Brooklyn was shivering as she met his eyes. She didn't want to ruin her progress. She felt she had been doing so good, now that he was willing to help correct her deficiencies. Now that he was willing to use a harsher hand to correct her behavior.

"No, Sir." She confirmed for him, since she knew he like to hear her words. "I don't want that."

"Then go be my good girl, and do what I told you." He ordered, pulling his hands away from her body and straightening his clothes, tucking his cock back into his pants. She whined in disappointment as she watched him. He flashed her an indulgent grin, with a raised eyebrow. "Don't worry, Babydoll. You'll get your fucking in a bit. Go on, now."

She nodded. Taking a deep breath, she turned and walked to the bedroom, each step punctuated by the jingle of the bells hanging from the clamps, keeping her back straight, resisting the urge to turn her head to look at him over her shoulder as she heard him shifting and rising from the chair. He heaved a sigh, and she like she had disappointed him somehow. As she turned around the door jam, she stole a quick look, seeing him with his hands on his hips, head down, staring at the pile of items she had bought. Just as she moved so she would no longer be able to see him, she saw him give a soft shake of his head.

She felt her stomach sink, wondering how she had disappointed him. He had said he had plans, real plans for tonight. He had made reservations for a nice place, and she had forced him to cancel them. Spectacularly so, but still. Perhaps she had upset him and disappointed him by making him change his plans for the night.

Granted, she thought as she turned around to sit down on the bed, scooting back to lay down, pulling her knees up, catching the heels of her shoes on the edge, so that she was in the position he had described, opening her legs to feel the cooler air of the room rush over her still hot and wet pussy, granted, she wasn't disappointed by the change of itinerary. She much more preferred what they were doing now.

This was what she had been needing from him. Weeks of it, she had been in need. What did she need of a fancy dinner, intended to woo and soften her resistance to his advances? She would lay and spread for him, if he simply looked at her. If he snapped his fingers at her, she would drop to her knees. If he placed his hand on her head, she would bow it for him. This was the need she felt for him. This was how she needed him. She needed to be able to give into the submission that had been beaten into her since she was first able to understand. No other person on the face of this earth was capable of making her want it, as he did.

She adjusted her head, keeping her hair from pulling, arching her neck against the heavy leather surrounding it. How strange it was, that she felt freed by him, even as he bound her. The comments about the collar were... odd. Strange, in a way. But there was a grain of truth. He was supposed to be the one to choose a collar for her. She had overstepped her bounds, picking this one out. But like she had tried to explain, badly maybe, it was for their play. It was a symbol of her submission to him. As much as she wished she could wear a daily reminder, something more concrete than the necklace he had been so proud to give her, she knew it would raise more questions than either one of them were willing to answer.

Some things were just for them.

She shivered a bit harder, before her body began to settle.

Waiting, like she was, was almost as nerve wracking as waiting for him on her knees, ready to share everything in the box.

She heard the clank of the wine bottle on the counter, in the silence of the apartment. The slosh of liquid. Steve cleared his throat, cursing softy, before he sighed again. His feet were soft, but sure, as he came down the hallway. She looked down her body, towards the door as he filled it, the back light showing his still clothed figure. Resisting the urge to lift herself up, to open her arms out to him to beckon him to her, she lay still, measuring her breaths, as her body reminded her it was still hungry.

The physical reaction she had to him, the flushing of her body, the leaking at her core, even the way her nipples and breasts seemed to feel tighter, just in preparation of him, was nothing she could have ever imagined could exist. Nothing in her life, before Steve, was ever like this. It seemed like her body had been sleeping, just waiting for him to wake it up.

And wake it up, he had.

He stepped into the bedroom, reaching over with one hand to turn on the light, causing her to blink as the brightness assaulted her eyes. He came over to stand at her feet, and the sound he let out was one of pleasure.
"Simply fucking perfect." He nodded, a small smile playing with the corner of his lips. "Always so fucking perfect, Babydoll."

She grinned, arching her back slightly, as she raised her arms above her head, giddy at his praise.
"No, no." He corrected, gently. "Put them down. Hands by your hips."

Brooklyn slammed her hands into position, eager to please.

"Now." He sighed, tilting his head. "What should we do with you, now?"

