Falling in Fall
Summary; Steve Rogers x Fe!OC (Noelle Harlow) - Steve never thought he would find someone who he could spend his life with, outside of the Avengers of course. But what happens when that someone turns out to work inside his home?
Ever since coming out of the ice, Love had been the last thing on Steve’s mind. Without Peggy, he didn’t really know where to look. Sure, he’d managed to fall in love with her within a matter of days and it took another few months before either of them would make a move. But she had been a constant in his life. One of the very few people in Steve’s life who he could always count on.
And, over the years, that number had gotten so low he could count the amount of people he trusted - mostly with his personal life - on one hand.
Steve trusted his teammates. They would have his back the same as he would have theirs. But a personal life? They all kept their own to their own.
It was safer that way.
And out of everyone, Steve’s was the safest.
He didn’t have anyone.
Romantically, anyhow.
That was until late one night when he couldn’t sleep and decided to take a walk.
In all honesty, Steve didn’t know why he couldn’t sleep. He was tired; he knew that much, but something was still keeping him awake. So, he took a walk. Going from his floor and down the staircase and towards a random level.
It was so peaceful, how quiet it was. All day Tony had scientists and PhD doctors running in and out of every lab and office doing god-knows-what. Steve never really paid attention when Tony would explain what was going on. Not for the lack of trying, however. Lord, he tried but he was a 40s guy. He could barely understand how to work Stark’s brand new tablet.
But, he was slowly getting the hang of it. He understood the basics but when Tony began using tech-lingo, it flew right over his head.
All the lights were out in the halls. The darkness, usually something that would place Steve on edge, was calming. The only people awake in this building right now was himself and Norm, the security guard, and maybe a few other security details about the place.
However, as Steve - dressed in a grey t-shirt, blue joggers and black socks - made his way a little further down the hall the peaceful silence was inturrupted by a woman’s voice.
“Stupid. Stupid damn machine and your springs and your metal- Stupid.”
Slowly as Steve turned the corner, he was met with the light from the lab where he saw a woman stood in a white lab coat, her hair a little messy and her glasses slightly down her nose before she pushed them back up.
Steve didn’t realise his inital thoughts at first. She intruiged him. No-one else was here and yet, here she was, working away, yelling at pieces of metal.
“Need a little help?”
The woman quickly spun around in search of the voice when she spotted him at the door.
“Can you use a screw driver?”
“I can.”
She seemed to visably relax. “Please.”
Steve walked inside, picking up the screwdriver from the side before asking where and what he needed to do. She intructed him and he followed her orders whilst she tinkered with something else.
“If you don’t mind me asking-”
“What am I doing up at 2 in the morning? Working late.” She answered. “I --” she fixed something else. “I had a breakthrough at lunch and I’ve been in here ever since. Only, the metal scraps don’t seem to want to working with me today.”
Steve gave a smile as she spoke and even began to talk to the items in front of her.
“Now, will you work for me? Just this once? Please, because then we can both go home and go to bed and not have Tony come in with a gallon of coffee for me to drink.”
“Do you always talk to your tools?”
“Only when they don’t work.” She smiled. “Oh, my god. You must think I’m rude. I haven’t introduced myself. God, you come down here at 2 in the morning and find a mad woman talking to inanimate objects. I’m Noelle. Noelle Harlow.”
Steve shook her hand. “Steve Rogers.”
“Nice to meet you.”
“Likewise.” Steve smiled. “So, how long have you worked for Tony?”
“A few- wait. Is this some kind of test? Is Tony listening right now? Jarvis!”
Steve chuckled. “No, no. No test. Just curious.”
“Oh, well...a few years.” Noelle answered. “He took me on when I was doing my PhD.”
“You’re a Doctor?”
Noelle smiled. “I am.”
“But this is the 4th floor.”
Steve had a point. 4th floor was reserved for trainee and grad-students only. Not fully qualified Doctors.
Noelle smiled. “Tony offered me a bigger lab, but I like it down here. And this way, I’m closer to my team who I supervise.”
“How come I’ve never seen you before? Around the labs, I mean?”
“I’m usually either here or at home asleep.” Noelle told him.
“Is it a habit of yours to work late or is Tony trying to create a mass army of mini-hims?”
Noelle chuckled at this as she turned back around to look at him. “Do you usually ask this many questions when you meet stangers at 2 in the morning?”
Steve lowered his head sheepishly. “Sorry, I’m bothering you-” Steve began to move from his seat realising he’s probably been distracting her from her work this whole time, asking her questions.
Noelle was quick to shake her head. “No. No, you’re not bothtering me. It’s actually nice to have some company for a change. Usually it’s just me and my tools. The conversations can lack some times, especially since they can’t actually talk back to me. Please, stay. But, only if you want to. I don’t wanna keep you from...Avenger stuff...”
