Avengers - Lost Souls 2.0 - ABANDONED

"Have they been through what the four of us have? No." Wanda said firmly, and she did not expect to feel so protective and sisterly of Jayden, "Pietro and I believe you might need a little guidance and help adjusting to a civilian life, but do we believe your are damaged? Do we believe there is something wrong with you? No. Because if we did, then there would be something wrong with us as well. I cannot speak for Bucky, however."

"He's a machine sometimes, but not damaged." J.J defended, as she gently parted away from Wanda, wiping her eyes and taking a shuddering breath. "I'm okay. I'm glad I'm not damaged. I thought that I was. I wouldn't know how to fix myself. I don't think I could."

"You're alright," Wanda assured, "You just need guidance, and Buck and my brothr and I will help you if you feel lost." He gave her a kind smile, "So, shall we get to fixing that doll?"

()

Kerica pulled her helmet off and shook her hair down from where she'd done a twist for an unbound bun, that way it wouldn't get tangled on the way here. When Steve had taken her to the Tower Garage and handed her his spare helmet for his motorcycle generally reserved for Natasha, she had been /ecstatic/. The grin hadn't left her face and Steve had convinced her to at least close the visor so she wouldn't get bugs in her teeth, but the dance in his vivid blue eyes told her he was amused and more than pleased to make her happy. She didn't know how /he/ felt about it, but she had /more/ than enjoyed squeezing her tiny body close to his big strong one, her arms tight around his middle, gripping his shirt. She had felt like she was apart of him, moving with such ease in the leans around corners, and after a while she had loosened her grip, becoming more familiar with it with each weave through the traffic, until she was just holding onto the sides of his jacket, watching the world go by and feeling like she was /flying/ with him.

She had no idea where they were going until they crossed the Brooklyn Bridge /into/ Brooklyn and she'd felt her heart jump to her throat. To think they'd come all the way out here, to his /home/ for a coffee shop? It made her happy, happier than riding his bike with him.

Milk and Roses she read on the sign as he secured his bike and their helmets and led her inside. The air in her lungs left in a /whoosh/ as she looked around. It felt like walking into a library, books lining the walls and even up above the doorway. There were red cushioned chairs to the left, a few wooden booths following them to the bar in the corner, wooden tables and chairs along the right, and along the narrow hall towards the back on the left as well was a fucking /piano/.

It was so gorgeous she wouldn't know where she would want to sit, probably a booth, but Steve...didn't stop? He continued to lead her along the hall towards a white door, and she very nearly /squealed/ as it felt like she was entering a small fairy garden. Two picnic tables set at an angle directly in front of them, a table to their immediate right. Further in the back were more tables, but besides those was a smaller little 'house' of sorts.

Steve didn't go to the tiny house, instead led her to a small round table hidden among a tiny tree, bushes, and a half-wall. A safe place. /His/ place. "You've come here before, apparently," she smiled as he sat down with his back to towards the outside wall of the building behind him, facing the white door. Protective, observing position, "I imagine you drawing here, tea or coffee forgotten and cold to the side."

"Not always forgotten." Steve laughed. "The servers here know to come around a lot and warm it up for me, or bring me a new cup." His cheeks blushed brightly. "It's one of the few places that I can relax and enjoy in. I thought you might enjoy it. Since I know you were a little disappointed in a regular coffee date."

"It's /wonderful/, Steve," Kerica promised, beaming brightly, "This is more than I expected. I love it. The atmosphere is enchanting, and the weather's great to be outside. I'll be honest, I never would have thought you would bring me to /Brooklyn/, to your favorite coffee shop instead of some random nook down the street." Her own cheeks lit up, "It's special, and I more than enjoyed the bike ride here, to boot." She rubbed her nose shyly, "So...what would you suggest for food and drink here? I saw a few people with croissants."

"The scones are pretty good, but the muffins and cookies are awesome. The croissants I'm not a fan of, but if it's something you like I think you should try it." Steve said in thought as he smiled brightly. He was happy, more than thrilled really, that she enjoyed it. "I also enjoyed the bike ride here." Of course, he wasn't going to say what part of it. He wasn't going to come off like a creep. "The coffee is really good, but I suggest getting their berry blend tea. They do it either hot or cold and either way tastes fantastic."

"So many /choices/!" Kerica giggled madly, "Decisions, decisions...well, what are you going to have? Do you have a 'usual' or do you like everything?" she grinned, "I'll try that berry tea, at least. Maybe a muffin. Are they those huge breakfast muffins fit for a super guy like you or like, normal people-sized muffins?" She enjoyed her play on words a bit too much, and his mixture of facial expression was great, too, torn between 'was that a compliment?' face and amusement.

