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The American Dream [Haru|Kitten]

Always willing to do whatever it takes to please his lover, Steve was more than happy to move his hand as she directed and was not at all surprised as to Liv's desire. As she raised and lowered herself on his thick shaft the Captain used his thumb to rub the swollen nub just above where his cock penetrated deep into her pussy. His breath hitched as he touched her, not just from the intimate contact but how her muscles clamped down around his prick, milking him almost desperately.

His hips lifted, back arched as he tried fervently to somehow drive deeper, to make her take more of him. His thumb rubbed over her clit and around in a clockwise circle as the slap of flesh on flesh reverberated in the room, his hips hitting her soft inner thighs and her ass bouncing off the tops of his legs. Wet lovely sounds accompanied those slaps in a concert that made beautiful music as they coupled. It was no soft lovemaking and yet it had not yet devolved into a frenzy of hard fucking that broke furniture and bruised bodies.

Thumb and forefinger caught her clit and applied pressure, almost pinching, as Steve's hips drove up over and over, forcing her to take his cock in a pace that was faster and much harder than her initial ride, threatening to buck her off if she didn't hold on. "Ride that cock sweet girl." he growled, his tone commanding, stern. She wasn't his baby, she was his sweet girl, and he wanted her to ride him fast and hard. More pressure on her clit before he let go to rub across her cunt, hard and fast, his other hand reaching up to squeeze one bouncing tit, none too gentle.
 
Her body was already tensing. There was so much contact, so much desperate need and touching, and to see Steve beneath her as she rode him. No man had ever done this to her, had ever filled her so completely to the point of feeling like she might explode at any moment. Only Steve had done this. Made her feel so terribly intense that she was gripping him hard. If it were any other man she imagined she might have broken skin, but Steve was proving to be much stronger than that.

And she knew there would be bruises on her hips and ass, deep bruises that she was looking forward to seeing. It was hard to think straight, however, as he continued to roll his fingers over her clit, the pleasure built harder in her body. She wanted to hold off for his own orgasm, not wanting to be greedy, but he was making it difficult. No matter how hard he fucked her, she kept her grip tight. He might be Captain America, but she was going to prove herself able to take whatever he had to give her.

When he commanded her to ride, she did. Her body moved faster, harder, the sound of skin slapping together echoing at a more steady rhythm as she rode him. But it was hard to stave off the orgasm that was building and threatening to consume her, eyes wide and desperate as she watched Steve, “Oh god, Steve! I’m so close… I want you to come with me.” She was clenched tight around him, begging and full of want for him. And she was close, wanting both his approval and for him to feel the same pleasure she was feeling.
 
Never once did Liv complain and in fact she took him deep and hard, burying all of him inside of her, that exquisite pleasure filling him as he raced toward the precipice of his climax. Her pussy squeezed and milked him, each upward suction of her body pulling at his cock in the most delicious of ways, and her sex seemed to thrum around him in her need. Steve's thumb rubbed over her clit, again and again, finding a rhythm with her downward thrusts.

Each time he filled her completely and seemed to stretch her anew, her clit was rubbed and teased. "Yes Liv, just like that my sweet girl." he coaxed, and Liv would be able to feel her captain swell and tense as he prepared to orgasm, his back arching like a bow as he filled her completely. Then his climax was upon him and a low heated grown burst from him as the dam broke. The first immense pulse of his cock sent that thick rope of seed blasting into her as Steve's eyes rolled back in his head. He emptied himself into her, filling her with his seminal fire, body tense, thighs quivering as his seed coated her inside with lava. A breath that the Captain must certainly have been holding burst forth from him as he seemed to finally relax, her core so full of him that he dare not pull out of her lest the torrent of his seed issue forth from her. "So... good..." he muttered and though he had spent himself there was no sign he would soften yet, and he stayed hard and rigid inside of her. "Kiss me." he told her, wanting to feel her lips on his own.
 
Of course she had no reason to complain. Even with the stretching and pounding, it felt heavenly to have him buried deep inside of her, threatening to bring her crumbling down. And she wanted him to. She could hear the sound of skin slapping against skin, of her wetness taking him in greedily. She wanted him. She wanted all of him. Every delicious inch of him inside of her.