Truthfully, Noelle didn’t fully know what the Avenger’s did. She knew they saved the world, but what did they do when they weren’t doing that? Play twister?
Steve decided to stay and try and find out more about Noelle. She intruiged him. She...she made him feel something. Something he’d only felt when he first saw Peggy. That...attraction. He wanted to know more. He needed to know more.
So, by the time it came to Noelle finishing up Steve decided to take the jump.
“I know I’ve just met you but...would you wanna get a cup of coffee some time?”
Noelle turned back to look and him and smiled. “I’d love to.”
“Great.”
“I’m free tomorrow, if you’re not doing anything...” Noelle told him.
Inside her head, she was scolding herself for seeming desperate. They’ve just met and their going for coffee. Isn’t this thing usually a ‘i’ll see you in a week’ thing? Not a ‘I hope I’ll see you tomorrow thing’?
But, rather than looking put off, Steve smiled. “I’ll see you tomorrow.”
By the time tomorrow came, neither the Avenger or the Doctor could wait.
It was odd, really. Noelle had gone most of her life expecting to spend it in a lab. She wouldn’t be surprised if she was born in one at this point. And then, just by simple chance, she had met a man. She had found conversation with someone, let alone it be Captain America of all people. Noelle had found someone who made her think of something else than going back to her lab to continue work - that made her remember she had another life outside of work.
Their small coffee date took them from a coffee cart and into the park, walking amongst the falling leaves. Both were wrapped up warm, a cup of coffee in their hands. Steve in jeans, sweater, boots and coat whilst Noelle had dressed herself in something similar. Both looked like they’d just been picked out of a Hallmark movie.
“So, tell me. How does a ‘skinny kid’ from Brooklyn find himself leading a team of Avengers?”
Steve couldn’t stop smiling as he talked to her. He hadn’t realised how much he had missed this. Just...talking to someone. Talking to someone who didn’t treat him like Captain America or ‘Cap’. Talking to someone who treated him as just...Steve.
“Well,” Steve began, “I was trying to get into the army and after making a few adjustments to my application.”
“Wait- You lied? You lied on your enlistment form?”
Steve shrugged. “Adjusted.”
But, Noelle just laughed as they continued walking. “Steve Rogers. America’s Golden Boy, lying on his enlistment forms. What a scandle!”
Steve smiled with a laugh. “Okay, fine. I might have lied.”
“What did you change?”
“Where I lived.” Steve told her. “Anytime Bucky found my rejected forms he’d get so pissed at me. One, for still trying to serve but second for whereever I said I came from. I said I came from New Jersey once - he went on for 30 minutes about how I could have chosen anywhere else.”
“You’re really close, aren’t you?”
“Ever since we were kids.” Steve smiled. “So, what about you? How does Stark find himself with a Doctor who refuses to leave the 4th floor?”
“Well, I got my BA in Engineering at Oxford. I came back to the states to go to MIT for a year before flying back to England and living there for the rest of my time. And then, after I graduated, I got a call. The Dean wanted me to come and study my PhD at MIT - full ride. So, I accepted but it wasn’t until I landed that I found out I had a couple of strings attached. Not that I minded them so much. I would have to teach a couple of classes at a local school before I would then spend what time I had left working for Tony. By the time I finished, Tony wanted me working full time and years later...here I am.”
Their conversation continued from family life all the way to people-watching, wondering what people were talking about and thinking about as they walked through the park.
Before they knew it, they had - unspokenly - extended their date into dinner. Steve knew the best place to get some food so after 10 more minutes of walking, Noelle and Steve found themselves inside a small diner/cafe place where the staff seemed to know Steve by first name basis.
“I’m guessing you come here a lot?”
Steve nodded but before he could give a verbal reply a woman who looked to be in her mid-sixties came over and answered for him.
“Every week before closing. Usually he’s trying to hide from his work in here with a decent meal and a good cup of coffee. Hi, I’m Tilly.”
“Noelle.”
“Steven, she’s beautiful.” Tilly whispered not so silently to Steve. “You’re a lucky man.”
Steve smiled, and even gave a small blush. “That she is, Tilly.”
“How’s your date been, Honey? He been treatin’ you right?”
“It’s been wonderful,” Noelle said. “Thank you.”
“How about...2 of the house specials?”
“That sounds great.”
“Coming right up.”
Once again, they talked. They talked about everything and anything, but, like everything it came to an end and landed them outside her apartment.
“This was...nice.”
“Yeah...”
Although he was once again nervous, Steve found the words falling quicker out of his mouth than he had wished to.
