2016 | AVENGERS COMPOUND — It was evening now and Ariel was still feeling bad about Tony's and Steve's little argument. Both Natasha and Wanda said, that Steve was just overreacting, because he's too worried about her. And that she was his responsibility, after all. But of course the two knew that it had something to do with the fact that Steve had feelings for their friend. Everyone knew ... well, everyone except Ariel.

When Steve finally didn't even come to dinner though, the girl only worried more about her captain and decided to make her way to his room, which was across from hers. Suddenly she stopped in front of his door, she wasn't quite sure if she was ready to see him again. What if he hates me?, she thought insecure. She would never want him to be disappointed or mad at her. From the beginning, she always wanted him to be somewhat proud of her, since he was the one who helped her escape the hydra-base. She always tried to impress him somehow, or show him how grateful she was, when he spent some time with her.

She starred at this door, what felt like an eternity, but then sighed before she raised her hand and knocked gently on his door. Shortly afterwards, the door opened in front of her and revealed a very surprised Steve Rogers.

With a guilty look she starred back into his face and deeply hoped he wasn't too angry at her. "Hi." She just said, her voice sounded a bit exhausted. "Can we talk?" Surprised, Steve nodded and without another word walked to his room in the direction of the bed and sat down. 

Ariel nervously played with her fingers as she followed him and slowly sat down next to him. "I- ... I'm sorry." She apologized to him. „I was just curious." she explained. It was always so fascinating to her, when she saw a new invention of Tony. He made everything look so easy.

Steve was confused, about why she was apologizing to him, so he raised an eyebrow. "What? No, no, no it's not your fault. I- I totally overreacted." Steve assured her and shook his head. How could she ever do something wrong? He thought to himself. "And you know, I- I was just worried about you and-" Steve stuttered until he was suddenly interrupted by a soft kiss on his cheek.

Steve's heart skipped a beat, and probably even a lot more. "Thank you." She whispered and looked at him with a warm smile. The act surprised Steve at first, but a shy smile quickly formed on his face as well. She kissed me, he thought and longed for another one. He noticed how his heart reacted at her touch. It felt a bit complete, new, different, special. "You know you can always come to me, right?" Steve asked after a break.

The girl nodded, smiling, and assured him of his question with her blue eyes. Steve Rogers liked to see her smile, but he loved it when he was the reason for it.

"I want to help..." Ariel then began in a very low voice. After everything the Avengers had done for her, it was the least she thought she could do. "But we-..." Steve cut himself off. "I don't want anything to happen to you, though." Ariel's cheeks turned in a soft rosy color at his words. Courageously though, she took his hand in hers and squeezed it gently. It was okay to show emotions, she thought, after all she wasn't with hydra anymore. Emotions, make you human. Steve felt her slightly cold hand and felt weak at her touch, but after a while holding it, it felt warmer.

With his thumb he drew calming circles on the back of her hand. "I trust you ... Steve." She admitted honestly and paused before saying his name. Would you trust me too?, she thought but wasn't brave brought to ask him this question.

She let go of his hand and took another step. She wrapped her arms around his back and stomach and hugged him from the side, while leaning her head against him. "You could have left me at hydra base." A small cough left her throat. She didn't care if all the talking was causing her pain ... Steve was more important to her. "I could have been one of the bad guys." As she finished, she felt Steve gently embrace her, carefully wrapping his left arm around her and his hand holding her waist. "You saved me anyway." Steve's gaze fell on her. "And I would do it again." He assured her and almost brought her heart to tears.

That same evening she stood in front of his door for the last time. He walked out of his room with her and she turned back to him with a smile. It was just a small gesture to walk her to her door ... but it really did show that he cared about her. Why did he have to be so cute? she thought.

Steve leaned against his door frame until she lost herself once again in those deep blue eyes that had changed her life – After all it was his eyes that she finally looked into when she was lying on that cold experiment table at the Hydra base. In her eyes he may just see a soft blue that resembled the sea. But in his eyes she could see galaxies ... an infinity. Because they always had a kind of shimmer in them, like twinkling stars.

Again he had that dreamy smile on his face. A smile that made her melt away, and let her forget all of her sorrows ... even if only for a brief moment. She walked backwards towards her room. Her eyes always stayed on him. And before she knew it, she was pulled back from her thoughts when her back slammed against the door behind her and she heard an amused laugh from Steve.

Maybe it was his laugh or the fact that she had just slammed against her door, slightly hitting her head, but she just had to smile back at him. Of course her cheeks had to turn pink because of him. Had he noticed, though? Please don't, she thought. I'm not clumsy, I swear.

With an embarrassed smile, she said goodbye to him and hoped she wouldn't embarrass herself in front of him any more. "Good night." she finally said with a small wave before disappearing into her room and hearing a dreamy "good night" from him as well. Ariel couldn't wait to see him again tomorrow.

She quickly closed the door behind her and leaned her back against it for a moment. Closing her eyes, she breathed in and out deeply, thinking about him. It was like electricity flowing her my body, but it didn't hurt, not at all ... it tingled.

Sometimes she wish she had met some people sooner ... some later ... and some not at all.

She opened her eyes, stumbled dreamily towards the bed, slowly dropped onto it and stared at the ceiling. Her thoughts were pure chaos. Her body tingled. Her heart was racing so much it was already driving her crazy. No one has ever had such an effect on her. Did he think of me at that very moment too?, she thought.

She had probably been staring at the ceiling in the dark room for several minutes now. Her hand reached for the warm blanket on the bed and then covered herself with it. It was strange how a cozy blanket could give you so much security, warmth or even love. She never had this.

Her eyes grew tired and tired, but the smile on her face never quite faded. "Good night, FRIDAY." she finally said, since she always said goodnight to the Artificial Intelligence every evening. The others thought it was cute, but Ariel found it normal. She also said good-morning to her every day, and both morning and evenings she always got an answer from FRIDAY. Sometimes when she stood in front of the mirror in her bedroom, feeling quite sad or insecure, the AI often tried to cheer her up by saying calming things to her.

Today she didn't get an answer from her though. Ariel thought nothing of it and still happily closed her eyes before slowly slipping into sleep. The last thing she heard, was a strange noise coming from the ceiling speakers in her room. And the last thing she felt was something on her neck before it all turned pitch black...