Over the course of the next few days, Tony and Clint had kept an especially watchful eye on me. It was rather annoying, but them making sure I got food in my system for once and a somewhat decent night's sleep did make me feel less... detached. I had sworn the two of them to secrecy about my situation. The last thing I needed was Nat, Bruce, or even Steve worrying about me. It's annoying how they think I need to be watched over like some damn baby, but in all retrospect, I guess I did worry Tony and Clint a bit.
But today, I couldn't afford to distract myself with the drama from earlier this week. Right now, I had to focus on our mission at hand. Someone in this room had Chitauri weapons, and we had to figure out who before someone did something reckless and people would be hurt.
My eyes wandered around the extravagant room, rich people who knew how to perfectly throw away money as if it was useless drank from what looked like champagne flutes carved from diamonds. Just as I was about to grab some for myself, I felt a tap on my shoulder. Whipping around, I realize it's just Steve as he holds out his hand, "Care to dance?"
"Any particular reason, Rogers?" I give him a teasing smile.
"We're supposed to be acting like a couple, remember? Couples dance with each other."
Well fuck. I didn't think I was going to actually dance with him, then again, what the hell was I on to think that Steve and I wouldn't have to dance as a 'couple'? I smile, "Alright then. Why not?"
He puts one hand on my waist, taking my right hand in his other. We swayed in our spot as I glanced around the room for anyone who seemed suspicious. After Loki, I wasn't about to let more bad guys slip through my fingers. I can't afford to lose anyone else. I think Steve may have noticed my troubled look, because he tapped my shoulder, giving me a rueful smile, "I was right, you know?"
I stared at him, confused. "About what?" Was he saying something and I had just not been paying attention? Was something going on and I missed it in my state of panic? "Steve, what is it? Is something wrong?" I could feel the urgency in my voice giving away any mask of calm I may have had on my face.
He shakes his head lightly, his eyes sparkling with glints of something I wasn't sure of. "I was right," he said again, "you do look beautiful in anything."
"Damn Rogers, way to take away from the point of this mission," I scoff. "And anyways, flattery isn't going to make me, or anyone, fall in love with you if that's what you think." I wasn't going to admit it to anyone anytime soon, but his comment made me feel more energetic, happier. I just couldn't allow myself to think anything further of it right now, though. I had a mission, and nothing can distract me from completing one.
"Well, there goes my chances with..." he reaches up and brushes a strand of hair out of my face. His eyes wander down to my lips, and I can't help but stare at his. "With...um..." his eyes snap towards mine as his hand lightly brushes my cheek.
"With who, Rogers? Don't tell me you've actually fallen in love with someone already. You've only been here for a couple of months," I tease him playfully. I look down again, noticing our lips are becoming dangerously close, too much for my liking. And even yet, I still couldn't let myself break the moment. My heart beat heavily under my dress, the only thing I could hear was his voice.
He raised an eyebrow, "maybe. Why? You jealous?"
I laugh, "if I was jealous, I would be kissing you instead of just dancing here."
"Then why haven't you yet?" A small, triumphant smile spreads across his face. He leads me into an effortless spin before he brings me in closer to him. How is he this smooth for someone who's been asleep for 70 years?
I can feel my heart beating faster as he cups my cheek with one hand. "I... I'm not jealous, Rogers." It was true, I wasn't jealous, but that didn't stop the weird feeling in my stomach. Was it something I ate? Surely Steve can't be having this impact on me...
"Oh really? Then why let me do this?" he smiled, as he started closing the gap between us, pulling our bodies together. I close my eyes. Is this what I really want? To be here, with him? To be-
"ROGERS! COULSON! I thought I told you to get into position! Look near you!" Fury yelled into our coms. Steve and I spring apart, glancing around the room. Near the refreshments table, I see our target, looking around, and heading to an area behind the curtains.
"Oh, they were definitely getting into position for something," Tony's voice commented through the coms.
"Stark, shut up. It's called a cover for a reason," I snarled. I glanced at Steve, and for a minute, I could've sworn he looked defeated, but it was gone before I could look again. "I'm heading in. I'll let you know if I need backup."
Steve puts a hand on my shoulder, "I'll go with you."
Brushing his shoulder off, I start walking over to where our target should be. "Don't bother. I've got this, and I need you to keep watch anyway Rogers."
"Oh..." his hand is awkwardly still outreached, "right." He scratches the back of his neck, looking around the room at anyone but me.
I walked over to the curtain, pulling them back only enough for me to walk behind them. I crept over, crouching behind a couch, where I could see two men bickering, one of them was our target.
Our target tossed an object up in his hand, "I still don't understand how you found a catch like this."
"It was easy," the other man said, "you'd be surprised with what you can find when those superhero freaks leave these out in the open after New York." He looked familiar, but I wasn't able to put my finger on it. Where had I seen him before?
I slowly pull the gun from the hidden pocket at the back of my dress. I quietly cock it, and get ready to shoot if needed. "Coulson, what do you see?" Fury asked through the coms. I knew it would be too risky to say anything, so I turned on the camera that was part of my ear piercings. Man, I really do love gadgets from SHIELD.
"Remember, you're only there to observe-" Steve starts to say in my com, but he's cut off with a high pitched static from my com. Well shit.
I make a grab for my com to turn it off, but it's too late. "What was that?" the taller man asked, whipping his head in my direction. "Go see what it is, and take care of it quietly," he tells the bodyguards behind him. Well, double shit.
"Essy? What's going on?" Tony asks. So now my coms decide to work properly? Knowing I won't have time to respond and take care of the two guys heading in my direction, I turn my coms on. "I've gotta take care of something," I whisper into the coms, and then pop up from behind the couch. I held up the gun, my finger on the trigger, "I wouldn't step closer if I were you."
"JADA! What's happening?" Steve shouted into my coms. I cringe a little, for someone so kind, he was pretty loud when he was shouting. "Jada!? Talk to me!"
One of the two men before me stepped forward, both of them now holding out guns of their own. Triple shit. "Put down the gun," one of them instructed.
"Oh, you want me to put this down?" I smile a little, a plan forming in my head. If they want to shoot me, all I really have to do is duck behind the sofa, right?
"Essy, I swear to God, you better not be-" Tony's voice fills the coms again. Before he could finish, two shots rang out through the room. Knowing they hadn't come from me, I glanced warily around the room. The two bodyguards in front of me fell, blood seeping from their backs.
I looked at the man, who was holding a gun out. "They were taking too long," he shrugged. "Now, we can do this the hard way, or the easy way. You can put down that gun, and I can kill you swiftly, saving you from any pain, or you can try to put up a fight, and I can make sure all of your friends in the main room watch you die a slow and painful death. Which will it be?" He calmly points the gun in my direction, finger barely hovering over the trigger.
"Jada! Jada!" Steve shouted through the coms again. Damn, someone really has to make him shut up. "What's going on? Are you ok? Talk to me!"
"Neither," I smirk towards him, holding out my gun again, firing two shots, one at each shoulder. "I should mention," I walk over to his huddled figure, crouching down. I lift up his head by his hair as he lets out a gasp of pain, "don't ever try to kill me. It won't end well for you. And you." I stand up, pointing my gun towards our target. "I'd start talking if I were you."
AN: Hey guys, I hope you're liking this so far, and please tell me if there's something you think I could/should fix about the character(s) or anything about the plot, especially if you think things are moving too fast between Steve and Esmerelda. Anyways, thank you, and happy reading!
