Serendipity [One-shot]
Pairings: Alpha!Steve x Reader
Summary: Things between you and Steve have always been a little frosty, but you’re starting to warm up.
Warnings: Nada. It’s just cute fluff. Well, I guess A/B/O Dynamics, but tbh it’s fairly light throughout.
A/N: This is for @thefanficfaerie Disney Quote Challenge! My prompt was the song “Something There” from Beauty and the Beast. They live at the compound. Yes, Bucky is there because I like everyone together and happy, okay??? Send me love because I’m needy.
***My fics are not to be saved or posted on any other sites without my written permission. Reblogs are my jam, though! Thanks!*
Steve Rogers hated you.
There were no ifs, ands, or buts about it.
It was the only explanation for the way he acted around you. He despised you; no rhyme or reason you could think of. You had no idea what you did to make him dislike you so much, but whatever the reasoning behind his feelings, Steve wasn’t letting it go. The two of you barely shared a word upon your arrival to the compound, but from the first moment, Steve laid eyes on you; his feelings toward you were quite clear.
Most days, Steve could barely look at you, and if it were possible for him to do so, he would leave the second you entered the room. No matter what was happening, he would excuse himself and dart out of the room as if it were on fire. Missions together were a rarity, but when they did happen, Steve would stay unusually close to you, notwithstanding the amount of contempt his heart held for you. Whenever this practice was brought to his attention, Steve simply said he had to ensure you stay safe; you’re part of his team and an Omega after all.
Because an Omega couldn’t possibly be able to protect themselves without a strong Alpha to watch over them? He was Lucky Natasha didn’t hear him say that.
So much for Captain America being all for orientation equality.
It was more than the way he looked at you, though, or didn’t look at you. You heard the whispers within the team. You weren’t the only one who noticed Steve’s behavior towards you. Tony, Bucky, and Natasha were glued to the two of you like they were watching some overly dramatized reality show.
But, hearing it from his lips hurt more than you expected.
You wandered through the halls, intent on stopping to grab a snack in the kitchen, and maybe see if Clint was up for a movie night. You were coming to the end of your heat, and after three days of being cooped up, you were finally able to leave your room without the fear of disrupting the rest of the Alphas on the team. You were about to round the corner when you stumbled upon Steve and Tony having what looked to be a tense chat.
Not that it was unusual for them, the topic, however, piqued your interest.
“I’m telling you I can’t be around her right now,” your feet froze, keeping you firmly planted to the ground as you peered around the corner to find Steve standing before Tony, arms crossed over Steve's chest and that lovely scowl on his face; the one you were sure he saved just for you.
“You’ve been around an Omega in heat before, Capscicle. I don’t see the problem.”
“I’m not talking about other Omegas! I can’t be around her,” Steve growled, sending a shiver through you. The bitter edge in his growl was enough to cause you to slink back and hide behind the wall.
Clearly, Steve didn't want to see you, and you weren't about to go out there now. Not while he was making sure Tony and anyone else within earshot knew just how he felt about you and, well, you got the message loud and clear.
Tony’s sharp whistle hit your ears, and you risked a quick glance back at the two Alphas; Tony grinned at the taller Alpha and shook his head, “You’ve got to get over her being here.”
“I can’t,” Steve snapped. “I can barely stand to be in the same room as her.”
Oh, because you're so great to be around all the time, you thought. You couldn’t keep listening to how much Steve couldn’t stand the thought of being near you. It was too much. Movie night forgotten, you tiptoed back to your room and locked the door behind you.
If he didn’t want to be around you, he wouldn't have to. You were teammates, not friends, and he made that quite clear tonight.
“Cap, I know things were different in the ’40s, but nowadays, when you find your mate, you don’t avoid them. Maybe flirt a little. Tell her she smells yummy. She’s got that sweet flowery scent, right?”
Steve’s eyes flashed red as a warning. “Yes, she’s... roses and vanilla.”
Tony grinned and continued on, “Throw her a few rumbles. I doubt she will turn you away. You should see the way she looks at you.”
“Because I look like this?”
Steve waved his hands down, gesturing at his large and very muscular frame before quickly dropping his gaze from Tony’s. Tony finally understood why Steve was going to such great lengths to avoid the Omega. Steve liked you. He wanted you more than Tony grasped from first glance, and Steve was worried you would only see him as Captain America -- as that Alpha, not as Steve.