And as he rubbed, feeling his orgasm, her own seemed to ride alongside. She tilted her head back, a scream erupting, pleasure that was unable to be contained any longer leaving her lips. She gripped hard to him, desperate, though leaving scratches on his chest it was not enough to draw blood. Certainly enough to show how good she had felt. Her entire body tensed, releasing at once with wave after wave of pleasure rippling through her body and gripping his cock as he came inside her. She could feel his warmth filling her up, feeding into her waves of pleasure.

Even as she began to come down off of her high, breathing hard, panting as she had stopped gyrating and rocking, she opened her eyes to look at him. A smile fell on her lips, a soft smile that came after such a breathtaking orgasm, feeling him still hard inside her, “Of course, Captain.” She smirked lightly, pushing back her hair as she leaned down carefully, pressing her lips on his.

He tasted good. Still with an aftertaste of herself on his lips, she liked his own taste. He was unique. She lingered with her lips on his, her own afterglow feeling heavenly. Her palms rested by his head as she kept herself lifted up, breaking away only to whisper, “I don’t think any man has ever made me feel that good in my life…” She grinned, biting her bottom lip, once more feeling like a giddy teenager.
 
Steve loved the way she shuddered and trembled atop him, how her core spasmed and milked him, and as she bent down to kiss him as he had asked he caught her lips in a heated kiss, the warm afterglow of wonderful sex washing over him like a wave. His hands caressed over silky skin, and it was like he wanted to bask in her. "Olivia..." he said softly, adoration evident in his tone.

There was no move to disengage from her, and Steve stayed hard inside of her even as he pulled her down to lie atop him and his arms encompassed her in warmth and safety. The way she bit her lip was adorable and the Captain nuzzled his nose along her cheek. "You were wonderful." he whispered to her, and gave her ass a little pat as he allowed the afterglow to claim him and his eyes drifted shut, unsure what Liv wanted to do but hoping that she let him just hold her.

----------​

Steve woke up as dawn broke through the windows, small slivers of light through the blinds, and he found that sometime during the night that Liv had moved off of him and he'd slipped out of her, which was perfectly normal. She was laying curled into his side and he looked down at her with his blue eyes and considered her sleeping form. She wasn't the sort of woman he might have picked out of a lineup, but she was certainly beautiful and he was happy to have met her.

Slowly he extricated himself from her and got out of bed, taking care of his morning biologicals and getting in the shower. Scrubbing down he soon emerged and dried off, and padded back out to the bedroom quite nude. He saw little reason to be shy around her, or modest. At least while they were alone. When she wke up he planned to invite her to the Tower, and he hoped she'd accept.
 
Olivia was not one who slept well when she did sleep at all. Often when sleep did claim her, it was fitful. She woke many times, tossed and turned, or even just gave up entirely. So when the sun’s warm rays dancing along her bare skin was what woke her, she was more confused than anything. She had felt so terribly safe while she slept, comfort and bliss invading her mind. She was relaxed. Her eyelids fluttered open, squinting a bit as she took in a view of the sun as it pierced her blinds as best it could.

“What time is it…” She mumbled to herself, vaguely feeling around on the nightstand for her phone. It was, of course, still in her jeans that were crumpled by her bed. Now she was grateful for the digital clock by her bed that read “7:43” in red numbers. Certainly earlier than she was usually up, though not obscenely. Closing her eyes, she turned to lie on her back, smiling as she remembered bits and pieces of the night before. It was hard not to. Steve was walking back into the bedroom as she woke, sitting up. It was an adjustment, being used to being nude around such a man, but she was never one for modesty. Instead she smiled, “G’morning, Steve.”

She lifted her body from the bed, sheets wrinkled and worn, “Hopefully you didn’t use up all the hot water.” She grinned at him, passing by him, trailing her fingers over those perfectly sculpted abs, maneuvering past him towards the bathroom. She wouldn’t lean into a kiss, not before brushing her teeth and showering, anyway. Though as she stepped into the bathroom and flicked on the lights, she gasped lightly. He had bruised her hips somewhat significantly. It wasn’t enough to cause her pain, but she did see them. A smirk danced over her lips, realizing she was actually kind of fond of them.

