#id figure id post more than my serious doodles since i love them way too much

[lycanfoe]

offering more flint and volkner this time its mspaint scribbles edition

[escapingreality1992]

Secret Pen Pals Ch. 3

Steve’s POV

 This current week, I ended up busier than I ever thought possible. More boring debriefings that ended up giving me more opportunities to doodle aimlessly a mission came up in the middle of the week, excitement swelling within me. As I battled with the team, one thought decided to pop in my head; Keira’s birthday is on Saturday. Not much of a thought but enough of one to distract me. I took a direct hit to my jaw, making me stumble back a few paces.

           Get it together, Rogers, I thought as I shook my head, stars in my vision for a few moments. I managed to push the random thought to the back burner and got to work in order to defeat our enemies. Landing a few punches on the man – humanoid – in front of me to stun it. I delivered a final blow to completely incapacitate him; the team, which consisted of Nat, Tony, Bruce, Bucky and Wanda detained the otherworldly creatures that showed up a few days ago to take us out. We got the tip from Stephen Strange, who opted to sit this battle out, figuring we could handle it on our own without assistance from him

           The Avengers, I mean when I say us. I noticed Natasha shoot me a worried look and she walked over to where I stood.

           “What happened earlier? You don’t usually let the enemy get one on you. Is there something on your mind?” she greeted me.

           “No. You know I can’t always counter-attack hits all the time. I guess he – it – saw an opening and took it,” I answered. It wasn’t a lie; sometimes we can’t avoid hits from enemies, but I still wished the thought didn’t appear during a time when I’m trying to thwart enemy attacks on the planet. The other thing is I still didn’t want anyone to know of the correspondence to Keira. Maybe it was a bit selfish, keeping her to myself, but I wasn’t certain if anything would transpire between us.

           The relationship we shared was still new. There could be a possibility we could grow tires of each other and end communication all together. I feared it. My preferred choice would be to eventually meet and maybe develop our friendship into something further.

           “Are you sure? You can talk to me, you know. Or Bucky. If it’s something serious we could help,” she commented.

           “I appreciate it. It’s nothing. Really. Should I need your help, I’ll come running, I promise,” She nodded and the six of us returned to the jet and headed home.

             Deciding to shower, I stripped out of my combat suit in the privacy of my room, starting up the shower in the bathroom; I chose not to wait for the water to warm up and quickly cleansed my body of all the sweat and dirt acquired during the short battle. This process took about 15 minutes; I stepped out, shutting off the shower, wrapping a towel around my waist. Striding into the bedroom, I made a plan to send out my next letter and the gift I bought for Keira’s birthday. First, I needed to see about getting the gift wrapped; I had bought her a gold bangle bracelet with a charm of a dog on it, a German Shepherd specifically.

           I didn’t know if the breed was a favorite of her, but I thought it fitting for her. I sighed, laying it out in front of me while sitting at my desk and opened the smaller bag, which contained another charm; one custom made, tiny star shaped shield. I mentally debated about attaching it to the bracelet; Did I want to reveal my alter identity now? How would she take it? Does she already know? The final question lingered in my head, something I hadn’t thought about since the first letter. The second letter had only intensified the idea that she had no clue who I really am, but I still wondered if she was hiding that fact away from me.

           Stop it. Trust your instincts. Keira doesn’t know you’re Captain America, I thought. Sliding the star shield back in the silk bag I kept it in, I placed it back in the secret box and closed the drawer. Opening another drawer on the left side of my desk, I pulled out a small roll of wrapping paper and the jewelry box I had purchased in the shop the same day I got my suit. I carefully wrapped the gift and set it aside to start penning my next letter to Keira.

           My plans to drop off the letter and the gift were delayed by another meeting, which lasted around two hours, putting the time past when most post offices closed for the day. Not only that, but everyone wanted to go out for drinks and dinner and by the time we returned home, I had completely exhausted myself, going to bed once we returned from our outing.