Fuck me! She wanted to cry. Pound me! Fill me! Make me blind with the pleasure of serving you!

She remained silent, though.

He raised his hand, sipping wine from the glass he had brought in with him. "So many things... The things I could do to you. The things I want to do... But where to begin?"

Her hips bucked up, slightly, before she could stop herself. She slammed them back down on the bed, hoping that he hadn't noticed, but she knew there was no hiding what she had done. How she had just misbehaved.

"Oh, Brooklyn." He tisked. "Just when we were doing so well."

She flushed, embarrassed. Goddammit, why the hell couldn't she keep herself under better control? Years of her life, dedicated to learning to never move a muscle, in the most uncomfortable positions...and without a thought she betrayed that training, in her eagerness to feel his touch.

"We..." He went over to the dresser, setting the wine glass down with a clink. "Are gonna have to do something about that, aren't we?"

She whined slightly in her throat, trying to be quiet.

"It's a good thing I brought these with me, isn't it?" He raised his other hand, showing her the cuffs and the blind fold. "Maybe these will help you pay attention to what's important."

She felt a whole body shudder, goosebumps flashing across her skin, before settling.

"Hands up." He ordered, unlatching the cuffs, unhooking them from each other. Coming over to stand between her legs again, he laid one of the cuffs on her stomach, as well as the blindfold. He waited for her to raise her hands, grabbing one, and latching the cuff onto it. "Now, I know I saw... yup." He grinned at her. Lowering her now cuffed hand, he fiddled with the side of the strapped getup she was in, before she heard the click of metal. "Those rings are gonna come in useful. Try it out."

She frowned, trying to raise the hand. It was caught at her hip, attached to the straps that criss crossed her body. "Steve?"

"The loops." He explained. "You got this at the same shop, as the rest of the toys?"

"Yeah." She nodded. "Same place."
"This... is a bondage harness." He grinned, stroking one of the straps. "The metal loops are meant for things like this. Other hand, Babydoll."

She gave it to him, still testing the strength of the bound wrist. She had been right, when she had predicted that in reality they wouldn't hold her if she really fought. The metal was cheap, the so-called leather more plastic than anything. At least the fake fur was comfortable. Even the loop Steve had hooked the latch to was cheap. This was not an outfit meant to last. Steve finished putting the cuff on the other wrist, leaning over her to latch it to a ring on her other hip. Effectively, her hands were now pinned to her hips, unable to move. If she wanted it to be so.

And she did.

She shifted, feeling her range of movement, rotating her wrists in the cuffs, clenching and releasing her fists.

Steve had stood back up, watching her, with assessing eyes. "All good?"

"All good." She agreed, smiling up at him.

"What's our word, Brooklyn?" He lowered his head. "What do we say, when it becomes too much to handle?"

"Shield." She answered, promptly. "I won't use it."
"You will use it." He frowned. "If something happens... if I hurt you, really hurt you, you have to use it. Or else this all stops, right now. I will not do this, anymore, if there is no fail safe."

"There's no need." she was confident in her own ability to withstand pain. "anything you can do to me, I can handle."

"I don't want you to just handle it!" He snarled. "I want you to enjoy it. I want you to want it. I am not going into this with the intention of hurting you just to get off on it. I want you to want the pain, just as much as my fucking you. When I give you an order, and make you submit, I want you to want it because it makes you feel good. Not just here-" he reached down, cupping her drenched cunt, making her cry out at the sharp pleasure that stabbed her. "But here." he placed his other hand on her chest, right over her heart.

She felt herself melt. Even when he was being strict with her, he was gentle. Even when he was dominating her, he was soft and sweet.

"Steve...." She licked her lips. "Okay."

"What?" He arched his eyebrow. "Words."

"Okay. If... if you hurt me... or... or it gets too much... or..."
"Or it brings up something that you don't expect...." He prompted.

"Or that... I'll use the word. I wont... I won't try to stick it out." She promised. "Shield."

"Shield." He nodded. Then he seemed to relax. "Thank you, Babydoll."

Brooklyn nodded back. "Then we can keep going...?"

"Yeah." He nodded, pulling back, the hand covering her pussy being the most reluctant touch to be removed. "Fuck, Brooklyn... you are fucking soaked."