Soon enough, Liv had showered and brushed her teeth as well, though exiting with new clothes. It was a bright pair of leggings, purple and pink, an oversize t-shirt on her torso with a plunging neckline. She was unique, that was sure. She smiled at Steve, “I’d let you borrow some of my clothes, but I’ve got a feeling they won’t really fit you.” She leaned up, pressing her lips gently against his.
 
"Good morning Olivia." Steve said, and smiled, small goosebumps raised on his skin as her fingertips dragged across his abdomen and he turned to watch her shapely form depart to the washroom. Waiting patiently on the bed while she washed, warm thoughts of the night before drifted through Steve's mind and when she emerged and was dressed, he'd put his clothing from the night before back on. Of course, if this turned out to be a regular thing he might have to make sure there was a change of clothes here at her place for himself.

"You look beautiful." he told her as she approached and then her soft lips pressed to his own, and Steve kissed her back. The underlying passion was there but the man was an image of control as he kept the kiss light and fun and yet still conveyed his desire for her.

"I thought maybe we could go grab some breakfast somewhere and maybe talk about you coming with me to tour Avengers Tower." Steve said.
 
When he called her beautiful, she smirked, “I bet you say that to all the girls you sleep with.” Mostly she was teasing Steve on the likelihood that he didn’t exactly sleep around. Tall, blonde, and Patriotic was mostly known for being wholesome, what people did know of him that is. But she liked that he said she was beautiful. It made her blush, even with their night of passion. Thinking about it made her smile.

Olivia knew that the talk of going to Avengers Tower was almost out of the question just last night, but this morning? He could have talked her into jumping out of a plane. She strolled over to where he was standing, sliding her arms up and over his shoulders lazily, leaning up to meet his taller form, “Tell you what, handsome. Buy me coffee and I’ll go with you. But if Stark so much as hits on me again, I’ll drop that man like a bad habit.” She smirked playfully. Stark had a habit of hitting on most women, and he’d already hit on Liv. But she was mostly teasing. She could brush off men like Stark without issue, or even the others that were there. Quicksilver, Hawkeye, Falcon, Winter Soldier… quite a few men on the team. She liked the idea of meeting Scarlet Witch and Black Widow, however. Though it did make her wonder if she needed a codename herself.

“Hey, you think I’m gonna need a codename if I come on board? I mean, don’t get your hopes up, I’m not promising anything here but… am I gonna need to be called something weird, too?” She cocked an eyebrow, still holding onto Steve lazily.

Oh, was this going to be interesting.
 
Her words brought a snort of amusement. Steve didn't answer her though, for he had no need. His reputation was almost as spotless as most would believe and though he had taken a lover here and there, he was not a promiscuous man. That much should have been obvious despite his natural instincts like everyone else to have sex. So as Liv leaned into him, her arms going about his neck and her soft breasts pressed to the hard planes of his chest, it was easy for his hands to slide down her slender form to rest upon the flare f her hips.

The words she spoke about Stark elicited a smile and he said, "If he hits on you I'll talk with him myself. A man has to know his limitations." There was no doubt that Cap wouldn't back down from Stark. Then as she asked about a codename he let his hands slide fully around her, clasping at the small of her back so she was pressed close against him.

"I would recommend it. That name protects the people you love more than it protects you, though like me, perhaps you'll carry both. Truth be told, I hope you decide to join. I want you around." Tilting his head down he captured her lips in a soft kiss and as he broke the gesture he said, "I'll buy more than coffee. I think I feel like some waffles."
 
“Oh… gonna stand up for my honor? You ready to tell Tony Stark what’s what?” She smirked, smiling warmly as his hands slid down her sides and pressed onto her hips. It felt so natural, standing in her apartment with Steve Rogers, a man she was becoming increasingly more comfortable with. And that was saying something, as the young woman who avoided closeness at every turn. There were few people in this world she trusted. Could Steve end up being one of them? She did admittedly like that idea.

“Hm… well, I’ve gotta think on that one. I’m not very good with nicknames and codenames. Can’t really go by Liv. “ She considered it, never having put much thought into it. Maybe she’d luck out and one of them would have a name for her. Or maybe there was some kind of random generator Stark had that you put your name into and it created options.

