#stiza

[asciugapozzanghere-blog]

Pace dei sensi ♋

[captain-outoftime]

Sarah was grinning as she helped with the twins, all but bouncing on her toes as she waited impatiently. "Daddy, look! I helped mama pick out their outfits an' get 'em dressed, aren't they /cute/!" She bragged, grabbing Steve's hand and pulling him over to where Liza was buckling them into their respective car seats. "Mama said I did good an' matched them better than you do sometimes." Sarah smirked up at her father before looking back at the babies.

Steve couldn’t help laughing as he followed Sarah over to the babies. “They are cute,” he agreed, crouching to make faces for them as Liza buckled them into their little seats. “You’re really good at matching, but it’s not my fault I’m worse than you.” Steve poked her Frozen themed dress. “You’re on your way to being a princess! I’ve got no chance of competing.”

[captain-outoftime]

"Goodbye"

the last voicemail Steve leaves your character before he dies…

“Hey, doll. I...I hoped you’d- I guess you’re busy. Sarah has a doctor’s appointment...today, right?” He’s breathing hard, hand pressing against the gaping hole in his chest, struggling just to stay conscious. The bricks behind him are unforgiving, and offer no comfort in what he’s sure are his last moments. 

Steve’s losing feeling already. “Liza...I...I just called to tell you I love you. You’re...you’re the best thing that ever happened to me. I love you so much. I wake up every day...thinking about how lucky I got...how everything I’ve been through is worth it, just cause’a you.”

“An’...an’ I didn’t just get the honor of being your husband. I- you gave me a family. A beautiful family. An’ I love them so much, doll, I...” Steve slumps down the wall, hitting the ground with a harsh wheeze. “Ian is such a good boy. He’s gonna be a good man, someday. He...he’s got such a big heart. An’ Sarah...my lil princess. I can’t wait to see the woman she’ll become. She’s so tough, and so sweet...I...there’s nothing better in my life than the three of you.”

He’s staring up at the sky, imagining each of their faces. Sarah in Ian’s lap, staring at the book as he read to her. Liza, smiling and brushing Ian’s hair. Liza. In his arms as they slept. Liza. His perfect porcelain doll. “You’re my strength, Liza...my reason. I promised this was gonna be my last mission, an’ then I’d take up a desk job with SHIELD...be home, where my heart is. Gonna keep that promise, Liza.”

“I just...I can’t pick up Ian today. But I’ll see you soon, mmkay? Be home by dinner. Love you, Liza...”

[captain-outoftime]

stiza gogo ^-^

insists that they are an awesome dancer even though they’re terrible

Oh god, neither of them are very good. But it’s cute because they both trip and Steve understands rhythm in theory but not so much in practice and Liza just giggles the whole time...

likes to watch reality tv

Liza. Cupcake Wars is on a lot.

refuses to wear pants when they’re home alone

Sarah. She will NOT wear pants. Leggings are fine. Tutus are better.

is the jealous / protective one

Steve. Don’t fucking touch her. Unless, of course, she wants you to. And then it’s fine.

goes all out on the holidays

Steve loooves holidays.

cries over books

Liza.

is terrible with kids

They’re both pretty damn great with them.

drinks too much caffeine

Liza. It’s Mommy’s work juice.

could sleep for twenty-four hours straight

Steve, but Sarah can get close.

never wears matching socks

Ian. Zero fucks given.

punches a tree when they’re angry

Steve. Ian’s done that from time to time too. It’s not good...

gets scared by the toaster

Liza. She squeaks when she’s scared and Steve thinks it’s just the cutest.

[captain-outoftime]

"Daddy come see!" Ian said, grabbing Steve's hand and pulling his father from the kitchen into the living room where Liza was holding Sarah's hands and helping her to take several steps. "Lookit!" He said excitedly, and Liza glanced up with a bright grin just as she wiggled her fingers from Sarah's grasp, allowing her to take a few wobbly steps on her own before losing her footing, but Liza scooped her up as Sarah giggled and reached for Steve. "Dadada!"

Steve laughed as Ian tugged him away from the dishes. "Coming, champ, I'm coming." For a while now, Sarah had been taking wobbly steps with help from her parents, but Steve's eyes flew wide as she took a few shaky steps before plopping down onto her bottom. 

