Work Text:
Day 1:
The party was in full swing when you entered through the front entrance. Famous actors and actresses were dancing the night away. Everyone had a glass of champagne; they were celebrating the ending of another great movie premiere that had blasted the audience away. You walked towards the bar, in need of a drink as fast as possible, if you were ever to survive the night. Your friend had bailed you at the door, having found a hook-up for the night with a tall-dark-and-handsome.
“Whisky, double, no ice.” You told the bartender, who raised his brow but poured the whisky anyways. You downed it like a shot and motioned for him to pour you another.
“You’ll keel over, if you aren’t careful with those.” A deep voice said next to you. You looked over and saw Captain America himself. He was wearing a dark blue suit, his tie already having been loosened, well you had been three hours late to the party because of the traffic, and the fact that your friend couldn’t decide on what to wear took some time as well. He was nursing a bottle of beer, watching you closely as you devoured the second glass of whisky.
“My grandfather was Scottish. He will haunt me for the rest of my life if I pass out from drinking too much whisky.” You laughed.
“Then no complaints here. Which department are you from?” Chris asked as he inched closer. He was intrigued by you. His blue eyes watching you consumed the third glass of whisky. The golden liquid burned through your throat down to your stomach, but it felt good.
“Costumes, I sewed all the extras’ clothes. Nothing important, nothing like your job.” You motioned to the big poster hanging at the back wall, showcasing Chris’ face along with all his castmates.
“I wouldn’t say your job isn’t important. I think it’s even more so than mine. If you didn’t get the extras in the right clothing that fit the period, then the movie wouldn’t be believable. It could quickly make a scene look weird.” Chris chimed in, acknowledging your work.
“True, but anyone could do my job, no one can play Captain America the way you do.” You retorted, inhaling the fourth glass of whisky. Whisky was your liquid luck, just what you needed to talk to the Chris Evans.
You and Chris spent the rest of the evening talking about everything between heaven and earth. By the time it was 3AM you had consumed a whole bottle of whisky, Chris had drunk more than five beers, and who knew how many before you had shown up. You had gotten to know each other, and it felt like you had known him for a lot longer than the four hours you had been at the party.
It was the beginning of a beautiful friendship.
Day 98:
You and Chris had been friends for over three months. You had been texting and calling at least once a week, sometimes more than that. A month into the friendship you had started visiting each other’s houses, watching movies, cooking dinner together, well you were the one cooking, while Chris was opening the wine. You had learned the hard way that Chris wasn’t a gourmet chef in the kitchen after he had served you an inedible dish, you didn’t dare guess what was in that dish, nor did you want to know. From then on it was either takeout or you cooked, you opted for cooking the food yourself.
The evenings would usually start with you cooking something exotic, something that Chris hadn’t tried before. He would keep the wine flowing, while you were finishing the dish. Then you would watch a movie or play either a video game or a board game. Hanging out with Chris was the easiest and most calming time you had ever experienced.
On day 98th of your friendship, something changed. He had cancelled on you an hour before he was supposed to arrive. Something important had come up and he was sorry, but you took a rain check. You opted for some Italian takeout that evening since you were going to eat alone. While waiting at the front door of the restaurant for your food, you heard his voice, Chris’ laughter filled the hall. You moved a few steps to the right and peaked into the restaurant, where he was sitting with a beautiful woman. He leaned over and kissed her.
You felt something stabbing in your heart. Until that moment you hadn’t known that you had been slowly, but steadily, falling in love with Chris Evans. A waiter came with your takeout, you quickly paid and ran all the way home. The takeout having been forgotten. All you wanted was to get the image of Chris kissing that woman out of your head.
Chris called the next day to apologize for bailing on you, but you dismissed it. He asked if you were free that evening, you were but you told him you had a date. His voice was disappointed but understanding as he told you, he would be out of the country for a few months, while promoting a new movie.
You hung up on him after saying goodbye. Your heart slowly breaking, but it was for the better.
Day 134:
It had been over a month since you had cancelled on Chris. He had been texting you almost every day, wanting to see you, but you were avoiding him like the plague. You came up with all kinds of excuses to not see him. It would just break your heart all over again. His relationship with the woman you had seen had ended, at least according to all the gossip magazines. But a week after the supposed breakup, he was seen with another woman.