“All right, waffles. Gonna get ‘em red white and blue?” She smirked teasingly at him, letting go of him enough to grab her wallet and cell phone. Both she slid into her pockets, keys in hand as she lead Steve out of her place and towards the restaurant down the street. It felt weird to be considering joining the Avengers, and more so the fact that she’d be meeting some of them today. She was sure Stark would have some snarky comment for her about all of this, but it was comforting to know Steve would be there with her.
 
"Absolutely. I'm ready to claim you as mine and let them know it." Steve said, meaning the entire team. Liv's body felt good in his hands. Felt right. She was soft and warm and lovely, and such a horrible distraction but in the best of ways.

"I am sure that we can think of a good codename for you Liv. You're right though, that Liv just won't do. Something that really fits you and what you can do will be best." Steve commented and as she teased lightly about breakfast he did have to agree. Following her to the restaurant down the street they soon were seated and eating, and afterward they got back to Steve's bike. It hadn't been messed with and not longer after that they were on their way to Avengers Tower.

---Avengers Tower---​

Steve was allowed onto the premises and the bike was parked in his usualy spot in the garage. Jarvis had already done eyescan recognition and biometrics and Steve explained that Liv was a friend and new potential member of the team.

"Good to hear it. I knew I picked the right man for the job." Stark's voice came over the intercom as they made their way inside and Steve pointed out the discreet cameras as they walked. Automatic doors opened as they approached and Liv would find herself in some sort of Control Room where Stark and another female with red hair and a form-fitting uniform are sitting, a box of donuts and coffee sitting between them.

"The ace recruiter returns!" Stark exclaims and gives a smile to Liv. "Nice to see you again.
 
To say she was nervous was an understatement. Olivia Hutton was petrified at the idea of meeting anyone from the team, let alone someone like Stark. She was typically able to contain herself fairly well, but it was hard to not reach out and grab Steve's hand. She wasn't sure where he stood with everyone, and she didn't want to put him on the spot. Instead she walked with her usual air of confidence, looking around with mostly amazement. That was something she wouldn't be able to hide. Tech was everywhere, which wasn't a surprise, but it was still breathtaking to see. Her head was on a swivel as she turned.

"Ace recruiter? Ever think I was just tired of your ridiculous text messages?" She cocked an eyebrow at Tony, eyeing the redhead with the uniform, wondering if that was Black Widow, one of the folks she had seen on TV.

"Don't know what you expect out of me, Stark. I told Steve and I'll tell you, I don't think I'm the person for the team. I don't do well on teams. Always was picked last for dodgeball in school." She trailed off a bit, stepping away from them to eye the screens around them. There were monitors showing every inch of the Tower. Well, except for bedrooms, potentially. She was staring at all of them, dumbfounded. The place was enormous, the power and energy radiating from it clear to Liv as she looked, "This place generates a ton of energy, though." It was a statement of anxiety, mostly aimed at Steve as she turned, as if to tell him she was unsure if she was safe her. She had typically avoided any places like this in her life, and for this reason. She couldn't really control what she took in and how she absorbed it, but the energy level internally was clear to Liv.
 
"Persistence is a virtue." Tony said from where he was seated, noting the way Cap and the girl held hands.

"You might need to have that insulation installed like you said Stark. Maybe cut down on some of this ambient energy." Steve said, hinting at what Liv was getting at.

The other young woman stepped forward, hand extended. "I'm Natasha. It's nice to meet you Olivia. Tony's been talking about you quite a bit."

Natasha's hands were both soft but strong if Liv took the offered one, and the redhead smiled alluringly as she leaned back against the edge of one of the desks, the huge monitor behind her showing various camera angles, and the parking area - where a man on a motorcycle was pulling in.

"Maybe we should take some time and see what Liv can do." Steve said, and gave her hand a squeeze. "That's why we're all here after all. Learning to be part of a team and how best to utilize what one can do only comes with training." It was a suggestion for Liv as well as to the others. She might not usually fit with a team, but there were always extra pieces to the puzzle.

As Cap finished talking a man walked into the room, the same that had pulled in on the bike. Takign quick stock of the situation the man smiled and moved to introduce himself to Liv.

"Clint Barton. Nice to meet you." he said, hand extended. His was heavily calloused and especially on his forefinger and middle finger. "Is this the girl you've been talking about Stark?" he asked.