"Look at you!" he crowed, taking her into his arms, smiling hugely over at Liza. "Walking around like a big girl," he cooed. "Aw, princess, Dada's so proud." And a little bit nostalgic and sad because you used to be the size of a large sandwich. 

[captain-outoftime]

Stizaaaa ♥♥

send me a ship and i’ll answer:

who takes longer showers?

Liza. Steve's used to military showers. UNLESS he's gotten into a new song and feels the need to sing it a few times- which does happen from time to time.

how do they make up after a fight?

Tearfully, generally. Much cuddling and sniffling. They don't fight often, because it really upsets them both.

who prefers rain and who prefers sun?

They both love sunshine, but Steve likes when it rains in the summer.

what’s their favorite place to go together?

They love the beach, but they've also seen quite a few Broadway shows together.

who’s more likely to be voted prom king/queen?

PSH THESE AWKWARD KIDS?? 

do they celebrate anniversaries, etc.?

Yes. With gusto. Liza is crafty and cute like that, and Steve's a hopeless romantic.

who’d pressure the other into singing karaoke?

Liza probably. Steve's got a decent voice if someone would actually force him onto a stage.

what’s their nightly routine?

Dinner, playing with the kids, bath & bed for the babies, and then sometimes they'll watch a show or just sit together and talk before bed. 

who’s more likely to burn dinner?

Steve. He's not a bad cook, per se, but he is easily distracted. 

[captain-outoftime]

Stizzaaa (and their babies because yes.)

Which one of them:

spikes the eggnog?

Steve. He think's Liza's funny when she's drunk...he does make sure to set aside 'kid eggnog', though.

hangs the stockings?

Ian. It's his job, he's very proud. Given, he generally can't reach, but that's when he 'allows' Liza to help him. But it's his job.

leaves cookies and milk out to keep up with the santa tradition?

Sarah, always. She's very keen on making sure Santa has enough to eat. She likes to leave out carrots for the reindeer, and some of Steve's protein bars, so that Santa can eat on the...road? Sleigh?

"accidentally" throws away the fruitcake

Liza. Unlike Steve (and very much like most everyone) she thinks they're disgusting. They also tend to 'run out' of supplies to make another fruitcake.

goes overboard on the whipped cream?

Steve and both kids. He's a man-child and they're actual children, and though it makes a mess, Liza is very bad at pretending to be stern about it.

is the inevitable Christmas grinch?

Nobody really? 

wakes up first on Christmas?

Sarah. Every goddamn year. She's up even earlier than Steve, waiting wide eyed for everyone else to get up. Waiting loudly for everyone else to get up.

rolls their eyes as the same cheesy carol plays in the stores for the millionth time?

Liza. She's all for the Christmas tunes, but you can only hear the same version of 'Silent Night' so many times before you start craving silence.

starts playing Christmas music the day after Halloween?

Steve. He gets a weeeee bit super incredibly overexcited for Christmas.

decorates the Christmas tree?

The whole family decorates the tree- it's a tradition that they really love participating in.

[captain-outoftime]

"Your son is a freak."

There's no visible signs of catastrophe in the room, and from the hysterical quality of the preschool teacher's voice on the phone, Steve's expecting something bad. Real bad. What he isn't expecting is his small son in one corner, and most everyone else locked away in the other room. 

"What the hell is-" he growls, and he's stopped by an tremulous voice. 

"He could've killed her! How could you let him just- walk around like this? How irresponsible are you?"

It's not at all the line of questioning he expects, and then he gets it. Then he's looking for the casualty, who is curled into another teacher's arms, bawling. There's a bruise forming on her shoulder and on her chin, but that's it. He's ashamed to be as relieved as he is.

Steve practically kicks in the door to get to his child. "Ian? Hey, buddy, what's going on?" he asks, lifting him from his balled-up spot that doesn't hide him, or the tears tracking down his cheeks. Ian doesn't answer, just makes fists in Steve's shirt and clings to him with too-strong arms. "Shh, shh. It's okay, it's okay," he murmurs, holding him close, running fingers through his soft blond hair. "It's okay, champ. You're alright." 

The teacher seems afraid to approach but she does anyway, with the air of someone who's very proud of her own bravery. "I called the police," she informs him. "You can't let a destructive-"

"He's three," Steve spits, clutching Ian closer, wanting to cover his ears from this conversation, "he's not destructive, he's three."

