed pushing the cart down the aisle of open fridges. “Have you forgotten we’re on a mission, Captain?”
He glanced back at you as you trailed behind him and shook his head, “can I not enjoy myself while we’re on a mission? What do people say, enjoy what you do and you never work a day in your life?”
“Something like that,” you nodded, picking up the pace so you could catch up with him.
“And don’t start throwing stones while you’re staying in that glass house. I’ve seen you smile more in this last month than I’d ever seen you smile before.”
“Well, this has been a fun mission. And you’re a great partner,” you hummed, grabbing a package of cheese slices from another refrigerator.
Steve didn’t respond, but the infectious beam on his face said more than enough.
——
Okay, what were the odds that you’d died and gone to heaven?
You sat on the porch ‘reading’ a book while Steve pushed the lawn mower across your yard in preparation for your party. To be honest, you were doing much more gawking than reading as he did so, but who could blame you?
Steve seemed so focused on the ground, trying to keep your lawn as neat as possible before your guests arrived. Occasionally, he’d look up at you on the porch at the same moment that you were studying him, and the second your eyes met, matching heat would creep up both of your necks.
While the shy glances made you feel a bit like a naive schoolgirl, you couldn’t help but wish for more; that the sweet simplicity of your domestic life with Steve wouldn’t have to end once your mission ended.
——
Rows of cars lined your curb, and a mixture of loud music and chatter filled your backyard. You sipped on cheap margarita mix as you watched Steve flip burgers by the grill, aviators perched on top of his nose. He looked like a classic suburban dad, and you were certainly not the only person eating it up.
“Thank you for hosting, El,” Sydney, no, Daphne? commented, bumping her hip into yours and pulling you out of your minor Steve induced trance. “You should totally make an announcement.”
“Do people really do that? I thought that was like, movie stuff.”
She shrugged dismissively, “most of your guests are here, maybe just thank them for coming or something.”
You walked up to Steve’s side, where he was still dutifully attending the grill, and serving your guests.
“What’s up?” he questioned cooly, setting down the spatula in his hands and lifting his sunglasses to look at you better.
“We’re supposed to make an announcement and thank the guests, or something.”
“Would you like to do it?”
You shook your head, “you can’t pull out one of those great team captain speeches?”
Steve pressed his lips together tightly, “fine. But you should really be getting out of your comfort zone.”
“Oh shut it,” you giggled, “you just can’t help yourself. That’s why your ‘thank you’ announcement would be eons better than mine.”
He playfully tutted, and gave you just a hint of a smirk, “alright, fine. Have you eaten yet?”
“Mm, not yet, Dad.”
“Ew, don’t call me that. It’s kinda weird.”
“Why’s that?”
“I mean, we’re supposed to be a married couple. I don’t want to think of you as my daughter,” he faked a shiver and you playfully rolled your eyes, biting your lip to hold back a comical grin.
Watching the scene in front of you, you smiled. For what must’ve been the thousandth time, a dangerous, yet tempting thought crossed your mind.
You could get used to this.
——
Hours of kids scrambling in your yard, parents drinking much more than they should’ve, and tedious small talk left you and Steve cleaning up your yard in the dead of night.
“God, I spewed out so much bullshit, I’m gonna need a mint,” you laughed, words somewhat slurring together from the amount of booze you drank.
“At this point, we’re gonna need a notebook filled with all the lies we’ve told in order to keep up with them,” Steve agreed with a chuckle.
“This mission’s gonna be over much sooner than it should be if we don’t get our story straight,” you added, collecting half empty beer cans from your lawn.
“Shit, how could I forget to tell you? Fury called last night,” Steve said, bringing the recycling bin over to you.
“Well don’t keep me waiting, what’d he say?”
“We have all the intel we need on Zack, so…”
“So this is ending soon?” you frowned as you stood across from Steve, looking him deep in the eyes.
“We need to be out by Wednesday.”
“Oh. Okay.”
Your mood had clearly been dampened by this announcement, and despite the alcohol in your system giving you the desire to be chatty, you felt like you couldn’t speak at all.
——
The soft hum of the bubble setting seemed to be taking up all the talking space between you and Steve as you relaxed into the hot tub. Your mission had officially come to an end, and after three months of pretending to be a couple, you couldn’t help but feel a little attached to the house, your neighbors, and of course, your fake husband.
You took occasional sips from a lightly flavored seltzer, watching the sunset intently while you tried your best not to think of what life would be like following your mission. How your bed would be empty and cold once again, how you wouldn’t have anyone to leave cheesy post-it notes out for, and how you wouldn’t be able to maintain the type of relationship you had with Steve any longer.
“What’s up?” Steve asked, breaking the silence between you.
“Hmm?” you responded, feigning ignorance.
“You just look very… focused. What’s on your mind?”
You blinked up at the sky, “wanna know the truth?”
“Always. I mean, I’m your husband after all,” he chuckled, turning his knees towards you and practically demanding your attention with just his body language.
“I’m gonna miss this place. We’ve made some really good memories here.”
He nodded slowly, the hint of a frown tugging on his lips. “We have. I mean, I can think of about a hundred funny stories that the team’ll love.”
“I’m sure,” you laughed softly, your heart not completely into it.
“I’m gonna miss it here too, you know,” he added after a beat. “Every moment I spent with you was a great one.”
You internally swooned, scooting a little closer to Steve and setting your head on his shoulder, “I could say the same for you.”
Out of reflex, Steve gently pressed a kiss to your forehead before looking out at the hues of pinks and purples in the sunset ahead of you.
“I think I’m gonna miss these sunsets the most though,” you added, trying not to appear too sappy.
As you watched the sun fall, part of you hoped that Steve knew that the sunsets weren’t really the thing you’d miss most.