Apartment #3 - Chapter 7
pairing: steve rogers x undercover!reader
warnings: 18+ SMUT*, Neighbors to Friends to Lovers, lots of angst, heavy mutual pining, hurt/comfort, eventual smut/romance/fluff
summary: as an undercover agent at SHIELD, her newest assignment involves moving in across the hall from her target. she's strictly ordered to keep her distance—no personal contact besides the absolutely necessary. the only issue? her new target neighbor turns out to be Captain America.
author's note: an idea that's been living in my head ever since steve asked sharon for that cup of coffee in their apartment hallway. as a SHIELD agent, the reader's real name has been [REDACTED] to preserve anonymity.
masterlist
taglist: @tsofo26 @yvonneeeee @cass0419 @nekoannie-chan @felicitylemon @nada3000 @rorilisa @observantplum-blog @strepsils123 @mrsevans90 @smhnxdiii @rorilisa
“Geez, neighbor, you ever take a day off?”
It’s a warm, sunny Wednesday when she runs into Steve again. She sighs out a laugh, spotting her neighbor from down the hall who’s jumping up the last few steps of the stairwell. Clearly coming back from a run in a compression shirt and running shorts, though it looks like he’s barely broken a sweat.
He looks up and notices her gaze, smile growing wide. Reaching her in a few long strides, he slips the earphones out of his ears and hangs them around his neck. It’s an endearing detail, really—when’s the last time she’s seen someone with non-wireless headphones? The music blasts loud enough for her to hear from a few feet away, though she can’t quite make out what song.
“Sorry,” He smiles apologetically, reaching into his pocket and pressing pause.
“… couldn’t hear you over the music. What was that?”
“Nothin’” She smiles, double checking the lock on her door before slipping her keys into her tote, turning back to face him. She hoists her bag over her shoulder and looks up at Steve, watching as his eyes flit down to the bag then to the rest of her outfit—a bright sundress adorned with baby blue flowers and sage leaves, a pair of sunglasses hanging from the sweetheart necklace—it’s obvious she’s determined to take advantage of the rare sunny day before the temperature starts dropping again.
“You look, uh…” He halts mid-sentence, eyes darting off to the side and he runs a hand over the back of his neck.
“…is this your day off?”
She blinks, his reaction a reminder that this was the first time he’s seen her without those ugly blue scrubs and the dull backpack she takes to ‘work’ every morning.
“Yeah, thought I’d head to the store. Get some groceries for the week.”
And for once, she wasn’t lying—on her rare day off from SHIELD, she’d planned an ideal day of leisurely grocery shopping at the cute supermarket she’d been eyeing down the street, perhaps picking up a few flowers on the way back to spruce up her lifeless apartment.
Steve nods, smiling, and she notices there’s a little bit of pink in his cheeks that match the shade of his lips.
“Sounds fun.” He taps his keys against his palm absentmindedly, eyes glancing back toward his door. Then, he takes a pause, pursing his lips before adding:
“Hey, uhm… do you mind if I come with you? I’ve actually been meaning to grab a couple things.”
She blinks, taken aback by his question. She takes a moment, searching for a good enough excuse to turn him down. When she fails to find a way to reject him without sounding like an asshole, she nods, leaning against her door.
“Sure, Steve, but only if you promise to carry my groceries on the way back.”
The brief walk to the store feels strange with Steve by her side.
It’s the first time she’s hung out with Steve outside of their apartment—their tiny little bubble. And suddenly, it feels an awful lot like a whole different occasion.
Like a date.
She tries to shake off the thought, but every time his arm brushes against hers as they walk alongside the cobblestone sidewalk, the feeling in her gut only grows stronger.
She’s almost relieved when they reach the shop at the end of the block—a small local business with only a few patrons inside. The bell at the door chimes softly, and she’s immediately calmed by the scent of pumpkin and cinnamon—part of the early thanksgiving decorations adorning the entrance.
They make their way through the store slowly—Steve pushing the cart, steps parallel to hers.
She’s not sure why, but it takes her by surprise just how comfortably Steve moves around the store. Every moment spent with him reminds her of how little she actually knows about the famed super soldier.
Captain America plucks a block of gruyere off an overwhelmingly vast array of cheese with ease. Flawlessly explains the difference between heirloom and on-the-vine tomatoes, and what to look for to pick out the sweetest strawberries. Like a curious child, she’d find herself peering over his shoulder, fascinated by the extent of his knowledge on things that likely hadn’t even existed during his time.
Plus, the thought that they could have easily met somewhere like this, in the organic produce aisle of a local grocery store, makes her a little lightheaded.
It’s strangely intimate to discover what kind of toothpaste Captain America buys, the scent of soap he prefers. To see him reach into the back of the shelf for the same brand of coffee she buys. To share her favorite bag of sour gummies with him, dropping two in the cart so he could bring home one to try.
As they approach the floral section of the shop, her gaze wanders over to the colorful array—potted mums in shades of blue and purple, bundles of red roses wrapped up in cellophane, and copper buckets teeming with golden marigolds.