“I’m not gonna lie. You’re a delicious slice of beefcake. Don’t tell anyone else I said that, but no, that’s not why. Y/n is your mate. Not Captain America’s mate. Steve Roger’s mate,” Tony patted his shoulder and made his way towards the elevator.
“Don’t be an idiot. Just spend some time with her without all the pressure. You’ll be fine.”
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“Who the hell buys a stove like this?” You grumbled quietly as your eyes roamed over the twenty or so buttons on the newfangled stove Tony had put in the kitchen. All you wanted to do was make a sandwich and slink off back to your room before tall, blond, and grumpy got a hold of you and drained every ounce of joy from your day. You twisted a knob that resembled something close to what would turn on a conventional burner, but it didn’t help. The large appliance just beeped loudly, and all the lights slowly faded to black.
“What the hell?” You groaned and let your head fall against the cupboard in front of you.
You were never going to eat at this rate. It would be takeout for the rest of your life! A deep chuckle filled the air behind you, and you spun around to find Steve standing there, smirking at you and looking utterly adorable.
Why couldn’t you hate him back? It would make things so much easier if you could hate him as much as he hated you.
“Need help?” Steve asked you, shaky and unsure as if he was worried you would yell at him merely for asking. That was so unlike the way Steve usually acted around you.
“Um, I guess? I don’t really get this stupid stove. The knobs say nothing. How are you supposed to know which is which or what is low heat, and what is high heat? Why couldn’t Tony just buy a normal stove? One that isn’t so difficult to turn on.”
“You’re asking me why Tony does the things he does?”
You chuckled and gave a light shrug in response.
Steve walked up behind you and rested his arms on the counter surrounding the stove, leaning in to rumble softly in your ear, “You could have asked FRIDAY to turn it on for you. Do you want me to show you how to work it, or I can make it for you if you would like?”
You closed your eyes and started to sink back against his chest. That heady scent of amber and cedarwood set your skin on fire and left your head spinning. You didn’t want him to make you anything, or maybe you did. You’re not so sure what you want from him anymore. It was confusing with him standing so close and talking to you in that voice.
“Um, you can m--make it,” you whispered, earning a pleased hum from the Alpha behind you, and you quickly realized you were standing far too close, but, oh, you wished you could hear him make that noise again. You peeked back over your shoulder, no longer leaning into his warmth. Steve’s eyes had gone dark but were unreadable. He was probably thinking how incredibly incompetent you were if you couldn’t even work a stove.
No doubt, this will be added to his list of reasons to hate you.
‘If you don’t mind,” you added quickly.
“I don’t mind at all, Y/n. Go sit down, and I’ll make it,” Steve assured you and ushered you towards the stools behind the two of you. He truly didn’t mind. Steve wanted to take care of you in any way you would let him. The Alpha in him had been screaming at him to do so for months. If the only way to take care of you was making your lunch, then he was more than happy to do so.
Steve’s eyes raked over all the ingredients you had laid out on the counter and turned back to you with his brow raised, glowing smile on his face and asked, “Grilled cheese? Really?”
Was he... teasing you? Interesting.
“Grown-ups can eat grilled cheese, Steve. Don’t give me that look. I’m even using Tony’s fancy cheese. It basically becomes a four-star meal if you add expensive cheese.”
Steve snorted and turned back around towards the stove. You tried to watch what he was doing so you wouldn’t have to ask for help next time, but your mind was too busy trying to catch your racing thoughts. What could you have possibly done in the last few days to make things less frigid between you?
Maybe Natasha had been right this whole time; Steve never really hated you.
“When is the last time you ate something healthy?”
You wanted to roll your eyes at the Alpha’s question, but you couldn’t help the smile that split your face in two, “Not sure. Sometimes I can convince Clint to get a supreme pizza, and I get Beef and Broccoli when we all order Chinese.”
Steve turned back to look at you, lips pressed into a thin line looking thoroughly unimpressed despite the humor dancing in his eyes.
“Not exactly what I meant, Y/n.”
“They are never going to figure this out,” Bucky griped from his spot on the couch, glancing down at the red-head who had her legs thrown over his lap and was purring sweetly every time Bucky ran his fingers over the exposed skin below her shorts.
“I tried to talk sense into him, but he’s not listening,” Tony added as he watched the two of you dance around each other in the kitchen. “Not that anyone is surprised by that.”