Cap realized that Liv had been a topic of conversation for some time.
 
“Oh, good to meet you, Natasha.” Liv extended her hand and shook Nat’s, smiling as best she could, “Oh, god, I hope he hasn’t been…” There was an outward cringe at the idea that Tony was talking about her.

“A virtue? No, patience is a virtue, and it’s one I’m gonna need, I’ve got a feeling.” Liv raised an eyebrow at Tony once more. Already she was beginning to see what a nag the man was. It was a wonder none of these folks had killed him yet. She supposed patience and dealing with Stark for as long as they had were a part of the reason.

“See what I can…? I guess, yeah. I’m gonna take a wild guess you’ve got a training room where I can show my stuff? If you recall, it’s not exactly subtle.” She looked at Stark, able to feel the smirk before he played it. He had been the one to see her exert her abilities, watching as she shielded a few folks with her energy, taking down some Chitauri with her own blasts. They were never subtle, and always rather concussive, blasts that she felt the need to let out already. So much going on around her, it felt like it was building already.

When Clint entered, she shook his hand as well, “Seriously? I’m not nearly that interesting to be the topic of any conversation, guys. I’m sure Tony’s exaggerating whatever he’s said.” It was hard not to roll her eyes, though it was better than flushing crimson. She guessed they might have figured out her stepfather, Senator Alan Lane, the man who had distanced himself from his stepdaughter considerably. But anything more was probably a mystery.

If Tony did lead her out to test her abilities, she would follow. The entire facility was far more than she wanted to explore on her own. Already she was meeting people she had read about or seen action figures of, but had never dreamed of meeting. Mostly she was glad she was dressed as flexibly as she was. The leggings would give her more maneuverability and she wondered if she might be able to give more of a show than Cap had seen. Really, Tony was the only one who had seen what she could do. A powerhouse, he had called her. And he was right. With enough focus she had torn down entire walls. Mostly she was used to shields, but truthfully she didn’t know her limits. Now she was nervous about the idea of showing off to people far more skilled than she was.

“You guys are gonna have to be nice, though. I’m not a fighter by nature. Just… a bartender.” She shrugged lightly, pushing back the lavender hair by her face.
 
"Persistence, patience... same thing." Tony said with a little shrug and that tone he often carried. Self-confident bordering on arrogant.

"It's a pleasure." Natasha said in reply to Liv and gave a nod to Clint as he entered.

"Yes, we have a trainign room." Cap said. "Took a bit of a cue from the X-Men, and updated our training facility. State of the art robotics courtesy of Stark. We could even put you up against a few of his suits if you think you can handle it." Cap told her, giving her hand a squeeze before he let it go, not wanting to seem like he was coddling her or that she relied on him.

Soon they had entered an elevator that took them down to a sub-basement level, underground.

"Reinforced concrete walls, just like a military bunker. So... don't go too crazy, but don't feel like you have to hold back too much." Steve said, and gestured to a control area that was roughly twenty feet up, looking down on the floor, and behind ballistic glass. "We'll be up there, observing. The walls are a sort of giant green screen, and your surroundings will take on a number of backgrounds and scenarios. Just like law enforcement, you'll need to quickly assess situations and take out the bad guys. Avoid getting hit yourself. Think you can handle it?" Steve asked.
 
“Well, let’s try a little bit out to start and see how I do from there…” Mostly she was remembering the Chitauri. Liv remembered what those stupid jerks felt like with a punch to her ribs. The energy blasts were all mostly absorbed, but they still packed a wallop. She had those broken ribs not because they tickled her, that was for sure.

Her eyes widened as she looked at the room, all of it so terribly overwhelming, “Yeah… take my keys, Cap.” She didn’t want to be over-confident, but she was grinning. Part of her was beyond excited that, for the first time in her life, she was being encouraged to use her powers. Powers that as a teenager she had avoided so terribly. Powers that she had learned how to hide whenever necessary. They were powers that she had thought she needed to be ashamed of.

Relinquishing her keys, phone, and wallet to Steve, she made her way into the area itself. The group had gone into said control room, leaving Liv in the bunker. Cocking an eyebrow, she waited. Closing her eyes, she took a deep breath, carefully letting it out. She had clenched her fists by now, the swirling blue energy chaotic around her arms and fists, glittering and powerful. Liv could feel the energy swirling through her, connecting her to everything.

