"She thinks that DC is better," Chris groaned, leaning back in his chair to distance himself from the traitor that he called his girlfriend. "Dragged my ass to that 'flying-rat-versus-super-nerd' movie, and let me tell ya, (Y/N), all it did was prove my point."

"That Henry Cavill is gorgeous and could probably kick your ass into next week?"

"YES!" Natalia agreed eagerly, standing to reach her fist across the table for you in her excitement. "Fuck, I like her, Evans. I can see why you fell so hard."

Chris' eyes widened until they nearly bulged from his head and his mouth dropped open wide in disbelief at what he was hearing. His eyes darted from her to you and back, and for once he was at a complete loss for words, though you were doing no better.

"Shit, too soon?" she grimaced.

You took your glass in hand, shivering slightly at the cold condensation as it met your skin, relieving some of the fire that you felt in your embarrassment. Holding the straw gently between your lips, you glanced up at Chris and he at you, quickly turning away to force him into answering.

"Uh, no," he hesitated, watching for your reaction, "not too soon. I'll admit it. I was a lovesick puppy nipping at her ankles since the day I saw her. It took a little setting straight to get me to see that she just wasn't for me."

"By that he means Steve knocking him out. Twice."

"Hold up," she stopped with a shake of her head. With the gentle movement, the waves in her long hair brushed against her shoulders with each small laugh she let out, and you immediately noticed the shift in his focus to watch her. His eyes practically glossed over and he was gone. "You never told me that you got K.O'd by Captain America! How could you not tell me that? Do you realize how many good years of shit-giving I could get outta something that embarrassing?"

"Evans, blink."

"Hmm?" he startled, quickly snapping his head towards you. "Right...yeah. Sorry, what were you saying, babe?"

"Wow, your loss, man," you laughed, standing to take their glasses into the café for refills. "She was saying that as soon as I walk away she wants to blow you under the table. But I think you're the one who's blowing it, kid." You gave Natalia a quick wink and a smirk before you turned away, trying to contain your laughter at the complete shock covering Chris' paling expression.

"I'll say it again, I like her," she turned to him, grabbing his hands with a quiet giggle in her voice that he so loved to hear, and loved that you were the one to bring it out in her today. "Chris, she's my Steve!"

~~~

When you got back to the tower it was already darkened and silent, but it was a welcome sight and all you wanted was your bed and a good night of sleep, now that CJ had finally started to learn his night and day routine. By now, Steve should've had the little guy all tucked in, so you grabbed two glasses and a bottle of wine on your way past the bar and quickly made your way up to your room. When you reached your door you leaned in, resting your ear against it to make sure it was quiet on the other side. When you were fully satisfied, you slowly opened it to see Steve sitting up against the headboard with a tablet in hand that provided the only light in the room beyond the dim glow of streetlights.

"Hey, baby," he whispered, "how was it?"

"She's really sweet," you nodded, setting the glasses and bottle on his bedside table for him to open and pour as you started getting ready to join him in bed. "She's really perfect for him, as far as I could tell in that short time. And let me tell you, that boy is gone."

"Good."

"Hey, knock it off," you warned. "I know that tone, and there's no need. Ancient history, Rogers."

Steve sat up straighter and pulled the cork from the bottle with a loud pop, wincing at the resonating noise that filled the room and squeezing his eyes shut in fear that he had just woken the baby. After a few seconds of silence, and the two of you frozen in place, he cautiously let out his held breath and continued on to pour you each a glass.

"You knew this about me, (Y/N). And you know what?" he smirked with a sideways glance, holding the rim of his glass to his lips, "I think you might like it. You just won't admit it." He took a long drink and held your glass at the ready for when you crawled into bed, holding his arm out for you to lean against him.

"Yeah, you got me."

"Knew it."

"Don't get all cocky," you mumbled, eagerly taking your first few swallows and enjoying the mild burn of alcohol in your throat as it passed your palate. "Mmm. Yep, this is what I needed."

"I thought all you ever needed was me?"

With a small snort and a chuckle, you set your glass on your own table, pushing in tighter against his chest to wrap your arm around his waist. "So we have cocky, paranoid, possessive and needy? Wow, Rogers, I'm one lucky lady."

"Don't forget unbearably sexy."

"Yeah, like you'd ever let me forget that..." you paused, moving your legs beneath the blanket at a change in sensation from what you were used to. "Hold on," you stopped and lifted the coverings away, "Steve, since when do you sleep naked?"

"Since CJ started sleeping through the night." Steve pushed himself up slightly, bringing you up with him as he put his own glass down. "And you just can't seem to take a hint."

"He's only slept all night once just yesterday. Kinda jumping the gun, aren't ya?"

He tapped the screen on his tablet, extinguishing your only source of light and rolling over, practically on top of you now. "No doll, that's not what I'm jumping at all."