Giggling, feeling a little lightheaded, she nodded. "Yup. Been like this since I knelt on the floor, waiting for you."

"Oh, poor Babydoll." He crooned. "And only the one orgasm? Don't lie to me."

"I think... I wasn't sure if it was an after...or another one...but maybe two?" She frowned. "It just didn't seem to..."

"That's okay." He grinned, reaching for the blindfold. "I don't mind. Now, let's get back to what we were doing. Ready?"

Nodding, she licked her lips. "Ready."

Steve reached out with a hand, slipping his fingers to her ear. "We need these out, first."

He worked the earring out of her ear, before reaching for the other one. He tossed them towards the dresser, and she heard both of them clatter on the top.

"If those get lost, I'm going to be upset." She mentioned, lightly.

"I'll find them, if they do." He promised. "Necklace next."

"No." She blinked. The word had left her unexpectedly. But it made sense. "I don't want you to take it."

"I'm not taking it, Brooklyn. I want to make sure you don't hurt yourself, or it, while we play. I promise, you'll get it back, when we are done." he unhooked the necklace, and pulled it from her neck. She watched as he slipped it into his jacket pocket. Satisfied, he lifted the blind fold. "Time for lights out, Babydoll."

He slipped the blind fold over her head, adjusting it over her eyes, making sure it was secure and that it wasn't pulling on her hair, which she appreciated.

"Comfortable?" He asked, as he removed his touch, pulling away completely.

She considered this. She couldn't see. The loss of one sense would heighten the others. But sight was still pretty important...

A small fissure of fear made her skin prickle for a moment, then she took a deep breath.

For all his worry, Steve would never knowingly hurt her. He had tried to prove that, time and again. She believed him, despite all her worries. Even with her inability to see him, she trusted him.

"I'm good." She nodded, shifting her head a bit. "I'm ready."

"There's my good girl." His voice was proud. "Now, I just want you to focus on what you feel. Feel what I'm doing... Listen to my words, what I tell you." she felt the bed shift, as he pulled his weight off of it. "I want you to let yourself go. Let me take you to where you need to go."

"Yes, Sir."

"See? Is it so hard being my good girl?" He sounded amused.

She heard him moving around. It sounded like he was taking off clothing. Maybe?

"I had such plans for tonight. I was going to ask... Ah, well. It can keep, for a while longer. I'm not going to lie. You have become... quite distracting... and quite good at hijacking my plans. You do know that, right?"

"I've learned." She grinned, feeling a bit impish. "In reality, when one is dealing with an idiot, its easy to distract them with shiny things."

A sharp tug of one of her nipple clamps made her gasp, and arch her back. The pain edged into the pleasure, and she wanted to close her legs to rub them together, maybe be able to stimulate her clit into a mini orgasm. She didn't though. She figured Steve might take exception to her doing that.

"Naughty." He snorted. "Always have to be naughty."

He tugged on the clamp again, this time holding it so it pulled at her nipple. The delicate flesh objected to this action, causing the pain to be harsher, making her cry out louder. Just as she was arching into the pull, trying to relieve some of the pain, he let go, the bells jingling as they slapped down onto her breast. She heaved, sucking in air, as she felt the nerves in her nipple and breast settle, but remain in protest with painful throbs.

"See?" He sounded amused. "I know how to remind you."

She nodded, licking her lips. "Yes, Sir. You do."

He hummed, and fingered the clamps again. "I don't think we need these anymore, do you?"

He didn't wait for her answer, one hand coming down on the bed by her shoulder, the other unlatching the first clamp, and she sucked in a breath as blood rushed to the effected area. Steve didn't wait, the feel of his lips and tongue surrounding the nipple, sucking and soothing it. She tried to keep still, but she tugged at her hands, wanting to sink her fingers into his hair, cup his head. The feel of the cheap leather stopped her, reminding her that she was bound. Instead, she shifted her feet, widening her legs.

Steve pulled away, and the second clamp was released and he treated the aching nipple the same way. She moaned, as he chuckled against her skin.