As you were getting ready to eat your Chinese takeout on the sofa, the doorbell rang. Outside the door was a very drunk Chris, he slurred his excuse as to why he was at your front door. You heard something about his new girlfriend having cheated and now it was over. He started to slump down, you caught him, before he hit the floor, helping him to lie down on the sofa.
Day 135:
“Good morning, sleepy-head.” You told Chris as you entered the living room with two mugs of coffee. He groaned irritated but accepted the coffee, letting out a soft moan as he drank the hot liquid.
“Thanks for letting me crash. I’m really sorry if it was any inconvenience.” He said and leaned back. He closed his eyes. His head was throbbing, everything in his body was hurting. Maybe he had drunk a little bit too much the night before.
“No problem. Are you going to tell me what happened?” You asked. He groaned again, not wanting to tell you the embarrassing story.
“Okay, don’t tell me. Let me get you some aspirin for that headache you’re obviously having.”
“Wait…” He started saying, but you had already left the living room, opening a cabinet in the bathroom where you kept your medicine.
He was still sitting in the same spot, rubbing his temples. He swallowed the pills with a glass of water you’ve poured in the kitchen. He told you everything afterwards, feeling guilty for not wanting to talk about his situation. He told you that the night a month earlier, he had met with his girlfriend, who had broken up with him that same night. She hadn’t liked his travelling lifestyle. Then he had met a new woman at a bar, and they had started dating pretty quickly, but she wasn’t into monogamy. He had ended the relationship the evening before when he found her kissing with another guy at a bar.
“So that’s the story. Two women in under a month.” He sighed and downed the last of the cold coffee.
“You’ll find someone who’ll love you for you, Chris. You just need to open your eyes.” You told him and walked away with the mugs. Secretly hoping he would love you back.
Day 169:
Another month passed. Chris had dated a new woman each week, but you had started your weekly movie nights again. It was better to have him in your life than not at all, even though it hurt you to see him kissing another woman on the covers of every magazine and gossip webpage there exist.
So, you did what every sane person would do. You dated. None of the men you dated were Chris or anywhere like him. They didn’t make you laugh, feel safe, feel giddy nor did you feel anything for them except pity.
You even started pitying yourself for dating these men.
Day 252:
Chris was overseas filming another movie. You were on a skype call with him.
“I think I’ve finally found the one.” He told you. Your heart sank as a gorgeous woman came into the frame and introduced herself as Chris’ new girlfriend. You had to admit, she was very sweet and kind to talk to, she even made you laugh at a few womanly inside jokes.
“She seems amazing, Chris, congrats.” You said as the woman left the room.
“I’d like to introduce the two of you officially, when I get back home.” He said with a big goofy smile. He was head over heels in love, and it just hurt you even more, but you plastered on your biggest sincere smile and carried on.
Day 286:
You got back home from work, tired, exhausted was more the word for how you felt. You had been working almost non-stop for a month, every day of the week to get the costumes for a new movie ready. The grocery bags in your hands were heavy, so when you looked up from your garden gate and saw Chris sitting on your porch swing with his head in his hands, you let out a gasp. He looked up. Your eyes locking, his were red and teary. You dropped the bags and ran to hug him, as he walked towards you with his head down. You slumped to the ground with Chris sobbing in your arms.
“Shh, Chris. It’s okay.” You hushed, trying to comfort him.
An hour later you were sitting in your kitchen. He had a cup of tea with a little whisky in it, while you were cooking dinner. His new girlfriend wasn’t the one either. Some jazz music playing quietly from the radio.
“You know what? I should stop.” He said after downing the tea.
“Stop with what?” You asked, looking up from chopping onions.
“Stop dating. I can’t find the right woman. I’ve looked everywhere. There’s no one out there for me. I’m doomed to die alone.”
“You aren’t going to die alone, Chris.”
“Enough about me, what about you? Why haven’t you found a guy yet?”
“I’m waiting for the right partner.” You whispered; you were feeling a bit cheeky having used one of his lines in Captain America.
“Tell me about him, your right partner.”
You thought about it. Maybe you should just tell him about your feelings, and end up ruining your friendship, but on the other hand, you were tired of hiding your feelings.