   Keira’s POV

           My week started how it always began; with a client and dogs. Well, dog in this case. Instead of the usual week with two dogs, this time it happened to be one and only for three days, the remaining four, I’d spend alone, the excepting being my birthday on Saturday; or so I thought. The client this time – Clyde Andrews; the dog, a black lab named Landon. He arrived at 11 a.m. instead of the usual 10 a.m. and appeared to be in a hurry, dropping off Landon and shoving a check in my hand before turning on his heel towards the exit. The price for watching Landon – 2000 dollars. Not bad, though it was 500 more than my asking price.

           “What shall we do today? Be couch potatoes? Go swimming? Sleep? Hmm…couch potatoes, you say? Sounds good to me,” I asked aloud, noting the excitement of Landon at the words ‘couch potatoes’. I closed the door to my apartment, unleashing him and we headed for the large couch in the living room. I queued up Netflix and most of the day was spent watching and re-watching romantic comedies; we ate lunch and dinner during breaks of taking Landon out and a random nap that took place around 3 p.m. Around midnight, we retired for the night, disappointment awaiting me tomorrow evening.

             A cold nose nudged me around 8 a.m. followed by a whine alerting me to the presence of Landon. I rolled over to meet two dark brown eyes staring at me and a tongue, which Landon decided to lick me with.

           “Ugh! Alright, I’m getting up. Then we will be going back to sleep when get back inside okay?” I stated, shifting out from under the warm sheets. Landon ran around in circles while I pulled on a thick sweatshirt and my tennis shoes over the fuzzy socks I wore to bed. At my door, I leashed him, and we walked out in the chilly air of New York. I walked him around for a few minutes, returning to the warmth of the apartment once he did his business. My request of going back to sleep was fulfilled when Landon hopped onto the bed, curling up near me when I slid under the covers.

              I awoke a few hours later, lunchtime fast approaching; I made a sandwich, feeding Landon a cup of dog food while we watched a baking show on Netflix. Cleaning up, I decided to head to grocery store to pick up something to cook for dinner as well as a few other items for the next couple of days. As I unloaded the bags, my phone rang; the caller ID shown as my mom. I answered it, putting away cans of beans in the pantry for chili Friday night.

           “Hey, Mom. Are you and Dad still planning on coming up Saturday?” I greeted her.

           “That’s why I’m calling. Unfortunately, work has caught up to us and we no longer have enough time to see you,” she answered. My fingers paused on the next can of chili beans, my heart dropping to my stomach.

           “Oh,” I managed, struggling to keep sadness out of my voice.

           “We’re sorry. Maybe we can do something next weekend? Next Sunday perhaps?”

           “No, I understand. Next Sunday is fine with me,”

           “Okay. Love you honey,”

           “Love you too, Mom,” I hung up and resumed putting way the rest of the groceries. So, my parents couldn’t make it. Well, at least I’d still have my friends. Right?

 Steve’s POV            Wednesday came around and I panicked some trying to get Keira’s package to her. Though I tried not showing it during the dull meeting that went on in the morning. Tried is the keyword here. I drummed my fingers on the table, my foot tapping continuously underneath as my patience weakened each minute passing by as Tony continued talking. Finally, after two hours of endless babble, Tony wrapped things up, ending my torment, my impatience.

           Bolting from my seat, I headed out of the conference room and grabbed the package from my room and almost sprinted to the entrance.

           “Steve? Everything okay?” Bruce asked as I passed him in the lounge.

           “Yeah, fine. Excuse me,” I answered, leaving the compound and entering the garage to ride my motorcycle into town to drop off my gift to Keira.

             At the post office, a line delayed me even more, going slower than I imagined and I prayed that I’d get the gift out in time for her birthday. Once it got to be my turn, I got everything set up and handed off both the letter and jewelry box to be placed in a medium box that would ship out today.

           “It’ll get there Saturday afternoon. Is that alright?” the female clerk asked. Relief flooded through me as I nodded, paying and hoped Keira would like her birthday present.

  Keira’s POV – Saturday

           Landon left Thursday night, leaving me to busy myself with other tasks like paying bills and going for walks. It wasn’t like I got too busy, but the depression I felt with my parents not coming up started to grab at my thoughts, squeezing them relentlessly.