Pulling away completely, he covered one of her breasts with a large hand, pressing down, as her nipple stabbed at his palm. "I do like them with the clamps on. The bells are such a pretty sound. But, they do make it hard for me to play with these sweet nipples of yours. I can almost imagine they taste like fresh summer berries. You ever have those? So sweet and warm from the sun, the juice bursts over your tongue when you bite down." His hand rotated, and she moaned again. "But... that's not where you are your juiciest, is it?"

She shook her head, whining when he took his touch away. The bed shifted again, and she felt something against the inside of her thigh, making her jerk a little.

"Shhh." he soothed, placing a hand on the thigh, flexing his fingers. "Just feel, Babydoll."

His fingers slid up her thigh, to her pussy, brushing lightly against the wet lips, causing her to moan as he stroked the fire inside her up again. Just when she thought it would settle, to a manageable throbbing annoyance, he found away to bring it back in full force. He went from brushing, to stroking firmly, before he slid his fingers into her lips, parting her.
"fucking delicious, Brooklyn." He sighed, and she felt his thumb brush her clit, making her hips jerk as she cried out. "And you do owe me a meal, since I had to cancel our dinner plans because of you."

And that was the only warning he gave her.

He dived in, latching his lips around her clit, his fingers finding and filling her cunt, as she writhed. Always before, he had demanded she watch him while he preformed oral. Now, with the ability to see taken from her, all she could do was feel. And feel she did. The suction of his lips, the lashing of his tongue. The feel of his fingers as they pumped and twisted. The drag of his rough finger pads rubbing and seeking inside her.

She didn't even have a chance to fight it.

She imploded and exploded at the same time. Fire and ice. Air and water. All of it, slammed into her at the same time. Buffeted by every nerve firing, she arched her backs, twisting her hands in the cuffs, as she tossed her head back. Her thighs tried to clamp over his head, but he managed to pin one of them down on the bed, as he worked her through the working of her body. Cries and sounds left her, as she came. He was grunting, his sounds animal, as he pushed her through it. Forced her body through it. As she started to come down, he herded her back up.

He curled his fingers inside her, and she gasped on a broken cry, as the pressure built again, this time faster, harder, than the one before. She didn't try to close her legs this time, feeling the heels of her shoe catch and pull at the blanket, as she pulled them towards her body.

There was a bubble growing in her pelvis. And every touch he gave her, used on her, made it inflate even more.

Tears were gathering in her eyes, soaked up before they even had a chance to escape. Her hands fisted and released, twisting this way and that. Even her skin felt like it was moving.

He withdrew his fingers, pulling away briefly, his lips leaving her clit, before he was back. Where he might have had two fingers in her before, it now felt like he was trying to shove all of them up in her. Her clit, throbbing faster than her heart, was exposed, and yearning for his touch, when a sharp pain sent needles up her nerves.

And it all proved too much.

The bubble inside her burst, and all the liquid heat escaped. It forced its way out of her, gushing, pouring, and she screamed, her throat tight against the collar.

Steve made a sound that was part satisfaction, part surprise, as she shook and shivered under his touch, the bed feeling damp under her hips.

His hand pulled away, as his tongue gave a wide swipe up her sensitive pussy, her hips trying to twitch away as it almost seemed too much to take. Looping his hands in her arm pits, he lifted her, dragging her up the bed, as his body followed, the bed dipping beneath his weight. She panted as she strained to listen to what he was doing, trying to figure out what he was about to do, just based on the sounds alone.

"Jesus, Brooklyn." He hissed, the sound... was that his belt? He was undoing his pants. That had to be it. "That... oh, god, that was amazing."

His weight settled on her, his hips falling between her legs, his arms coming up under her to hook his hands on her shoulders. His mouth pressed against her open lips for a moment, his tongue dipping in, sharing the taste of herself with her, before his teeth bit into her lips, soothing the sting as he pressed a soft kiss there.

"Just when I think you've shown me all you can do.... you prove me wrong." He ran his nose along her cheek. "Don't ever stop. Please."

She inhaled, before licking her lips, moaning at the taste of herself. "I'll try..."

"No." He pressed his lips to her jaw, nipping at the skin. "Don't stop. Just... don't."

Then he was thrusting into her, making her choke out a cry as the swollen part of her were parted and filled. He didn't pause, his hips setting a driving rhythm.

As her legs snapped up, wrapping around his moving hips, she had a brief flash of clarity.