“Flowers?” Steve remarks gently, curiously eyeing the floral array from beside her. Out of everything in the grocery store, this was perhaps the only domain she knew more about than Steve.
“Yeah. Thought I’d decorate a little.” She remarks distractedly, eyes narrowing as she bends down, picking out a vibrant pot of grape hyacinth. She steps back, admiring the deep blue hue of the star-shaped petals before looking up at Steve.
“See any you like?”
Steve blinks, and it takes a second for him to register her question, eyes flitting away from the flowers in her hands as he starts to shake his head remorsefully.
“Oh, no, I can’t. I’m… away so often, I’d feel bad if I got something I couldn’t keep alive.”
She nods understandingly, pursing her lips as she turns her attention back to the floral section. This time, her eyes trail over to the array of succulents and house plants.
After another moment of consideration, she lowers her flowers into the cart before reaching forward for a clay pot with a plump, green succulent.
“What about this one? It’s called Echeveria. It’s pretty low-maintenance and can handle a bit of neglect.”
Steve blinks, an unreadable expression crossing his face as he eyes the tiny green plant she’s holding up in her hands. A small moment of silence passes, and finally, he nods.
“That’s perfect,” he says quietly, his gaze lingering on the soft, rosette-shaped leaves. “I think... I could manage that.” His voice is thoughtful, and she senses something unspoken in his reaction.
“Good choice,” she murmurs, giving him a small smile as she lowers the plant into their cart before continuing down the aisle.
The warm feeling swirling around in her stomach suddenly dissipates when they reach the register.
Her eyes snap over to a rack of newspapers nearby, immediately zeroing in on the bolded headlines that contain the word ‘SHIELD.’ A quick scan and she realizes the article was describing a recent alien attack on Times Square, one that had her working overtime this past week.
“Ready to check out?” Steve’s voice interrupts her thoughts as she perks up, glancing over at him.
Leaning against the handle of the cart, he’s smiling at her expectantly, oblivious to what’s behind her.
“Uh, yep, all good.” She murmurs, maneuvering around the front of the cart, shielding the newspaper rack from him view.
She doesn’t know why she even feels compelled to hide the news, seeing as how the Avengers had been the first to be deployed to the scene.
Perhaps some part of her wished that, for one moment in her life, she could imagine a life that wasn’t tangled up with SHIELD.
One where an alien attack could just be an alien attack.
Where Steve could just be her neighbor.
They move up toward the only open checkout line, and she smiles at the cashier—an older man wearing a green apron with a crooked name tag clipped to the front: Terry R.
As soon as the store clerk spots Steve behind her, his face lights up.
She immediately grows tense, worried that he might’ve recognized Steve’s face. She holds her breath, fearing the worst.
Instead, the clerk nods casually at the super soldier, grinning widely.
“Steve, how you doing my man? Been a while since I’ve seen you.”
Her eyes widen in confusion and she glances over at Steve. He only smiles, shaking his head.
"Sorry, Terry, didn't mean to fall off the map. Been a little busy these days.”
“Oh I bet.” Terry chuckles, sliding a loaf of brioche across the scanner.
From the vagueness of that response, it’s difficult for her to decipher whether Terry was privy to Steve’s superhero alias. Regardless, it was clear that Steve was a regular patron of this store, enough to be on a first-name basis with the workers. Before she can dwell on it much further, though, Terry’s gaze travels over to her.
“This your friend?” The man smiles warmly at her, crow’s feet tugging at the corners of his hazel eyes.
Steve nods, smiling as he looks over at her.
She leans forward, meeting Terry’s hand from behind the register.
“Hi, I’m Jess, nice to meet you.”
“Terry. It’s nice to meet you too, young lady.”
A small pause as Terry surveys her with a smile, warm light behind his eyes.
“How do you two know each other?” He continues, scanning the last of their items. His hands move expertly across the screen as he types into the cash register.
“We’re neighbors. Jess moved in across the hall from me." Steve responds with ease, stepping closer to her so he could help bag the groceries that had been scanned.
"That right?" Terry hums, turning to her with a raised brow. "How do you like the neighborhood, Jess?”
"It's amazing, actually."
“Good, good. Glad to know you’ve got someone like Steve looking out for ya.”
Another vague comment that leaves her wondering whether Terry knows that his favorite patron is actually Captain America.
Distracted by her thoughts, she almost misses the moment when Steve reaches into the back pocket of his jeans, pulling out a brown leather wallet.
“Oh, no, I got it, most of this stuff’s mine anywa—” She tries to interrupt, digging for her wallet in her tote, but she’s too late.
“—gotta be faster than that, hon.” Terry laughs from behind the register as her gaze snaps up, realizing Steve had already handed over a 50 dollar bill.
She purses her lips, knowing that her stubbornness was no match for his, so she finishes up gathering their groceries and bagging them up.
“Alpine still around?” Steve asks casually, glancing around the store as Terry prepares their change.