“He is tall, has dark hair, blue eyes, preferably a cute dog. He is an outdoor kind of guy, comes from the New England area. He is intelligent and compassionate, he is kind and stubborn, he is funny and determined. He loves movies…” Your voice trailed off as Chris stood from the stool, his thoughts going a million miles an hour. He was slowly realizing what you were saying. You were describing him. He looked at you. Seeing you for the first time. How could he have been so stupid? His dancing partner had been right in front of him the whole time. You listened to him when he had problems. You always had a hug ready for him, when he got home from filming. You always had his favourite beer in the fridge. You knew him in and out.
You were kind to his dog. Dodger would always sleep next to you and completely ignore him when Chris brought the adorable dog with him to visit you. You were a caring woman, who had sown Halloween costumes for his nieces and nephews.
He finally started to understand the weird feeling he had felt when you had told him that you were dating. The feeling of jealousy. The green monster. He wanted to turn back time and ask you out on that very first night you met when you drank an entire bottle of whisky.
“… and he definitely needs to have a respectable job.” You ended your rant. Chris was standing next to you. He caressed your cheek with the tip of his fingers.
“Chris? What are you doing?” You asked, stuttering the words.
“I just had an epiphany.” He whispered. His hands cupped your cheeks, forcing your gaze to look into his blue eyes.
“What kind of epiphany?”
“The kind that kicks you in the gut and tells you that you have been the biggest idiot on the planet.”
“Why is that?”
“I realized that I found my partner a long time ago.”
“Really? Who is she or he?” You teased nervously.
“You. You are my perfect dance partner.”
Without having noticed you had been led away from the kitchen island towards the more open area of the kitchen. You were moving to the music.
“Chris…”
“I’m slow, I know. Give me a chance to make it up to you. Please?”
A single tear escaped your eye. You nodded. He moved closer, his lips mere centimetres away from yours, making you take the choice of kissing him. Your lips crashed together, your arms folding behind his neck, pulling him closer. The world disappeared behind you. Nothing existed but the two of you. You had imagined kissing Chris for months, and your imagination didn’t do the real thing justice. He had soft lips, a strong stubborn tongue that probed around in your mouth, fighting yours for dominance. You kissed for what felt like an eternity, but it was only a short moment as you had to get up for air. He put his forehead to yours, breathing in each other’s breaths. His eyes were closed. A sense of euphoria washed through your body.
“Go on a date with me.” Chris said, his eyes still closed, afraid that you wouldn’t be real if he opened them. “Friday. I’ll pick you up at six. Please?”
“Chris, look at me.” You whispered. He slowly opened his eyes and looked into yours with uncertainty. “Don’t be late.”
Day 327:
You and Chris had been dating for 38 days. He had wooed you for all 38 days. He sent you new flowers once a week, brought takeout from your favourite places when he knew you were working late. He would drive you to work and pick you up again, no matter the hour. He just wanted to be with you, and you wanted to be with him. You had never seen him so happy, and it made you giddy every time because you were the one making him happy.
That evening Chris had invited you out to a romantic dinner. At the end of the meal, he ordered you a double whisky, no ice, while he himself went with a dark’n’stormy. The restaurant thinning out as the evening proceeded. Not long after, you were the only two guests left.
“Chris, maybe we should start thinking about going home, so they can close down for the evening.” You said and drank the last of your whisky.
“Sure. I just need to order one more thing.” He said and waved the waiter down. You watched as the waiter came towards you with something under a cloche. The waited lifted it and there was a small square box. You looked confused at Chris. He smiled took the box and opened it. Inside was the most beautiful diamond ring you had ever seen. Chris bent down on one knee in front of you. The waiter slowly backed away, giving you privacy.
“I love you, my sweet angel. You make my day brighter. You make me laugh, even during the inappropriate times. You pull me out of the house, even when I just want to stay tucked away from the outside world. Your smile alone brightens my world. Your laughter brings peace to my mind. I fell in love with you the moment you downed that double whisky when we met. I was just too blind to see it. I love you, and I want to keep exploring our love. It was always you that I was looking for. So, even though we have only been dating for a month, I still want to ask you. Will you marry me?”
You had tears in your eyes. You covered your mouth and nodded.
“Yes! YES! Yes, I’ll marry you.”