Steve was still fully dressed.

She could feel the buttons of his shirt pressing into her skin, the belt and it's buckle slapping against her as he moved. The silk of his tie brushed against her chin as he arched, before he returned his face to where he could suck and bite at her skin. Her hands writhed in their bonds, as she tried to give into the natural urge to wrap her arms around him.

"Steve!" She cried, the binding of her body, which caused the feeling in her heart to almost boil over, growing to almost be too much. "I... I can't..."

"You can." He hissed, his mouth falling by her ear, as he shook her body with his thrusts, his cock moving harder than he had taken her in a long time. The pain in the pit of her stomach, the one that she had missed, was back, and she was so happy to feel it again. "You know you can. Don't be a coward, Brooklyn. You'll take it, because you know you can. You can, because this pussy was made for me. It was made to take my cock. You know it, too."

She shook her head, trying to stifle her cries. "Too much..."

"No." he denied, one hand slipping from under her. "It's not too much. It's been what you've been asking for, all this time. It's why you've been acting like a brat. Because you wanted to get fucked. I've been trying to be nice, trying to make love to you, be the gentleman... when all you want... is my cock pounding your cunt until it's sore. Until you don't have a day where you forget what it's like."

She felt his fingers clawing at her neck, before there was a subtle tightening around it. She gasped.

"This is what you've been craving, isn't it, Babydoll?" He asked, his breathing hard and stuttered by his movements. "For me to cave and treat you like a whore?"

"Yes!" She cried, tears leaving her, as her body, which she thought was done feeling pleasure, began to tighten again. "Everything!"

"I know." He soothed her. "I know. I should never have stopped. My poor Babydoll. It's okay, I get it. I get it, and I won't let you go so long, ever again."

The tugging around her neck grew, and just as she went to cry out again, it was cut off when a choking feeling took over her neck. It released, and she let out a sob.

"Again..." She begged. "Please..."

"Again, and again, and again." He agreed. The tightening happened again, and she arched her neck, as if the center of the tightening was a string that connected it. "As many times as you need me to."

the string released and she gasped for breath. She was starting to feel lightheaded. It felt so good, to be forced out of her mind, to let someone control her body, to be the reason she was feeling so free.

"We are so close, aren't we, Babydoll?" he asked, his hips seeming to take on a faster, harder pace. "So close... you wanna give me that orgasm you're hiding? You think I don't know? I know... I know you think you can hide it from me. But you can't."

She whined, shaking her head.

"Oh, yes... yes you can." He snarled, as the collar tightened again, making she choke. The lightheadedness, which had started to receded, came back in full force. "You are gonna cum on my cock, like the good girl I know you are... you are gonna cum so hard, it's gonna make me flood your pussy. Because that's what you want. It's what you've wanted...and I'm gonna give it to you, Babydoll..."

She tried to make a sound, but her throat wasn't cooperating. She was full on crying now, overwhelmed by everything. The feelings, the sounds, the tastes... all of it sent her into sensory overload.

And as he predicted... ordered... demanded, she began to cum. Her legs tightened, as her cunt began to spasm. She had her mouth open, lips working to make the sounds that wanted to come out of her, while her whole body shook.

Steve was cussing, cursing, growling, snarling... his hips pounded hers a few more times, until he thrust so deep, the pain/pleasure that almost made her stomach cramp but in a good way came back. He held himself there, shouting the curses, as a new wetness, hot and familiar, bloomed inside her.

The collar released, and she sobbed, her body shivering.

"Steve..." She gasped, shaking her head. Her body felt like it didn't belong to her. Like she was outside of it, floating. Her head was muzzy, and her heart was pounding so hard it had to be visible against her skin.

"I got you, Babydoll." His voice was rough, but soothing. "I got you."

He pulled away slightly, reaching for her hands. They were free, and she reached up, wrapping her arms around his shoulders, her fingers diving into his sweaty hair. She sobbed, as she was finally able to pull him to her like she needed. He returned the favor, rolling them to one side, still pressing his cock up inside her, as she sobbed.

"You did so good, Brooklyn." he praised, as he stroked her hair. "I'm so proud of you."

She nodded, burying her face in his shoulder, rubbing her covered eyes. The blindfold was wet, soaked, by her tears.