When the first creature popped up, she recognized it immediately as one of the robots that had taken Sokovia, her eyes narrowing as she let out a rather large blast. The energy collided with the robot, immediately slamming into its chest and dissolving it. Turning, she heard a noise behind her, spotting another robot, a similar blast hitting it and destroying it as well.

So far… Liv was nervous, stepping forward into what looked like a chaotic New York City. Hearing a few clicks, she watched as a group of men aimed guns at her, civilians behind her. Thinking quick, she narrowed her eyes, palms splaying before herself as a large shield formed. It was blue, an azure that Steve would recognize, a sizable shield protecting her and those behind her. The shots that rang out, gunfire she doubted would actually kill her in this scenario, absorbed into the energy and killed the bullets. When the gunfire died down, Liv thrust her hands forward, ‘shoving’ the energy forward and into the men, knocking them down and out. Non-lethal but still effective.

Perhaps Stark had decided she could take more, or perhaps she was showing off a little too much, but after a minute of standing and waiting, she turned once more to see perhaps fifteen of the same Chitauri that had come at her that day. Narrowing her eyes, nervous as hell, she could hear the fake screams of the holograms behind her, civilians designed, she was sure, to test her.

Gripping her fists hard, she ran forward, a large sphere of energy in each hand before stopping and slamming her fists downwards. A ripple was created in the artificial pavement, a blastwave slamming into the Chitauri and knocking them up and down. From there she sent off a barrage of punches and kicks, her fists covered in that same energy as her shields, allowing her to punch and hit without causing herself harm and with maximum damage.

By the time that wave of foes had been defeated, Liv was breathing hard, the energy swirling but certainly quite a bit taken out of her. It was nowhere near what she imagined the Avengers dealt with, but it was more than what she had, “So, did I pass?” She grinned through her heavy breathing, looking up towards the control room.
 
Cap had taken her keys and items as reuested and walked with the others into the control room, silently assessing things as they happened in the room.

"We need to run a full battery of tests." Stark said. "We know she absorbs energy, and I saw some of that myself. But is it all sorts of energy? Certain types?"

There was merit to the question. The absorption of kinetic energy was a big question. That meant that she was practically bullet-proof, stealing the energy from the bullets before they broke her skin. Or fireproof, as she stole the energy from the heat. They needed to know what she could stand and what she couldn't. If she could absorb the energy from even a punch, for example, then a single strike from the Hulk might be able to power her for quite some time. Or overload her system and possibly kill her.

Still, the show was impressive and gave a good idea of what she had the potential to be capable of. It was easy to see she was a little out of breath, and this hadn't even been a prolonged skirmish. More training and physical conditioning would be necessary, but the raw potential was certainly there.

Turning to the others Cap said, "I think she needs a lot of training, but if we do it right, and she agrees, then she could be a huge asset to the team."

"I agree." Natasha said and looked to the others for approval as well. It seemed pretty unanimous.

"You definitely passed." Steve said into the intercom so she could hear. "Come on up here so we can talk about it."

----------​

Once she was with them again, the same questions that Stark had presented were asked of her, as they tried to determine just what her limits were. The necessity for physical training and conditioning was also mentioned, but all this was predicated on whether she wanted to join or not.
 
Walking up to the control room was mildly terrifying. She was sure that she didn’t qualify for a team of elite fighters, nor did she even qualify to be in the same room. There were so many other people more skilled than she was. Liv was a bit surprised to be told she had done well.

“Well, I take a punch pretty well.” She laughed nervously, pushing back her hair and adjusting her attire. She was beyond anxious, talking about her abilities, “I’ve never really been in a fight, though. You’ve gotta remember, I’m a bartender from SoHo, I grew up with a single mom bouncing around. Anything I know how to do, I learned by accident.” She shrugged.

“The one thing I do know is that I absorb energy without any real filter. Mostly free energy, from what I can tell. I can tell how much power something is emitting, like that weird cube, and I can usually get emotional vibes from people.” She shrugged. It was easy to tell the confidence of Natasha and Tony just by looking at them, but she had trouble explaining the other parts. The way she could feel the pure sadness in the child she had been protecting, the anger and rage falling out of the Chitauri. She was nervous to tell Tony that part of that was sometimes unfiltered and sent right into her. It was part of how she had mustered courage in New York.