           I hadn’t even bothered to go through the mail or write to Steve. Believe me, I wanted to write to him, but I didn’t want to burden him with more complaints. The only thing keeping me from curling up with blankets and breaking down was the thought my friends were still coming out with me tonight. At the moment, I let my emotions out in the form of cleaning around my apartment. Imagine my excitement at the sound of a ping coming my phone; The message was from Charlotte.

           ‘Can’t come out tonight. Tasked with closing,’ My excitement deflated like a balloon, but I still had hope. It quickly disappeared when the next two messages from Lena and Jana followed, which both read ‘Can’t come out,’ Jana, being a nurse, got called in for a shift at the hospital. Lena, however, decided to go out on a date with a guy she met at work. The balloon of hope popped with a loud bang, leaving a huge mess in its wake. I shut off the vacuum and packed it up in the closet, coming to a final decision about plans for the night.

           One thing I hate is when people cancel plans at the last minute, but this moment hit me hard, emotions running around in my head like a chicken with its head cut off. The disappointment surged through my veins, tears threatening to pour of my eye sockets like waterfalls. Pull it together. Don’t let it affect you, I thought to myself, sniffing up the snot wanting to drip out of my nose.

           Changing into clothes I deemed appropriate for the store, I went out and picked up a bottle of red wine, a large cake, and ingredients for spaghetti, returning home to spend my birthday alone. While feasting, I allowed my emotions to stew, building them up more as I stored leftovers in the fridge and cleaned up. Somehow, I ended up standing in my living room staring at the cake on the coffee table. Releasing a deep sigh, I ventured to my room to grab my portable Bluetooth speaker, turning it on and placing it next to the cake.

           I found a song – fast-paced, something I could dance to – and expelled everything I felt; anger, sadness, loneliness and poured another glass of wine. Someone, meaning me, was getting drunk tonight. I planned on having my cake as well.

  Sunday Morning

           An alarm I forgot I set woke me; the blaring sound did nothing for the terrible headache I had.

           “Oh, damn,” I grumbled, images of what happened last night returning to mind. Hangovers never looked good on me. Groaning, I shut off the alarm and got out of bed. Bed. When did I get in the bed? Oh great, it was one of those black-out drunk nights, I thought. Stumbled is more like what I did, and I clung to the nightstand, regaining my balance and attempted to head to the bathroom. My feet collided with a box sitting nearby and I nearly fell but managed to right myself.

           Thankfully, I made it there before I heaved up chunks of cake, last night’s wine and the meal I ate before losing control. Nausea passed and I sat on the cold tile floor for a few minutes, not moving until certain round two wouldn’t rear its head. Standing up, I filled up a small paper cup of water and took two Advil from the container I kept in my medicine cabinet in the bathroom. Making my way back into the bedroom, I leaned down to see what I kicked, discovering the package I overlooked when checking the mail Saturday afternoon. I gasped when I noticed the name on the shipping label. Opening the box with scissors found on my nightstand from a knitting project a few nights ago, I emptied the contents onto my lap.

           The letter I expected, the small box I had not, so I unsealed the envelope first, excited to read Steve’s words.

             Keira,

Happy birthday! I’m technically writing this a few days before the actual day, but I hope you’re not reading it on the very day. Your last letter warmed my heart and I love the Polaroids you sent.

           They immediately brought a smile to my lips. The blankets are gorgeous and appeared to give me a sense of coziness without even being there. All I wanted to do was to bury myself underneath them and read a book. The bookshelves are impressive with the amount you’ve managed to fill them with. They gave me a thrill finding out you’re a book lover as well.

           Anyway, back to your birthday and the gift I’ve sent along with this letter. I hope you’re having a good one, celebrating with your friends and family. Maybe you’re down in North Carolina with them or perhaps they came to New York.

              “They left me alone, actually,” I mumbled, stretching out on my stomach, my feet hanging in the air. I palmed the wrapped box, sliding a digit under the paper and tape, removing the paper entirely. I uncapped the box, tears brimming in my eyes at the item inside, continuing reading the letter.