"I love you so much, Babydoll." she felt him pressing kisses to the top of her head. "So fucking much."

"I love you, too." She gasped, still softly sobbing. "You take me out of myself."

He began rubbing her limbs, paying close attention to her wrists. "I want you to want to stay yourself." He let her hands drop, and she returned to clutching at him. His hands came to her neck, and it too, released. "I don't want you to want that, because you are trying to escape something. Does that make sense?"

"I do want it." She reached up to pull at the blindfold, but Steve stopped her.

"Keep it on, a little longer?" He asked, stroking the back of her hand.

Frowning, she sighed. "Alright."

It seemed an odd request, when he was taking the rest of the bonds off. But she went with it. Steve always seemed to surprise her. Every time she thought she knew where his line was, he moved it.

He stroked her cheek, pressing a kiss to it. "You looked so beautiful, giving in to everything. So mesmerizing. And then when you came..." He sighed, happy.

"I felt like I wet myself." She admitted, blushing.

He hummed. "You ejaculated."

"Women don't..." she frowned. "I might be a little behind on my studies, Steve, but I'm pretty sure ejaculation is a male thing."

Steve shifted, and she let out a small moan, when it felt like his cock was going to leave her. He reached down, hoisting her thigh higher up his hip. "Women can do it, too. It just takes... the right encouragement."

"And you, of course, are a master at it." She snarked, twisting her mouth slightly. "Just like everything, you have to be the best. So many women have ejaculated at the hands of Steve Rogers... the annals of history are littered with tales of his going around the world, and the women ejaculating. I'm surprised there aren't monuments raised in your honor."

He brought his hand down on her backside. "You done being Bratty? Because I have to tell you, I can count on one hand, the amount of times I've gotten a woman to do it. The first time damn near shocked the shit outta me."

"Are you saying," She asked, grinning, suddenly amused. "That there was something to do with sex that you just did not inherently know? Really? You? Color me shocked and surprised."

He snorted. "I know this is hard to believe, Brooklyn, but I did not come into this world knowing everything about sex. I had a lot of trial and error, before I learned. And while I wish I had just known everything, so you were the only woman who has ever touched me, the reality is... I am happy I had to go through it, so I am perfect, for you."

And just like that, she melted inside. Fluttery feelings in her chest. Her brain turned to mush.

"Dammit, Rogers." she sighed. "Again, you know just what to say."

"No." He laughed. "I don't. I really don't. Like, right now. I don't know how to ask you a question. I want to ask it, so bad. I want to know your answer. But..." He took a deep breath. "I'm terrified."

She found his jaw with her fingers, stroking the skin. "You'll never know, if you don't ask." she tried to give him a smile. "I mean, you have your cock in me, right now. You just fucked me silly, while choking me. How more terrified can you be, after that?"

"I just don't know if this is the best time to ask." He sighed.

Brooklyn would admit to being a little worried. Steve was almost always so confident. If he wanted to ask her something, and was worried about her answer...

"Just..." she took a deep breath, cupping his jaw. "Just ask me, Steve."

Steve reached up, lifting the blindfold, so she could see. Brooklyn winced against the bright lights of the room, blinking as the mascara which now had to be caking her eyes made it difficult to clear her vision. He rolled them over, so he was sitting up, with her firmly on his lap, her weight driving her down on his softening cock.

He took a deep breath, which made things shift a little, making her bite back a sound. He cupped her jaw, as well, and pressed their foreheads together, staring intently into her eyes, that bright bright blue all she could see. "Brooklyn Barnes, will you do the me the absolute honor of becoming my wife? Will you marry me? Share your life with me? Build a future with me?"

Everything stopped. She wasn't sure she had heard him correctly.

"Steve?" She blinked. "I don't... What?"