“Ah, probably out and about somewhere. She’ll be back by dinnertime though.”
Steve nods, a soft smile on his face as he takes the receipt from Terry and drops his change in the donation jar by the register. They both thank him, waving goodbye as they carry their bags out of the store.
“Uncalled for, neighbor. I asked you to carry my groceries, not pay for them.”
She huffs, turning back to Steve once they’re out of Terry’s earshot. She’s got a paper bag clutched her chest, struggling a little under the weight as she pushes on the glass doors with her forearms.
He chuckles from behind her, transferring his bags over to one hand while pushing the door open for her with ease.
"Don't worry about it. Consider it payment for letting me come with you today.”
She shakes her head, rolling her eyes as they make their way out of the store.
“Fine, but I’m buying next time.”
"Next time?”
He gives her a sideways smirk, and she immediately feels her cheeks heat up.
"Yeah, you know, if I ever need a hand with the bags again."
He only nods in response, a smile lingering on his face as his gaze returns forward.
They set a slow pace as they head back toward the apartment, moving in comfortable silence.
“I’m glad you got to meet Terry.” Steve remarks, stepping closer to her to let another pedestrian pass by.
“Yeah, he seems nice. How do you two know each other, by the way?”
Turn’s out, Terry was the store’s owner. One of the first people Steve had met after moving to Brooklyn. He’s always given Steve discounts on bread and other groceries in exchange for weekly banter.
“I don’t think he’s got much of a family besides his cat.”
“Is that who Alpine is?”
“Yeah. She’ll show up around the shop occasionally and say hi. I’m glad Terry’s got her to keep him company.”
She can't help the small smile that pulls at her lips, a warm feeling blooming in her chest.
“Well Terry’s got you too, doesn't he?”
Steve pauses, before glancing back at her with a soft smile.
“Yeah, I guess he does.”
When they reach the apartment, she finds herself bounding up the stairs, even with an armful of flowers and heavy groceries.
She nods along to Steve’s story, smiling as he recalls adopting an alleyway cat with Bucky when they were younger.
“I bet you were a good kid, huh? Let me guess. Class president? Never got into any trouble?
“Ah, the opposite, actually. Bucky and I used to get into all sorts of trouble. We’d skip last period to catch a trolley to Coney Island."
“Coney Island?”
“Yeah, have you been?”
She shakes her head, which immediately elicits a frown from Steve.
They reach the top of the stairs when he halts dead in his tracks. She swivels around, glancing up and down at him, amused at the apparent look of shock on his face.
“You’ve been living in New York for, what, years and you’ve never been to Coney Island?”
She blinks, taken aback by how Steve seems genuinely offended by something so trivial.
“No offense, Steve, but isn’t that place a little… old-fashioned?” She trails up, squinting up at Steve as a smile tugs on her bottom lip. “…it hasn’t been renovated in decades.”
He scoffs, shaking his head incredulously as she starts smiling harder.
“You say that cause you’ve never been.” He smiles, quirking a brow. A small pause, a few more steps down the hallway, before he takes another breath.
“…are you busy this weekend? Bucky and I have been talking about going, if you wanted to come with us.”
“To Coney Island?”
“Yeah to Coney Island.” He nods, and the smile he gives her is so bright and sincere that it makes her heart lurch a little.
She purses her lip, eyes fluttering shut for a moment. This would make it the nth time she’s violated Fury’s orders—so many that she’s virtually lost count at this point.
“I, uhm—”
She’s graciously interrupted by the sound of footsteps emerging from down the hall—Steve’s head snaps up in the direction off the stairs before he immediately lets out a polite smile.
“—Mrs. Rockwell! How are you?”
“Sam, is that you dear?” She follows Steve’s gaze to find Mrs. Rockwell shuffling down the hallway, leaning on her cane.
She steps back, smiling at the way Steve rushes forward to offer the old lady a hand and help her to her door, and again at the way she pats his hand with a gentle smile.
“Thank you, Sam.” He does’t correct her, just nods with a polite smile as the woman enters her unit at the end of the hall.
“Of course, let me know if you need anything else.”
When Steve returns back to her spot, she’s awaiting with a teasing smile.
“You sure are a good neighbor, Sam.”
He brushes off with a quiet chuckle, as she reaches for her keys, stepping back in the direction of her door.
“So, I’ll see you this weekend?”
Shit.
Unable to reject him outright, nor give him an adequate excuse, she settles for a playful shrug and a quick:
“Maybe.”
“Alright, just let me know.” Steve nods, and if he’s disappointed by her response, he doesn’t let it show.
As she steps inside her apartment, her heart races immeasurably faster, grocery bags still clutched tightly in her hands. She closes the door behind her, resting her forehead against it for a moment, trying to steady her breath.
“Maybe.” she mutters to herself with a sigh.
But even she isn’t sure what that means anymore.
Apartment #3 Masterlist
note: a very very late update, I know, but I needed to see this fic through b/c I have so much in store for these two 😖 thanks for sticking around!