             In the box you will find a golden bracelet with a German Shepherd charm (it was the only one the jewelry shop had) on it. It’s nothing much, but it made me think of you. If you don’t like it, you don’t have to wear it of course.

           As to the other matter, please don’t be afraid to write about anything to me. I don’t mind. Complain to me. Rant to me. Release anything that’s on your mind. This isn’t silly, it’s romantic, even fun. I happen to think it could bring two strangers together in a way no one could ever begin to understand.

             Forgive me. I’m also a romantic at heart and if this pen pal event brings love to two people, it would give me absolute joy. It may not be us but at least I’ve got this new friendship with you. I hope I’m not out of line when I tell you your friends seem jealous. Of you, of this. There’s a possibility they’re missing out on something great, something exciting, something…new. They also might even seek out fault in others to feel better about their own selves.

             I’d like to suggest a book recommendation. You can choose to read it or not. You may like it depending on if you love horror novels or Halloween. The Haunting of Hill House. I don’t want to give you the synopsis, afraid I’ll give away too much. I’m hoping the name alone will make you curious.

           I’m glad I can bring you comfort and a sense of calm. I have to admit I’m always expecting another letter from you. I keep checking the mailbox for your words, to hear more about you and your life. I feel a need to read your words, to see your exquisite mind on paper. You bring me a sense of comfort I’ve not experienced in a while. I find I’m able to relax more when reading your letters.

           Happy birthday once more.

Patiently waiting for you,

Steve

              Tears of joy poured from eyes as I finished reading the letter, my fingers toying with the bracelet. I folded up the sheets of paper, sticking them carefully back in the envelope. Picking up the bangle, I adjusted it for my wrist, the cool metal resting on the inside of it. He remembered my birthday, I thought. I knew I had told him in the last letter about it, but I didn’t tell him the date. Perhaps he had figured the date out given the timing of it being sent out. I didn’t expect Steve to send me anything for it though.

           Smiling, I got up and decided to grab a burger to help cure this hangover; leftovers be damned, greasy food is the way to go. I had also made the decision to bring along the notebook I’d been using to write to Steve and began constructing a ‘thank you’ for the gift along with some other things that were on my mind.

             After lunch and finishing up my own letter, I made a stop at a blue postal box since I knew the post offices weren’t open on Sundays. Returning to the apartment, I pulled out the cake I somehow managed to put in the fridge despite having a “fun” night. I cut a slice of it and put it on a paper plate, sitting down to watch TV as I ate. While eating, my thoughts drifted to Steve and I began to think I was starting to crush on the man behind the words.

  Three Days Later

Steve’s POV            “Steve! You’ve got a letter! Steve! Where are you?” Natasha called out. Currently, I was in the training room building up strength and releasing some pent-up energy; boxing with the punching bag helped clear up thoughts when I felt I couldn’t talk to anyone. I chose not to send Keira another letter, though I wanted to; I patiently waited for her new one, which might have been in Natasha’s hands at this very moment.

           Natasha. Oh no, I thought, half running, half walking out to the lounge to get the letter. Please, don’t open it, I pleaded silently, rounding the corner where I met the red head standing by the couches.

           “Oh, there you are. Here’s your letter. I thought it might be important,” she greeted me, handing the unsealed letter to me.

           “Thank you. I’ll be in my room is you need me,” I told her, clutching the letter in my hands. I turned, expecting no response from Nat…until she spoke, shattering hope of no comments about it.

           “Who’s Keira, Steve?” I froze, realizing I needed to give an answer.

           “No one. A new acquaintance, maybe,” I stated, trying not to wince at the words that escaped my mouth. Keira meant more to me than I thought; I didn’t really want my friends to find out about her yet. I needed more time to write to her and eventually meet her to decide if and when I’d like her to meet them all. No need to give any more information than what I’ve already provided. I refused to meet Nat’s gaze, knowing she’d have an eyebrow raised, questionable doubt at the answer.

           If I met her gaze, I’d spill everything, and I wanted this relationship to be a secret for now; until I felt ready to tell them.