“Tasha,” Bucky kissed the back of her hand softly, “Omega, I think you and I need to nudge them a bit, ya?” Natasha smirked and returned a kiss to her Alpha’s cheek.
“Sweet that you want to help. I don’t think our meddling will do anything to help, but we could try, I suppose.”
She climbed off the couch and sauntered towards the kitchen, gracefully sliding onto the stool next to you. She stayed quiet as she watched you subtly court each other, neither discerning what the other was doing. Steve set your plate down, and there were several pieces of sliced apple occupying the space next to your deliciously buttery grilled cheese. Your nose crinkled at the sight of the addition to your meal, making the Alpha chuckle.
“Things between the two of you seem less… frosty,” Nat whispered, watching Steve wash the frying pan he used to make your lunch.
You shrugged as you pushed your food around your plate, the food that Steve made for you, “I guess. He’s not so bad. He might even be a little funny, and maybe he doesn’t hate me like I thought.”
“Who would have guessed? I’ve been telling you that for months,” Natasha was quick to remind you.
You glanced up, catching Steve’s eye for a fleeting moment and quickly dropped your eyes back to your plate, just in time to miss the amused smile tugging at his lips.
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Lunch with Steve had become a regular thing.
So did the fresh pink roses in your room. They appeared every few days, and you couldn’t help but grin when you saw them. Somehow Steve was always around when you wanted lunch. You would find your way to the kitchen where Steve would be waiting on you, and he would fix you both something to eat while you talked. Sometimes the conversation flowed, and other times it was awkward and stilted. You were just starting to get to know each other under these new terms, so some problematic conversation was expected. There were times you felt like Steve was holding something back, and couldn’t put your finger on what it was. Uncomfortable tension or not, he never stopped trying to get you to eat something that resembled healthy food.
Usually, it would bother you to have an Alpha waiting on you like that, but the pleased scent rolling off Steve made it not so bad.
It had been a week since you’ve had lunch with Steve, and there were no roses mysteriously placed in your room. A full seven days without seeing that dopey smile, he got on his face when you walked into the kitchen, and it was starting to weigh heavily on you. You snapped at Natasha one too many times, and she had finally had enough. She told you to get dressed and meet her in the gym. You assumed she wanted to help you work out your aggression. But you wouldn’t put it past Natasha if she was planning on kicking your ass for snapping at her.
By the time you made it down to the gym, you were still unsure which to expect.
Probably the ass-kicking.
You took two steps into the gym and froze at the soft notes of amber that hit your nose. You looked around the nearly empty room and paused when your eyes landed on Steve, shirtless and pounding away at the heavy bags Tony designed to withstand a super soldier or two. You didn’t know he was back, but maybe Steve wanted it that way. You attempted to quietly tiptoe out of the gym without Steve noticing you, but you smacked into the wall behind dropping your metal water bottle to the floor with a resounding clang.
Steve slowly turned around, letting the bag still on its own and smiled at the sight of you. Not that Steve didn’t know it was you standing behind him before he laid eyes on you. He’s mesmerized your scent, and even through your blockers, he can still catch notes of rose and vanilla hanging in the air of every floor of the compound; he loved it and hated it.
“Sorry. I didn’t know you were in here or even back home. I was looking for Nat. She said to meet her here to train for a bit, but I’m guessing she’s not here since you’re in here. Not that you being here is the reason she’s not in here! I just meant I didn’t see her, and I am guessing you wouldn’t be working out with a shirt on if someone was in here with you.”
Steve glanced down and his bare chest chuckling as you continued to ramble, “Or maybe you would. I don’t know what you do. You can do whatever you want, whenever you want, and you can wear whatever you want to work out. Although, I guess not whatever you want. Probably should wear pants. Not that I’m thinking about you without your pants!”
You closed your eyes, hoping one or both of you would disappear so you wouldn’t have to face him after that embarrassing attempt at socializing. The only bright side to the moment, Tony wasn’t around to witness this disaster and use it tease you for the rest of your life.
“I could help you train. Since Nat seems to be missing in action, but only if you want.”
You opened your eyes, and sure enough, there he was. Steve was still standing there looking thoroughly cute and offering to help you after you made a total fool of yourself. You pulled your lips between your teeth, gnawing nervously as you watched him for a moment. There was no way you could train when he looked like that. His charming smile was enough to distract you but add in the chiseled abs? No way you would survive.
