| You never know a person until the last moment, when it's too late to stop yourself from falling| 

Steve Rogers was a man of many talents, but one skill that he held himself, the one he was most excited about, he could read people incredibly well. People were like beautiful paintings with layers of meaning that were different for everyone. Only the artist could truly tell what a painting was about. 

Steve knew from a very early age that the way he looked at people was different from what others saw. His mother used to tell him that he was special, that not everyone had a heart like his. Unfortunately, his heart had a way of getting him into trouble when he least expected it. Perhaps his mother should have done something to stop his heart, she probably regretted it, wherever she is. 

When Steve was nineteen, he realized that the beauty of a person was truly on the inside. He became so enclosed in this idea of beauty he wanted to see it for himself. His best friend at the time, James or Bucky, had given him the opportunity to see all of that for himself. It's too bad that he was gone, he would have loved Natasha. 

He had made the mistake a long time ago that trust is not something you can count on. He understood a long time ago that even those who came into his life can be taken away in moments, maybe by your own actions. But that was all in the past. He focused truly on 

He never intended to find Natasha, he was quite entertained with the person in front of him, Gail. She was beyond anyone that he had ever met. Gail had a way of carrying herself that he never truly understood. Her confidence was driving him, but he learned very early on that she didn't have an inside beauty,  she only really saw herself. When Steve realized this about her, they were walking down a very nice and quiet hallway, and that's when he saw her. 

Her. The beautiful redheaded woman who stood effortlessly outside her shop trying to put up a sign. Her hair blew lightly and he felt like time had truly slowed down. At that moment he finally saw a person beautiful.  He became entranced in the energy she alluded. He needed to see more of her. 

That moment was nearly two years ago. He watched her, studied her. He soon became an expert in everything that was Natasha Romanoff. He knew that she had something in her. So he watched, and waited, waited for any possible moment where he knew for sure that she was the one. 

Natasha was everything, if the world revolved around anyone it would be her. He believed that the sun was created to shine down on him. He learned pretty early on that she would need to want him, he couldn't just want her. So he waited patiently, allowed her to make her way into his life, allowed her to discover him layer by layer, chipping away at his perfectly sculpted life, although she never really could discover him. 

He liked the way she thought she was in control. He grew on to this thought. However, he never thought he would match her in the way that she had. The way she simply took Gail away from this Earth, and for what? Him! He felt like he won the lottery with Natasha. But he couldn't let her know that. Natasha fell in love with the artist. Not the stalker. Natasha fell in love with the idea of him, then one he had spent years perfecting for someone exactly like her to come around. 

He'd let her story play out, he'd guide her occasionally, but as far as she knew, she was in complete control she was just a back street driver. 

The real question was, who was really in control. 

Sorry for the short chapter, I've been working so I haven't had time, hopefully, my schedule will clear up