She lifts a pointy chin, tremulous voice raised in volume. "He ran right into her and she smacked into the wall! The speed he was at! I don't know who you are, but you can't just let- let him or- or you-" 

Steve straightens, and though he's always adopted his favorite role of affectionate-father in this space, the way he sets his shoulders and jaw makes it clear that he's not just a good man- he's a dangerous one. "He didn't mean to. He ran into her, that's not capital offense," he says, selecting each word carefully. Ian whimpers against his collar, and he can feel a wet spot of teardrops through his shirt.

"He's a freak!"

Steve has never been so tempted to hit a woman in his entire life. He leaves the room in a whirl while she talks about legislation for freaks like you, grabbing for Ian's things, which are held captive by a small girl with black curls.

"Mr. Ian's Daddy, is he comin' back?" she asked, arms folded over his backpack. Her dark eyes hold suspicion, and her little voice is a coolant for the white-hot rage that courses through his veins. 

"No, sweetie," he says gently, extending a hand for the pack. "He's not." 

The little girl tugs on Ian's arm, and the boy shudders, curling himself smaller against his father's chest. Crestfallen, she gives up the bag, and Steve leaves, rubbing Ian's back and murmuring in his ear.

It's too much, all of it. Liza's at the hospital with Sarah, and now this. If stress could kill, Steve is starting to think his life could be on the line. Ian cries as they walk, hiccuping sobs that don't seem to be fading away. It's when he starts saying 'sorry' that Steve has to intervene. He knows this tack, this guilt-laden train of thought, this track that only goes down. It's his way of handling things, and its not healthy. Yet another thing he does not want for his son.

"Ian," he says, setting him down in the hospital lobby. "Ian, this isn't your fault." 

"I didn' mean to, Daddy," he whimpers, reaching forward to be held again. 

Steve keeps him at a distance, looking into his eyes. "I know, buddy. If you'd meant to hurt her, I would be angry, but it was an accident. Accidents happen. That's okay. I have accidents all the time," he says, shrugging one shoulder, an encouraging smile on his lips. "It's okay. You didn't do anything wrong."

Ian nods. "I'm bad," he says dully, staring at the floor. 

It feels like a punch in the gut. "No, champ, no you're not," Steve murmurs, tipping his chin up again, pushing the hair off his forehead. "You're so good. We can go ask Mommy about how good you are, you'll see."

He's crying again, pressing his face against Steve's shoulder, arms wrapping around his neck. Steve's reaction is instinctual, to pull him in close. He ignores the few people in the lobby as he sits with his back against the wall, cuddling his boy.

"I breaked the cup," he hiccups. "An' hurted Jamie. And Mommy's away. And I can't play with Sarah or run in the street." 

The pieces are coming together now, and Steve rubs his back while he talks. "Mommy doesn't want to be away from you," he promises. "She misses you every day, buddy, you know that." He can't say anything about the twentieth shattered glass or the stares he attracts when he goes running down the sidewalk too fast, so he doesn't. He will not lie to his son, even if he's young. "Ian, you know something? I can't play with Sarah yet either. Neither can Mommy." 

He sighs as Ian blinks up at him, confused. "I can't even hold her yet," Steve adds sadly. "It's all of us." Ian's turning this over in his head as Steve stands, taking him upstairs. 

Liza's sleeping when they get there, and it cuts at him to see the exhaustion on the lines of her face, even while she's resting. Ian holds a finger to his lips in an imperious 'shh' to his father. Steve rolls his eyes. 

Father and son outside a window, staring in at a plastic case. Ian's breath fogs the glass, and he waves to the sleeping little girl, undaunted by her lack of reply. 

"Will she love me, Daddy? I love her," he says plaintively. "I love her and I'll share all my toys. Even Bucky Bear." 

Steve opens his mouth to answer, but Sarah gives her own reply, opening bright blue eyes to study her brother, almost as if to judge whether he'd make good on his promise. Ian just grins, waving at her again. Steve's mouth opens, and a happy tear falls down his cheek. He knows those eyes, they're his. 

These he is happy to have given her, these, and the compassionate boy on his knee. These he will give to his little girl, these and all the love he can manage.