           “If you say so,” she responded, letting the subject go without pressing me further. I released a sigh and ventured to the seclusion of my chambers, locking the door restricting any others to barge in if they needed something. They would have to knock to get my attention. I unsealed the envelope, sitting on my bed and started reading.

              Steve,

Thank you for the gift. It’s lovely and it’ll now become something I’ll be wearing all of the time. I can’t believe you remembered my birthday but I’m glad you did. It brought me joy and tears. Don’t be worried. They were tears of joy. As to how I spent it. Well, I spent it alone.

             It wasn’t too bad though. My friends forgot about it, going out or working additional shifts instead. My parents got caught up in work and couldn’t come up. I understood, of course, but it didn’t make me feel any happier. I let my emotions build up and then proceeded to get drunk and dance around the apartment. That’s what happens when you get a bottle of wine and cake. It’s didn’t really help matters because now I’m suffering from a hangover.

           I resolved it by going out for a burger with French fries and a fried egg squeezed in the bun. Not the fries, just the egg. The fries were on the side. I’m thinking about returning home to have cake and veg out on the couch watching movies. At lease my parents planned to visit next Sunday, but I haven’t gotten words from my friends. It’s fine, nothing to really worry or stress out about. I didn’t know what to expect from my outburst at the luncheon with them the other day.

             She spent her birthday alone. I wish I could’ve been there to celebrate with her, I thought, a twinge of sadness hitting me as I read those words. My friends managed to remember my birthday and there was always a party thrown by Tony or sometimes a quiet dinner arranged with our small group.

             The only thing is I wished we had already met. Maybe we could have done something between the two of us. Thank you for allowing me to tell you anything I want. It’s been a long time since I felt I could be myself. Most times I mask my true self from others afraid of what they’d think of me. Writing to you frees me from the cage I’m trapped in. It allows me to express myself in ways I never thought possible.

           I’ll have to check out that book recommendation. You’re right, the name alone sounds intriguing enough for me to pick up and read. Fall is the perfect time to delve into something creepy. Per your request for a creation of mine, I don’t mind making one for you. I make ones for strangers sometimes. Of course, I don’t think ‘strangers’ applies to us anymore. I think we’re beginning to become friends. In your next letter send me your favorite colors and I’ll get to working on it then.

           Here’s a list of favorites since you kindly asked:

Movie – The Longest Ride, but I also love Hereditary, which is horror movie (my favorite genre)

Season – Fall because sweater weather, boot season. More importantly, the beautiful scenery as the leaves change colors.

Color – Green, especially dark green. It looks really pretty on me.

Musical – RENT. The music, the story, everything. Highly recommend if you haven’t seen it.

 Ideal date? A dinner and a movie maybe, however, I’m also the type that would enjoy a day trip to the beach and spend time in the sun.

 Ideal day? Coffee, tea, hot chocolate. Bundled up with a book. Rainy day. Some furry companions to keep me company or someone to cuddle with. Maybe you – sorry. You’ve been on my mind today. We still don’t know too much about each other and haven’t met. Silly me.

             My breath hitched at the comment about me. No, no. She’s right. You hardly know each other. Be happy with the friendship, I thought. It didn’t stop me from wondering what it’d be like to…

             Memory? A beach trip where my parents and I did nothing for a week except swim and read. Relaxing for a while. We took the dog (I used to live with them and technically had a pet German Shepherd. I don’t have a pet of my own here) and he swam in the pool, enjoying life. Newt is his name. He’s 7 now. That’s the first. The second is…receiving your first letter.

 Music – Country, Pop. I’m not too picky. I’m not a fan of rap.

 This is all I can think of at the moment. I might slip in some more in the next letters or so. We’ll see. In need of a hug still. Provide me comfort instead?

Keira

              A wide, goofy grin spread across my lips. I found out more about her and the longing flared up, hot in my chest. I tried to smother it, not wanting to fall for her this fast. The problem is once she awakened it with her words, there was no way to stop its burning. I folded up the paper and stored it away from prying eyes, unlocking my door. I exited my room to join my friends for lunch. How could it be possible for me to feel this way in a short amount of time? The other question lingering in my thoughts had me pondering if I should let these feelings consume me entirely.