~~~

"Did you really like her? Be honest. It's okay if you didn't, really. You don't have to say you did just to make me happy, okay? I mean, she can be a lot to take sometimes, but she's really cool when you get to know her. Not that you have to, obviously. She seemed to like you."

"Jesus, Chris, take a breath," Natalia laughed, watching herself in the mirror as she removed her delicate earrings. She adjusted her gaze slightly to see him behind her, fumbling with a stuck button on his blue button-down until he finally became so frustrated that he ripped it open and threw it on the ground. "Hey, I bought that for you."

"You did? Fuck..." Chris mumbled, frantically retrieving it and lowering himself to the floor to find the buttons that had flown from his grip. He began to crawl around the room, running his hand along the floor and hoping to find them again so he could get his mom to fix it.

"You're not sending that to your mom."

"How did you..."

"Please," she sighed, turning her attention back to her reflection, "you don't need your mom, Chris. I can sew a few buttons back on. Hey, could you...?" she asked, lifting her long hair for him to open the clasp of her necklace. He was quick to stand and meet her, unable to resist touching her soft skin, gliding his fingers gently over her shoulder and collarbone to leave goose bumps in their wake. A grin curled at his lips when she shuddered at the sensation of his beard grazing against her neck.

"Like that, do ya?"

"Mmm, don't get cocky, Evans," she murmured, closing her eyes to focus on the delicious sensations that he was giving her, quickly finding herself needing so much more. "It's not exactly a turn-on."

Chris grabbed her waist and spun her towards him, desperately crashing his lips to hers, pushing against her body enough to shake the dresser behind her. He reached down and wrapped his hands beneath her legs and pushed her on top of it, carelessly brushing away the contents that lined its surface. She wrapped her legs tightly around him, pulling him into her until their bodies were almost one. He moaned into her mouth at her strength, frantically throwing his shirt across the room to begin making short work of hers.

"Okay, maybe it is just a little."

2 Years Later

"Now, when we get in there, I want you to walk right to Uncle Chris, okay? Don't stop and talk to Uncle Tony no matter much he tries to be silly to get you to look at him," You knelt next to CJ and straightened his tiny bow tie and combed his hair for the ninth time in the last hour. "Mommy and daddy will be there too, but go to Chris first."

"Mmkay, mama."

You stood when a quick knock came on the dressing room door, followed by Chris peeking through with his eyes firmly covered. "Are you descent?"

"Ha," you scoffed, "why would I start now?"

"Taking as a 'yes'," he laughed, pushing his way in and uncovering his eyes. "Hey little man! You all ready? Are you excited?"

"I don't like these clothes."

Chris knelt down next to him now and pulled your son onto his lap, "tell you what. For about the next hour or so, all of the boys have to stay in these suits, just like the girls all have to stay in their fancy dresses. When we get to the party later, you can change into whatever you want. How about that?"

"Kay."

"Kay," Chris replied with a broad smile, "that's taken care of. Where's Steve?"

"I think he's with the guys outside." You quickly sprang forward to stop CJ from running out the door, grabbing him and swinging him in a spin, your laughter quickly joining his with Chris looking on with a reminiscent expression in return. When you noticed his mood, you stopped and returned the boy to the floor so he could immediately start to run again. "Hey, you okay?"

"Thank you for putting up with my bull-" he stopped abruptly, remembering that the little one was beginning to copy everything that was said in front of him. "I mean...my behavior for all this time. You gave me far more chances that I deserved, and I'm just really happy that you guys are here."

"So are we, honey. I'm so proud of you, and she's perfect."