"Normal sized." Steve shook his head from side to side. "I do have a usual. I don't really change it up all that much. Sometimes I do, it all depends on my mood." Just as he said that a young sever came by with long blonde hair pulled back in a tight ponytail, wearing a uniform.

"Hey stranger. You haven't come back here in a while." She said with a grin. "Whose the date? Or is..." She trailed off, looking at Steve apprehensively.

"Hey Jess." Steve greeted back. "You got it right, this is Kerica. Keri, this is Jess."

"Pleasure to meet you." Jess grinned, holding out her hand. "I've been serving him alone for quite some time, I was starting to feel sorry for him."

"He /was/ kind of a loner, but I managed to weasel in," Kerica shook her hand firmly, "Nice to meet you, too!" she looked back at Steve before Jess who had her notepad ready, "He was telling me about your berry tea, so I'll take that, and a chocolate chip muffin, if you have it."

"Hot or cold?" Jess asked and when Kerica answered, she wrote it down as well as the muffin. "Let me guess Captain, you're going to take an regular coffee, side of cream, and sugar on the side, right?"

Steve laughed, "Nothing get past you does it?"

"I'm a trained spy," Jessica smirked as Steve laughed again. "You eating this time?"

"Do you have scones by chance? The blueberry ones."

"Sure. Jam?" Jessica questioned. "We have Strawberry."

"That'd be awesome thanks." Steve smiled as Jessica tucked her notepad back into her pocket and walked off. "She looks so much like Matt I wonder if they're related. She's works here sometimes when they need people, but last I heard she finally opened that salon she's been talking about forever and a day." He blushed. "Sorry, I'm rambling about people and...well...I'm supposed to be focused on you."

"No! No, no," Kerica shook her head, "I don't mind if you talk about people! If they're outside of SHIELD and the Avengers they're news to me, and I want to know you outside of those places, too," she reminded, "I've learned about your past until I couldn't learn anymore. I want to know your present, because that's endless." She shifted, "What's Matt's salon called? Might be fun to go there when I need a haircut next."

Steve quickly took out his journal that he carried around with him and flipped a few pages. "Angel Cuts." He read aloud, before looking at Kerica. "She gave me her cellphone number as well in case I wanted to walk in or just say hi. She has a board base of clientele. She also does nail art too." He put his journal away. "I seen the things she does to her own nails and it's always amazing." He smiled. "I've ran into her husband here a few times. Real redhead. I mean, fire hydrant red. I thought it was dyed and was shocked when he told me it was natural. It's bright red. He's has his own club."

"Really?! That sounds like a fantastic place to go hang out, if it's run by a redhead! Now what's /that/ called?" Kerica beamed, leaning forward like he was telling her the best story, arms folding over each other on the table, "Just a bar or is it one of those clubs with a dance floor, too? It's May, so at the end of the month is Memorial Day. I should go get my nails done for it," she thumbed the silver star on her bracelet that was two blue stripes surrounding a single red stripe, what looked like a sheriff star in the middle, and it was handmade, "I take whatever chance I get to be Patriotic, after all."

"It's called Fiery Wave, at least that's what he told me." Steve said with a smile. "Sam bartends there. If I remember correctly it does have a dance floor. Sometimes he allows entertainers there to...uh...strip. Apparently they don't like being called strippers so..." His cheeks burned a bright red. "But most of the time it's dancing." His eyes noticed the bracelet. "I forgot if you told me this or not, but did you make that bracelet?"

"I did shortly after I fell asleep..." Kerica stopped short as she realized she was about to share her secret, and her face flared up. His face contorted in confusion and she knew she was outed now. Sighing deeply, she leaned back again, but placed her arm out so the silver would shine in the sunlight through the leaves of the big maple behind them that shaded the picnic tables, "When I was about...fifteen or sixteen...long before you were brought back to life...I fell asleep at your armor case because...I felt lonely, and I know I acted like such a fangirl at first, but, you and Bucky were my friends in my head and I'd go there when I was feeling down. Security found me, contacted my father and Meara stayed home with me for about a week."

Another deep breath, not watching his face for his reactions, she chewed on her bottom lip, "In that time I found what I needed in order to make this. It looks well worn because it is. I wore it every day once it was finished, and to make my father happy I frequented the exhibit less. Once you were woken up I wore it less, knowing you were out there saving the world and didn't really feel the need for it when I could turn on the news and see your face."

Her smile turned a bit embarrassed, "Then I joined S.H.I.E.L.D. after working my ass off and I simply couldn't be /happier/. I felt lucky, proud of myself, because you were an inspiration to me and /there you were/ within touching distance and I suppose now I look back I could've acted differently, but at the time I really didn't know how. Of course, it's also been a few years so the novelty faded. Not to mention Bucky came back and kicked everyone's asses, then S.H.I.E.L.D. was torn down and rebuilt...so much has happened and I've definitely chilled out."