"I know what your opinion of marriage is. I know. But.. just hear me out? Okay?" He took another deep breath. "I love you. You love me. You are it for me. It begins and ends, with you. Every breath I have, is yours. We plan to be together for the rest of our lives, right? This just makes that formal. It allows us to put a title on it. Something that the world can't judge us over. Not that it really matters what the rest of the world thinks... beside the point. Also... it's a logical step. With you... taking control of Brooklyn... the government might decide to come after you. Make an example of you. And right now, I know everything... this way... if I'm your husband... they can't use me against you. I can't be forced to testify against you. Conversely, my title as Captain America protects you. People wont' be able to come after you, and try to use you. Because they will be too afraid of me. And even more along those lines... Babydoll, if something happens to me, right now you aren't going to be allowed to come visit me in the hospital. The security clearance alone... This way, no matter what happens, you have the control. If I can't make choices for myself, about my own care you will be able to, as my wife. The same goes for me. I can make the right choices, for you, if you somehow end up in a position where you wouldn't be able to. And... God forbid... something happen to either of us, we are both gonna be safe. Juliana would be safe." he paused, swallowing, before continuing. "You will have the full protection of the Avengers, as my wife. Juliana will have the full protection of my team, as my legal sister. No one is ever gonna be able to separate the two of you, ever. And no one is ever gonna be able to take me away from you. Our days will begin together, as one, and our nights will end the same way. Together. Each step we take into our future, we will do it, bound together by God, by the law, by our love, and by our souls. Marry me, Brooklyn."

She opened her mouth, then shut it. She didn't know what to say. She didn't know what to think. He had made mention of marriage in the past, but she thought he understood where she was with that.

The God of her father wasn't hers. She didn't believe. She didn't see the need to. As far as she cared, that God had abandoned her, long before she was even born. He had turned a blind eye to the things that had been done to her father, He had turned a blind eye to the things that had been done to her. He had ignored the things that the two of them had done to other people. He had stood by while her siblings had died.

Steve's argument was... solid. The legal reasons were valid. And the emotional ones were as well.

She wanted to wrap her arms around him and agree to follow him anywhere, even to the alter before a priest.

But she didn't.

She swallowed, cupped his jaw with both hands, and took a breath.

"Steve... I don't'..." She stopped, taking another breath. "I don't know."

He grinned, even if it was a little sad, his eyes dimming just a tad. "I know. You can't give me an answer right now. I knew that was going to be a possibility. I know you, Brooklyn. You need to turn everything over, in your mind. You need to figure it out, up there, first. That's one of the many things I love about you. I can wait. I just ask... don't just try to give me an answer, because you think that's what I want. Give me an answer, because it's the right answer for you. I'm gonna love you, and stay with you, no matter what you decide to do. Just... I'm gonna keep asking. Because one day? You're gonna be my wife. The rest of it will... it'll fall into place."

She blinked. "so, what? You're just gonna keep asking, until one day I say yes?"

He laughed, nodding. "Basically."

"That's your master plan?" She narrowed her eyes. "Bully me into it?"
"Of course not!" He laughed harder. "I'm just gonna win you over to my side of thinking, eventually."

"Dirty pool." She accused.

Steve simply shook his head, leaning down and kissing her, distracting her as he rolled them so he was on top of her again. As he pulled away, she would admit that she was distracted by the feeling of his cock getting hard inside her.

"Not dirty pool." He countered. "Dirty pool would be getting you knocked up, so you would have to marry me. I mean, Steve Rogers having a child out of wedlock? The world would implode. I'm a beacon of virtue and American values!"

"You're a fucking pervert, that's what you are." she reached up, tugging on his hair. "Asking me to marry you, while your cock is in my pussy. What the hell are we supposed to tell our grand kids when they ask? 'Well, Timmy, your grandpa had just finished fucking me dumb. Than he sat me on his lap, while still inside me, and asked me! How romantic! How could I refuse!'. Such a fucking idiot."

He was laughing hard, now. "Well, in my defense, I had plans! I was gonna take you to a very romantic dinner, go walking through central park, and then get down on one knee, and ask you properly. You kinda derailed all of that. I brought you flowers and chocolates, even."

She went to open her mouth to tell him off some more, when he moved his hips. Just one slow thrust, but enough that she gasped, pulling her knees up towards his sides.

He reached down, pulling her leg against him. "I was going to romance you. Tell you all the things I admired about you. All the things I love about you. Explain every reason why we should get married. Then present you with the ring."

"Ring?" she gasped, starting to lose track of the conversation. His hips were doing that slow grinding thing, where his pelvis was pressing against her clit, and his cock was reaching so fucking deep into her. "What ring?"
"The ring I had made for you." He explained. "I was going to give it to you."