“Would you want to, maybe, do this again some time? If you just wanna leave it be, I’ll understand-”
However, Steve was cut off when Noelle reached up and kissed his cheek. “I’d love to do it again. I’m busy tomorrow but maybe we could work something out?”
“I’d like that.”
Smiling, Noelle kissed his cheek again before backing into front door. “Goodnight, Steve.”
“Goodnight, Noelle.”
The next day, Noelle was stuck once again under another contraption of her own design. It was at times like this that made her question her choices when she was growing up.
With every spring she put in, another one popped out. It was like whac-a-mole in an arcade.
“You son of a-”
“Noelle?”
Steve.
“Down here?”
“Where?” Steve moved around the lab a bit before he saw her lower legs and fett sticking out from underneath what looked like the base of Dum-E but about 10x bigger. “Oh, there.”
“Hey, sorry. I’ll be done in a moment. Stupid - Stay. Good spring. No!”
Steve tried his best to surpress his chuckle. “You okay?”
Sighing, Noelle rolled back out so she could finally see Steve. “No. Not unless you know anything about a power steering pump and whatever else the engineers upstairs decided to add to this...thing.” Noelle accidently hit the side of the contracption before it began to release some form of smoke.
“Oh, crap.”
It took a few moments but the smoke stopped and Noelle managed to tighten whatever had gotten loose.
“I know I’m not an engineer but I do know how to get a car working again.”
“Please, be my guest.” Noelle said, gesturing to the machine.
“I -- I brought you some lunch by the way. I didn’t know what you’d like but the guy at the counter said that’s what you usually order.”
Noelle looked to the wrapped sandwich and orange juice on the counter behind her and smiled. Thankfully Steve was underneath the machine so he couldn’t see her major blush.
“Thank you.”
“I thought we could have lunch together. I would have taken you somewhere nice but you said you don’t usually get much time off work so I thought maybe this could be our second date?”
“I prefer this.”
From under the machine, Steve smiled. Somehow, for both of them, this felt more intimate - and romantic and sweet. He had brought her lunch and now he was helping her fix a project.
It took another half hour but, by tag-teaming, they managed to fix the bottom of the machine and ate the rest of lunch together.
But, since the world is...the world, Steve was called away for training at Shield HQ. However, as more hours passed in silence, it was reaching towards 9pm when Noelle made her way back into the lab and found a hot cup of coffee at her desk with a note on top.
I really enjoyed today (and yesterday)
And on the other side...
Would you like to get dinner with me on Friday night?
Smiling, Noelle pulled her phone from her pocket and typed a response to Steve.
Thanks for the coffee x
I’d love to get dinner x
Except, as Friday came around, as much as the date had been on her mind, Steve saying he’d pick her up at 7, it seemed to slip her mind.
“Hold on, I’m coming!” Noelle quickly opened the door, an apron covering her clothes and scattered in brownie, cupcake and cookie batter. “Steve?”
Standing in front of her door, very confused, with a boque of flowers in his hands, Steve began to talk.
“Hey, are you- Is everything okay?”
“Oh, crap. Our date. I --” she looked to her apron. “am so sorry. I - I should have called.”
“It’s okay. Do you...do you need any help?”
“No, I should be-” A bell rang. “Just...give me a minute.”
Running through her hallway and into the kitchen, Steve looked around before entering and closing the door behind him.
“I have a goddaughter. Her mom should have been helping her bake for tomorrow’s bake sale at school. They’re doing it at the weekend for the town fair. But - ow - her husband landed himself in hospital so now, Charlotte - that’s my goddaughter - she’s at her grandparents and I’m handling the baking.” Noelle explained however, when she looked up she found Steve removing his jacket and rolling up his sleeves of sweater.
“What are you doing?”
“Helping.”
“No, Steve. You don’t have-”
“I don’t. But I want to.”
Noelle smiled after a split second. “Okay, but...hold on.”
Reaching into a closet, Noelle pulled out a second apron and, standing on her tiptoes, she placed the apron over Steve’s head, allowing him to tie the strings around his back.
“Thank you,”
She kissed his cheek. “You’re welcome.”
“Okay, so what do you need me to do?” Steve asked as he looked to the kitchen island that was covered in cupcake trays, cookies and brownies.
Noelle looked around herself before holding out a spatula. “Icing.”
“Icing.” Steve nodded, taking the spatula from her.
After an hour, Noelle looked to Steve who was icing the third batch of cupcakes.
“I’m sorry about tonight. I was really looking forward to it.”
“It’s okay.” Steve said with a light smile.
The lights around them had dimmed a little so the setting seemed a little bit more romantic than your average kitchen light.
“Raincheck?”
“Sure.” Steve smiled.
If he was being completely honest, he prefered this. It was easier - for both of them. Out in a resturant, it wouldn’t be long until the whole world was watching them. Like this...they could be themselves and not be out of breath when running away from the paps.