Steve just listened. Nodding when she needed to get feedback that he was listening. When she was finished, he shook his head. "It's amazing you were able to make that. I remember how you were from way back then. Jittery, like you didn't know how to talk to me. To be honest, I was really relieved when you mellowed out...I suppose I was a little worried that it was going to be a constant thing and...well...I'm glad it wasn't. It makes it easier to talk to you...and I'm sure it's the same the other way around. Why my armor? I'm certain I had pictures everywhere in that museum."

"It was...something physical of yours. Real. Pictures are superficial. That armor...hell, Steve, you came /back/ for it," Kerica reminded, "No I couldn't touch it through the glass, but I could see every contour, every stitch and patch and scuff. You can't get that kind of detail from a /picture/. I felt...safe. You've crossed magical things before so...yeah, I could /feel/ your energy attached to it," she explained and then covered half her face with her hand, feeling really mortified now, "Fuck, I sound like such a stalker and creep saying this all out loud to you. That's what I was called a lot in school, too."

"Not a creep or a stalker. Well..." Steve smiled a little. "Not as stalkery as some people can get. It was horribly made now that I know what today's fabric is like, but I thought if I wore it, it could bring him back." His smile faded. "I can't imagine what they went through. Him. J.J. I'm glad that he wasn't traveling the world by himself. That he found someone to travel with, it takes a load off of my mind that he was able to have that. At the same time..." He sighed.

"Are you /sure/ you know how to date?" A woman came up to them as she set the tray down and started handing out the dishes. Her long blonde hair was tied in a ponytail braid, a dark red ribbon with stars imprinted in the fabric tied at the base. "You two are depressing me."

"Funny you're here. We were just talking about you." Steve teased. "Where's Jess?"

"I told her I was taking you." The woman responded, flipping her hair back. "You know how it is. It's not every day the American Captain gets himself a beautiful date such as this one. But, you two really need to have a candle lit romantic dinner, rather than a conversation over coffee. What were you two talking about? Lying around in the middle of the museum and brainwashed soldiers?"

Steve shook his head and gestured. "Matt this is Kerica. Keri this is Matt, the one I was talking to you about with the salon."

"You were telling her about my salon?!" Matt turned to Kerica. "The things I could /do/ for you sweet thing. Your hair could use a bit of freshening up. You should come by, and I can make you make him on his knees."

"With your fashion sense?" Kerica eyeballed her outfit, "You make an every-day /uniform/ look spectacular, so I'm sure if I paid you extra to dress me up all pretty, hair clothes, /nails/, for that candle lit dinner, the floor would need to be replaced from his jaw hitting it so hard." She winked at Steve, "Her nails /are/ gorgeous and I know now why she has a salon."

"You two make my heart all aflutter that if I wasn't married I'd have trouble deciding who I want more. Apple pie sounds more delicious however, sorry sweet." Matt gently grabbed Kerica's shoulder before letting her go. "You should go for that dress. It'd fit you perfectly." She walked off with a sway, laughing before Kerica could even ask.

Kerica opened and closed her mouth a few times and then burst out laughing, both hands on her face as she muffled it, trying not to draw too much attention, and then she reached for her pocket and pulled out her phone, "I love her! Give me your notepad I /need/ her number!" If Matt had any /idea/ for the dress then needed all the help she could get. She would /hold/ her to her promise to make Steve drop.

~

A little while later, once they'd finished their food and were now just sipping their refilled drinks, Kerica started up their small-talk, "Please tell me there's another date, Steve, because I have to meet Matt's husband and see his bar. I know you can't get drunk, but Tony could tell you how much of a riot I am that it'd be worth it."

Steve laughed, "There's another date." He promised. "I've been wanting to check out the dance floor too. It's a place where we can go. I was thinking of dragging Bucky with me..." he paused. "I would want him to at least get out of the tower. I'm sure J.J wouldn't mind it if he found a date there. Perhaps it could turn into a double. Of course, that's if you're okay with that. If not I understand and it can be us two."

"Bucky would be a lot of fun. I can agree to that," Kerica nodded, feeling like she was on cloud nine as she closed her eyes and drank her tea, a content sigh leaving her lips, "I thought you didn't dance?" she teased a bit once she opened her jade green eyes again.

"I don't dance, but I will drink and I'm sure I'll be able to catch a lot of today's pop music if I go in there." Steve explained. "I have too many songs in my journal, I can probably knock out a bunch if I'm there. Even if I don't, it'll get Natasha off my back about how I don't know how to "club" anymore."