Looking at Steve, she took her items back, tucking them away, “I guess… I’ll help if I can. I just want to be sure my stepfather doesn’t find out about this.” She took a breath, a sharp intake and let it out, “He finds out, he’ll do everything he can to make my life hell, and yours too, Tony. Man’s got a lot of money in Stark Industries.” She cocked an eyebrow. A wealthy man, certainly, she had avoided him at all costs. He hated her, marrying her mother out of necessity more than anything. Liv had been allowed to keep her name even as a child, just about disowning herself once she hit eighteen. It wasn’t always a bright topic of discussion.
 
Liv seemed to be willing to be a part of the team, at least on a trial basis, and Steve voiced much the same. "Let's accept her to the team on a trial-basis, start to get some training under her belt. As to her identity, we should work on an outfit for her that will hide her face. Unlike most of us here she's been out in the public for some time and not trained with S.H.I.E.L.D. or by the government, so we do need to protect that identity."

Steve leaned a little close and cupped his mouth and whispered to her, "That was sexy as hell."

Natasha cut a glance to Clint but said nothing. "I can help with that if you want. Us girls need to look good, even while kicking ass." The smile she gave Liv was sweet and somehow wicked and innocent.

It was obvious Stark wanted to say something, but a look from Steve made the billionaire playboy shrug and hold up his hands, palm up. What he might have been wanting to say probably concerned the whisper to Liv.

The door to the control room opened and a dark-haired man with a silver bionic arm walked in. Winter Soldier. "I had wondered where everyone was." he said and then caught sight of Liv. "New recruit I see. I'm Bucky, but you can call me Winter." he said, and extended his good right hand to Liv.
 
Trial basis. It seemed like a potentially nerve-wracking idea. How was she going to be able to balance her own life with the life of an Avenger? Would she get paid to be on the team? Would she be working the bar as well to supplement her income? Would SHIELD be employing her? The analytics felt like they were going to wrack her brain apart, but she did try and focus.

Natasha’s smile was disarming, though she understood that this was not a woman to be underestimated. If she and Clint really were human, which they appeared to be, then they were humans working alongside a host of people with advantages. But the idea that Natasha and Clint might train her in any kind of fighting was helpful. Most Liv could do as it was mostly included throwing an idiot out of her bar or punching the morons who hit on her.

“Sure thing, Nat.” She nodded warmly, pushing back her purple locks nervously. Though when Steve whispered, she turned a brilliant shade of crimson. It was impossible to hide it.

So it was a relief, then, when the Winter Soldier walked in. He was intimidating in the same way that Steve was, and his energy output felt similar. Save for the bionic arm, of course. But she was able to ignore it, not even batting an eyelash as she reached out and shook his hand warmly with a smile.

“Winter? Sorry to steal everyone. Maybe Tony will stop talking about me now.” Liv grinned a bit, cocking an eyebrow at Tony. Not that she hated it, but she certainly wasn’t excited about having been a topic of conversation. All this attention was very new to her.
 
Cap didn't miss the blush and neither did anyone else and another glance passed between Nat and Clint. Winter just managed a stiff smile. His mood seemed a little more sobering than the others. "Nice to meet you...?" Bucky said, since Liv still hadn't told him her name, though he could surmise who she was. She was hard to miss and Stark had mentioned her before.

"This is Olivia Hutton." Cap said, speaking up on her behalf, his tone a little off as he looked between Bucky and Liv.

"Nice to meet you Liv. Sorry I missed your demonstration. Perhaps you can show me another time." he said, and reached out to give her shoulder a squeeze. This time it was obvious that Steve stiffened up a bit but he didn't say anything.

"She should probably fill out a little bit of paperwork." Steve said. "We've brought her on for a trial time period Bucky and we need to make sure everything is in order." Cap said.

"I could help her with that. I'm free for a little bit, and I'm pretty sure Fury wanted to speak to you." Winter said, and looked at Liv as he gestured to the door. "If you want to follow me I can get you started." he said.