“You okay?”
“Yeah...just cramping.”
“Let me.”
Steve stepped away from his station and towards hers, helping stir the thicker mixture around the bowl.
“Why did you decide to stay tonight? I know you’re America’s number 1 when it comes to helping, but...I forgot about our date.”
“I don’t care about that.” Steve told her. “I care that I get to see you, and talk to you. Whether it be at a resturant or...here. I’m just happy to be with you.”
“Really?”
“Yeah.”
Their voices were in a whisper now, standing so close to one another that there wasn’t an inch between either of them. It was like they were in their own little world, not a care for anyone other than them, here, in this moment.
As Steve leaned down, Noelle leaning up, they met in the middle with a kiss that felt like nothing every before. And, as cheesy as that sounds, it was true.
With a hand on his cheek, she pulled him closer as he did with her, wrapping his arms around her to hold her just that little bit closer.
However, as they left the kiss the bell from the oven rang.
“I’m starting to think the world hates me.”
Steve smiled, slowly letting her go from his hold so she could get the last of the cookies out of the oven.
“20 more minutes and we should be done.”
It was forty minutes, but neither seemed to mind. Steve removed his apron as did Noelle before they placed on their coats and, stacked with tubs of cakes, cookies and brownies, they made their way to her car before dropping them off at Charlotte’s grandparent’s home.
“Noelle!”
“Hey, honey!”
Charlotte came charging at Noelle, wrapping her arms around her waist as Amelia and Derek came around the corner helping carry in some of the baked goods.
“Oh, my god.”
Noelle turned around and found Charlotte stood looking up to Steve.
“Oh, yeah. Erm...Lottie, this is Steve.”
“Nice to meet you.” Charlotte shook his hand, her mouth wide open and eyes wide before she moved over to Noelle and whispered; “Is Captain America your boyfriend?”
Noelle blushed very visably, and Steve smiled as she did so, however Noelle was quick to change the subject.
“Uh...shouldn’t you be fast asleep in bed?”
“Yes, she should.” Amelia answered as she came around the corner. “But her mom called and said you were helping and so-”
Charlotte jumped up and down holding onto Noelle’s hand. “Can you read me a bedtime story? Pleaseeeee.”
Noelle looked towards Steve who just gave her a smile. “Will you be okay for 10 minutes?”
“Of course. Go ahead.”
“Yay!”
“I’ll be back soon.”
Charlotte pulled Noelle up the stairs, rambling on about another book she had gotten from school.
However, after finishing up Lottie’s bedtime story Noelle came downstairs to find Steve stood helping Derek set up a shelf above the TV.
“Don’t worry, I offered.”
Noelle smiled. “Of course you did.”
“Why didn’t you tell any of us you were dating, honey?” Amelia asked.
Noelle freezed up for a short moment. Was she meant to tell people? She spent so much time in the lab, most of them thought she’d have a psychotic break one day and marry her tools.
“Oh, well...erm...” Noelle tried to think of an explanation but so much had happened in the last three days that she hadn’t had time to take a phone call.
“Oh, doll, leave the poor girl be.” Derek told his wife. “She can have secrets from us. God knows Hattie prys so much into her life she deserves to keep something to herself.”
Steve just looked back to Noelle with a soft grin on his face. If she wasn’t careful she might just fall in love right then and there.
And Derek did have a point. Hattie - her best friend since highschool - always tried to stick her nose into Noelle’s life. It wasn’t that it wasn’t unwanted, but...Derek was right. She deserved to keep something to herself for a while.
“But I warn you, son. Don’t you hurt our Noelle. She’s a smart girl and anyone would be lucky to have her.”
Steve just gave a knowing smile. “I don’t plan on it, Sir.”
A few moments later they had the shelf up and Noelle and Steve left the house, heading back for the car.
“I’m sorry about them. It’s just...they’re like family to me and they can get a little...involved? sometimes.”
Steve, tucking his hands into his coat, just smiled. He couldn’t remember the last time he smiled this much.
“It’s okay.” Steve told her. “I’d be the same if it was my daughter. They want the best for you.”
“Yeah.” Noelle nodded. “Thank you, for staying tonight. You didn’t have to. Especially after I forgot about-”
“I meant what I said, Noelle.” Steve reassured her. “I’m just happy to be with you...wherever that may be.”
Noelle looked up and met Steve’s eyes. God, he was perfect.
Neither said a word, just leaned in and shared another kiss. At first, it was a simple kiss until there was an unspoken agreement that they wouldn’t break it just yet.
Noelle’s arms locked around his neck and shoulders whilst his arms pulled her in closer by the waist.
Maybe she was falling in love...maybe they both were.