"You still can." she bent her head to press her face into his shoulder. The fabric was still moist. And that annoyed her. "You're still fully dressed."

"Yeah." He chuckled. "Something about you being naked except for these straps, while I'm dressed... it's... exciting, isn't it?"

She nodded, gasping as he began to steadily thrust. "Steve...."
"Just let me take care of you, Babydoll." He grunted. "I'm always gonna take care of you..."

********************

She rolled over, yawning. Stretching her arms over her head, she arched her back, as she straightened out her legs, feeling that bizarre twitching before completely relaxing. She reached up to scratch at her neck, her fingers brushing something metal that was around it. Freezing, she brought both hands up, feeling the object.

"What?" She sat up, being careful not to jostle Steve, who was sleeping beside her. As she followed the circumference of the object, she paused when she reached the hollow of her neck, a familiar pendant attached to the thing around her neck. "Is that...?"

His sleep rough voice made her jump slightly, turning to look at him. "I told you, I choose the collar."

Her fingers frozen around the now identified collar, she blinked at him. He was still laying down, the sheets midway up his chest, head on the pillow. "Steve? Did you put this on me?"

"Yeah." He yawned, grunting as he moved to sit up as well. "Had it made for you. I kept thinking I needed one. That you needed one. This one fits the pendant. Like it?"
She turned, raising on her knees, ignoring her nudity as she looked at the mirror over the dresser. Delicate woven silver links surrounded her neck, loose enough to dip to the hollow at the base of her neck. In the middle, connecting the chain, was a large silver ring, from which the jewelled shield he had given her for Christmas dangled. She brushed her fingers over the red, white, and blue, before turning to look at him.

"You choose the collar." She let her voice express the wonder and happiness that filled her. Launching herself at him, she wrapped her arms around his neck. "I love it, Steve!"

He laughed, as his arms came up around her, holding her to him. "I'm glad. Do you like the ring?"
She froze, frowning, bringing her hands around so she could see him. Sure enough, resting on her left hand ring finger, was a ring.

If you could call it a ring. Brooklyn was pretty sure the astronauts in the space station orbiting the earth would be able to see the rock he had put on her finger. She was sure she would be able to use a flash light and use the stone to light up an entire ballroom. Hell, even the smaller stones that surrounded the filigree design of the main stone, as well as the ones that ran down the band could be used to signal airplanes coming into JFK.

But Steve had put a ring on her finger, none the less.

"It's... it's a lot, Steve." She whispered, still looking at it.

"It's not enough." He corrected, reaching for her hand, bringing it to his lips, kissing the fingers next to the ring. "I wish I could give you all the crown jewels of the world."

"I don't need them." she shook her head, frowning. "But I didn't... I didn't say yes."

"I know." He kissed her fingers again, before moving to kiss her lips. "I can wait. This is so you can get used to the feel of it. Just... think about saying yes. Please?"

"I'll think about it." she nodded, leaning in to kiss him back. "I do love you. You know that, right?"

"As much as you fought me? I know it." He grinned. "And one day, when you say yes? The whole world will know it. They will know that I captured the heart of a Queen."

She giggled, pushing against his shoulder. "Fucking sap."

"Your sap." He nodded, rolling her over so she could lay back down on the bed. "You just stay there. I'm going to go make breakfast. Which I will feed you, in bed. Sound good?"

"Mm-hmm." She hummed, watching him, as he searched for, and found, a pair of shorts. "Don't be long."
"Never." He assured. Grinning he left the bedroom, and she heard him whistling to himself happily as he made his way to the kitchen.

She lay back on the bed, reaching for the sheet to pull it over herself. Without his heat near by, even with them successfully having gotten the radiator in the bedroom fixed, the cool air had a bite to it. Looking up at the ceiling, she sighed, bringing up the hand with the ring on it, turning her hand one way than another, watching the sparkle of the winter sun catch and bounce.

Steve had asked her to marry him.

Steve wanted her to become his wife.

And he was willing to wait, until she was ready.

Dropping her hand to her chest, she sighed.

She just wasn't sure she ever would be.

A/N: So, another quick one, so we can get the rest of the show on the road. he finally got the proposal out. How'd he do? vote and comment!