"She is, isn't she?" he smiled widely with a glimmer in his eyes. "I never thought that I'd find someone after how I was feeling about you, and I'm not even embarrassed to say that anymore. Suppose I'm growing up," he snickered, with an arrogant lift of his chin but still smiling just as wide.

"You'll never grow up, Evans. Let's not fool ourselves."

"Ain't that the truth," he nodded quietly and grew more somber, mindlessly watching CJ run around the room and past his legs until he finally asked the question he had come here for. "So, (Y/N), at that party at the tower...the last one...when I was an asshole...who's number did you take out of my phone?"

"When aren't you an asshole, Evans?" you chuckled, covering your mouth in shock when you realized that CJ was right next to you. "Um, you know about that?" you asked coyly, avoiding his gaze as if you had been caught red-handed.

"I didn't, but it came to light in a conversation recently."

"Your mom's," you mumbled into a cough under your breath, doing your best to answer his question but to not give it away so quickly. You felt more at ease when he laughed gently in return, but still did your best to wait for his words before feeling too relaxed about it.

"Thanks, gorgeous. I needed someone to kick my ass, and you new exactly who to go to."

"That's because it's a well-known fact that you're a mama's boy, Chris. It wasn't hard to figure out. If Steve couldn't get through that thick skull of yours, who else could?"

"Mmm, well, be that as it may," he conceded, "if you hadn't have called her, then she and Shanna would never have set me up with Natalia. So again, thank you." He moved to stand in front of you and took your shoulders in his hands, looking at you with an expression full of gratitude for a moment before leaving a quick kiss on your cheek. He pulled away and passed you to take one final look in the mirror.

"You're perfect, Chris, stop fidgeting. You're always perfect and you know it." Taking a few steps towards him, you positioned between him and the mirror and straightened his tie, slowly rubbing your hands over his shirt and jacket to smooth the soft materials. "You ready?"

"Yep," he sighed with a grin, spinning on his heel to face CJ and swoop him up in his arms. "How about you, big fella? Are you ready to help Uncle Chris get you a new Auntie?"

"Yeah!"

"Then let's go, mini-me!" He lifted CJ with a toss in the air over his head, laughing at the squeal that filled the room. Once he had the boy safely in his arms, he held one out for you to slide yours through to lead you from the room. When he had you reunited with the rest of the bridal party, he gave you one last kiss before running to take his place at the front of the church with his eagerly awaiting groomsmen.

"Papa!"

"Yes, sweetie, Papa's right there, but remember, you need to go to Uncle Chris, okay? Then you can sit by Auntie Nat while Mama and Papa stay in the front."

"Kay."

You smiled, albeit nervously, as the wedding coordinator took CJ's hand and led him to the front of line, trying to get him to hold the ring bearer's pillow in one hand and the hand of a little girl he had never even met in the other. When the processional began, the two children began to make their way in, but CJ stopped about half-way in to stare at a distracting Uncle Tony, just as you knew would happen. You were too far back in line to go to him, and Steve was up with Chris; he was about to step forward when the groom stopped him.

"It's okay, I've got it," he smiled, taking steps to get to the little boy quickly. "Hey guy, what's going on?"

"Nuffing."

"Are you feeling butterflies in your tummy again?"

"Yeah. Lots of people looking."

Chris knelt down on his knees in front of him and sat CJ on his lap, doing his best to calm him down so that he could make it the rest of the way. "I get butterflies too. I've got a whole bunch right now, did you know that?"

"No."

"Well, it's true. But you know what? Seeing you be brave makes me be brave, so do you think you can help Uncle Chris and walk the rest of the way? It sure would help me."

CJ glanced around at all of the faces looking back at him, some of them familiar and some very much strangers. Tony waved him forward with a supportive smile, doing his best to look on his best behavior rather than the guy who had distracted the kid in the first place.

"I can try, Unkie Chris."

"That's my boy," he stood and took his hand, walking to the front with him and handing him off to Steve, who waved a hand for Natasha to retrieve his son. "Great day to find out that he can say my name, man," Chris sniffled quietly, "as if I haven't cried enough."

"Aw, Chris, you're gonna make such a great wife," Steve smirked with a slap to his friend's back.

"Shut the hell up, Rogers. You're such a bastard, you know that?"

"Yeah, love you too, man."