Steve normally would have protested but now was not the time and if Fury wanted to talk to him that meant something was going on. "You'll be in very capable hands with Winter. I'll be back as soon as I can." Steve said and let his hand draw across her lower back briefly. Then, with a nod to the others, Cap was off.

Once he left Nat smiled at Liv. "You must have made quite an impression. I've never seen Cap like that."

"She has her charms I'm sure." Stark chimed in, and then stood. "I need to get back to Pepper. We have a lunch date and I've had to cancel the last half dozen times or so. Once more and she'll have my balls."

"Who hasn't seen your balls Tony?" Nat joked and then winked at Liv, happy to give the barbs as much as Tony gave them. "C'mon Liv, I'll go with you and Winter. Get you started." Nat said.

Leading Liv out of the control room, Winter and Nat brought her to a set of offices and soon had the reuisite paperwork. " It's not much, but you get a regular stipend every month, paid by the government, funded by the taxpayers. So I would recommend possibly quitting your bartendign job. You don't have to, but it helps since you'll be on call 24/7." Nat explained.
 
“Olivia, yes, right… sorry…” She shook her head, feeling silly. She was completely out of her element and felt like she’d lost the ability to function. Maybe she just needed more caffeine. She sure as hell needed something. What that was? She wasn’t entirely sure. All of this was making her head spin. And meeting Bucky was certainly no small thing. The man had been plastered on the news, and she was aware of what he was capable of. He seemed quite the opposite of Steve, though she knew they were friends. Close friends, at that.

When Steve left, Olivia felt herself shrink. She was relying on him to make her feel stable, and he had to head out. But she understood, and Winter was apparently a good substitute.

Natasha’s words were filled with question, though Olivia shrugged, “I guess so. I don’t quite know about charms, Tony.” She raised an eyebrow as the man behind the machine, so to speak, made his leave.

Liv was quiet as she followed Nat and Winter, quick to listen to her words as she explained the stipend. Honestly, she was sure that she’d make more than what she did at the bartending gig. More than that, Tony had even made mention of giving her living quarters within Headquarters. Liv imagined that it might feel stifling to live in such a fortress, but it would also grant her certain access. She’d have more available to her, living in the Headquarters.

“I don’t mind being on call… I just… I worry, Nat.” She glanced up at the redhead, feeling nervous, “This isn’t my life. The second my stepfather realizes what I’m doing, Avengers are going to have the US Senate down their throat. I’m not sure I’m worth it.”

Leaning back in the chair she’d taken, Liv pushed back the ample purple hair. She had never been afraid to live her life on her own terms, but she was afraid to bring others in. What she had was a gift, and while she didn’t want to squander it she also didn’t really know what to do. This was uncharted territory.
 
"It's natural to be a little nervous Liv. I wouldn't worry so much about the Senate, stepfather or no. One branch of the government or the other is always down our throats about something." Nat told her.

Winter just chuckled. "Or using us, or down our throats for not letting them use us." he chimed in.

"That too." Nat confirmed and took a seat next to Liv. The paperwork was pretty self explanatory but Liv helped her out a little and explained a bit more as they went along. Winter, Bucky, got up to get a cup of coffee, and brought some back to the girls if they wanted it. The man seemed rather intense and not as relaxed as Steve seemed to be. Always alert, like he might snap at any moment, and his dark eyes remained settled on Liv in a manner that might remind one of a predator.

Once the paperwork had been filled out Nat smiled and took it. "I'll go get that filed for you. If you think you want to, then I can have Bucky, excuse me, Winter, show you around some more. I know you haven't made the fnal decision yet, but he could show you where you might live, the rec room, things like that." she offered.

Winter finished the last of his small cup of coffee and stood, extending a hand to Liv. "I'd be happy to show you around." he said, and motioned for her to join him. There was no command in the gesture, just a quiet confidence that she'd stand and either take his hand or follow him. Of course, unless she wanted to be left sitting in the room by herself, she didn't have much option either.

Winter didn't seem to smile much but he was friendly enough, and showed her several of the rooms available to her; from the cafeteria to the workout room, to the rec room (complete with an Avengers pinball machine and several video games), as well as the living quarters area. All were well appointed and Winter pointed out his bunk, as it were, a small apartment that would be just down the hall from where Liv's would be.
 
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