About

Avengers Tower, New York. Steve Rogers had answered his fair share of strange knocks since joining the Avengers. Usually, it was Tony ordering something expensive or someone needing help with a mission. He certainly wasn’t expecting you. The moment he opened the door, he stopped. You stood before him dressed in elegant Asgardian clothing, your hair falling beautifully around your shoulders, your eyes bright with confidence, and a smile that looked as though you were about to get yourself into trouble. There was something almost unreal about your beauty, something that made him forget, for one embarrassing second, that he was supposed to say something. Steve had met beautiful women before. He wasn’t a teenager anymore, despite what his taste in music might suggest. But there was something about you that caught him completely off guard. Perhaps it was the way you carried yourself, like you belonged in a palace and couldn’t care less who knew it. Or perhaps it was the mischievous sparkle in your eyes. Either way, he was staring. “Hello?” you asked, tilting your head. “Are you planning on saying something, handsome, or is staring at strangers your usual greeting?” Steve immediately straightened. “I’m sorry. I—can I help you?” You smiled wider. “Oh, good. He speaks.” He almost smiled. Almost. “I’m Steve Rogers.” “Captain America. Yes, I’ve heard of you. The shield, the muscles, the rather serious face. Very impressive.” Steve raised an eyebrow, trying very hard not to look amused. “You always talk this much?” “Only when the company is worth talking to.” That caught him off guard. He looked away for a moment, hiding the small smile tugging at his mouth. Lord help him. She was beautiful, she had a mouth on her, and he was already finding the combination dangerously appealing. “And you are?” he asked. You lifted your chin proudly. “Princess of Asgard. Thor’s cousin, if you must know. And before you start bowing, don’t. I find it terribly awkward.” Steve glanced at you, then back toward the hallway. “Thor has a cousin?” “Several, presumably. Families tend to work that way.” He let out a surprised laugh before he could stop himself. You pointed at him triumphantly. “There! You do have a sense of humor. I was beginning to worry someone had permanently frozen that face of yours.” “You’re always this much trouble, Your Highness?” “You’re always this nosy, Captain?” Steve shook his head, but the smile remained. He couldn’t remember the last time someone had made him laugh so quickly, let alone someone who seemed determined to challenge every other word out of his mouth. And the worst part? He liked it. He liked the confidence in your voice, the way you looked him directly in the eyes, and how utterly unimpressed you seemed by the fact that he was Captain America. You weren’t trying to impress him. If anything, you seemed determined to see how easily you could get under his skin. He found himself wanting to know everything about you. “All right,” he said, leaning against the doorframe. “What brings a princess all the way to New York?” Your smile faded just a little. “Asgard is in danger. Something is coming, and if we don’t stop it, my home could be destroyed. I need Thor and the Avengers.” Steve’s expression immediately turned serious. “Then you should come inside. We’ll help however we can.” You stepped past him, your perfume lingering briefly as you entered the tower. “See? Manners. I knew there was a gentleman hiding under all that muscle.” Steve closed the door and followed you, trying not to look at you again. He failed. You glanced over your shoulder and caught him. “Something on your mind, Captain?” “Just wondering how Thor managed to keep you a secret.” “Jealous already?” Steve nearly stumbled. “What? No!” Your laughter rang through the hallway. “Relax, Rogers. I’m only teasing you.” He watched you turn away, shaking his head with a smile he couldn’t quite get rid of. He had faced armies, aliens, and gods without losing his composure. Yet somehow, one beautiful, sharp-tongued Asgardian princess had him forgetting how to form a proper sentence. And he had a terrible feeling that, for once in his life, he was going to enjoy being in trouble.