“Okay, but you have to put a shirt on,” You motioned to his bare chest. “I can’t focus around you, to begin with, and that’s all very distracting.”
Steve preened and grabbed the shirt he had tossed to the floor a few hours ago. He gave up on the shirt once he started punching; Bucky had irritated him more than he realized it seemed. A moment of worry flashed through his head. Maybe he was right all along. You didn’t see the man he was under all... this. Steve pulled the dark grey shirt over his head and brushed his hair out of his eyes, meeting yours, and he knew he was acting foolish.
God help him, Tony was right.
“Better?”
The dumb shirt that you insisted Steve put on was slightly wet and clinging to his well-defined chest. No, it was not better. In fact, adding more clothes was somehow worse? It made him look like sweet, caring Alpha you meet every day around lunchtime, and the soft look in his eyes had you forgetting all about what was under that incredibly thin shirt. How were you supposed to focus when he was looking at you like that?
“I guess,” you squeaked.
He grinned, “Ready, agent?”
“What are you guys looking at?” Sam peeked his head over their shoulders, staring at the bright blue live feed of the gym. “Since when are Steve and Y/n training together?”
“I can’t believe it’s finally happening,” Natasha mumbled. “I never thought they would come together on their own.”
“I guess we should have locked them in the gym months ago,” Tony snickered.
“What’s happening? Man, What are you three going on about?”
Bucky draped his arm over Natasha’s shoulder and pulled her towards their bedroom, leaving Sam confused and staring at the floating screen before him.
“Nothing, Sammy. I’ll tell you about it when you’re older.”
“When I’m older?” Sam shouted after the dark-haired Alpha. “Buck, I swear-- get back here so I can beat your ass old man!”
Steve, had you secured to the floor under him and smirked at how easily you were distracted by a few sweet words, “Thought you’ve been training with Natasha for a few months now? That’s all you got?”
You growled, and the scent of a pleased Alpha filled the gym, making your heart flutter. You quickly shook it off and batted your lashes, drawing your bottom lip between your teeth. Steve’s brows shot up, and you slowly lifted your head towards his. He went completely still as the grip on your hands loosened, and his focus was lost somewhere in your pretty lips and intoxicating scent.
Within seconds you had your legs wrapped around his tiny waist and had him flipped and pinned under you before he had a chance to react. You grinned down the Alpha, hands pressed firmly against this chest.
“Don’t you train with Bucky? Is that all you got, Cap?” you taunted back.
Steve grinned.
You’ve never seen him grin at you like that. He slowly sat up, not even phased by the so-called hold you had on his chest. Steve wrapped his arms around your waist and secured you in his lap, leaving you nose to nose and breathless from the thick scent of cedarwood surrounding you.
“What would everyone say if they knew Captain American could be brought down by an Omega batting her lashes at you?”
Steve chuckled, but his eyes were earnest as he corrected you, “Not Captain American, Just Steve and not any Omega. Only you.”
Your fingers slipped into his hair, attempting to still their tremble and steady the frantic beats of your heart.
“Only me?” you whispered.
Steve hummed in response and tightened his hold on your waist.
“I think I like that. I prefer ‘just Steve’ anyway.” Steve’s smile faltered for a second and then spread into a wide grin. He’s been an idiot not to see what was right in front of him all this time.
“I’m sorry I didn’t tell you I was back I was trying to find the right way to tell -- Buck was a pain the entire mission. I needed a minute to cool down before I came to find you.”
“You wanted to find me?” You asked brows pinched at the thought.
“I’ve wanted to ask you something since we first met, but I wasn’t sure I should...” The confident Alpha seemed to fade away, and when he spoke, his voice stuttered with uncertainty, “Do you-- would you want to get lunch? With me, I mean. Outside of the compound. Away from all the other--”
“Alphas?”
Steve growled and pulled you closer to him, a gentle, teasing smile playing on his lips. You smirked and slowly wiggled yourself free of his arms, much to Steve’s dismay, and sauntered towards the door. Stopping to grab the water bottle you dropped by the entrance, you peered over your shoulder where you left Steve.
“I can be ready in twenty. Meet you outside?”
“Now?!”
“Better hop to, soldier,” you purred softly.
In all the time you’ve known Steve, you’ve never seen him move that fast before.
