Author's Note:

Okay I promised I'd write more Avengers and here's one of them ;)

Now I won't promise the 'update once a day' thing that I've done in the past for this one, I expect a few times a week should be good enough for you guys and if I happen to speed up a little bit then bonus I suppose. But I'm not making that once a day commitment! Including this one I'll have 4 stories going at once (the two I'm writing with my co-author count for this as well).

So please enjoy this, it shouldn't be a terribly long fic, just a fun little thing (I'm hoping max 10 chapters but you never know with me XP) I love feed back, please please review! Let me know what you're all thinking and stuffs :3 Appreciate it, I really do

It wasn't a big deal. Not a big deal at all. He was just going out for a date, that's all it was. Nothing special, no one really had to know about it, not that it was a secret he was keeping or anything. Well, it kind of was. The details of the date were more personal and he'd rather not share them, but no one knew what he was doing anyway and no one really asked either. So it was fine. He didn't have to worry about that. But what if they did ask? Well then he'd have to lie... But he couldn't lie to his team, that's wrong, deceitful and downright out of character.

Steve paced his room nervously, his apartment somehow feeling much smaller than usual. He'd found an ad earlier that week, it was in the newspaper, a small excerpt in the advertising section boasting he'd find someone in no time.

He'd been lonely. Everything felt like it weighed on him whenever he saw couples, happily walking down the street or eating together. It was something he'd always kind of wanted, had expected to end up with. But then again, in his own era he couldn't really outright ask anyone. He didn't think his love life would be very successful, especially not right off the bat. But eventually the right partner would arise. Eventually someone would be right for him. He just never thought it'd take until 2012 to find them. In this time people could openly show their sexuality, he could see it clearly, two men holding hands, two women kissing on a park bench, but it would never work for him. Not Captain America.

After he discovered the ad he'd given Natasha a call, the only one he figured who wouldn't bother him too much about what he was looking up. He had a computer and internet, or so Tony had said the one time he had visited. So getting online should be simple, all he had to do was figure out how to get to that ad again. Steve had written down the address for the website and with Natasha's over-the-phone help he figured out how to get there and fill everything out himself.

There had been so many check boxes to describe himself; he was certain that he'd spent at least two hours deciding and answering questions. It was important; this site would help him find someone perfect for him without having to ask them outright. It was a saving grace and he was more appreciative of it the more thorough it was. It meant that whoever answered all these questions on the other end would be that much more of a perfect fit.

Of course there was the added tension of knowing that he was out in the open now that he'd go out on a blind date with a stranger a man. If it went well he'd inevitably have to inform his team. He was their captain and he'd like to know if any of them had important civilians, romantically speaking, living in the area that way he would know ahead of time that they'd inevitably run to check on them. It was logical; he knew that he'd want to know. Therefore they would probably want to know as well.

He paced faster, his nerves eating him alive. 'It'll be fine, Rogers.' He told himself over and over though it never seemed to help. Steve had picked out his wardrobe for the evening, their meeting time was 7pm, the place was a nice restaurant just east of the downtown area on the top floor of a hotel, in the restaurant they had a table reserved by the big window looking out over the city. He knew all of this; the specs for the date were memorized in his mind. But what really did bother him about all of it was that he didn't know what the other man was going to look like or even what his name was. That's why the meeting place was so specific; they were only given the list of things their date had checked off but nothing more.

It was exciting and scary all at once. Steve told himself that he was allowed to go after what he wanted; just because he was the Captain didn't mean he couldn't like men. Though his mind wouldn't let him off that easily, he was worried his team would no longer listen to him, that they'd judge him, think that they couldn't trust him, it was a nightmare to think about and he'd rather not. But there it was, the nagging feeling at the back of his head. They'd question his judgement, Tony would mock him relentlessly, take him down as many pegs as he had left. Clint would outright refuse to talk to him, he was pretty certain. Natasha might still call him Captain though he could imagine the weird look she'd give him. Bruce might just question his motives and thought processes in general. And Thor? Who knows what's allowed on Asgard, this kind of thing might even be punishable by death as far as Steve knew!

Yes, he was stressed out. Yes, he was worrying himself sick over it. It was a problem but he couldn't exactly say 'stop' and it'd listen.

"Get a hold of yourself," he said out loud, stopping and looking in a mirror, double checking that he looked presentable. "The boxes he checked are perfect, beyond even what you considered. He's looking for a long-term relationship, a younger man about your age, patient, easy-going, fit, and a number of other things that you are. No reason to be nervous about anything else right now, you're going to have a great evening."

A self pep-talk. It worked, he felt a lot better. He was going out to have a good time and meet someone that might be really special to him soon. It was a big deal but nothing to be scared over. He was filled with nervous and excited energy; he really wanted this to go well. The descriptions of what this person was looking for almost sounded perfect for him, even seemed to describe him at some points. Their values in life and other things like that all checked out, in fact they almost seriously impressed him. Since he'd gotten the copy of what this person was like, what they checked off and the answers they gave for certain questions, Steve had been trying to picture him. Someone looking for a taller, well-built and fit man was definitely a bottom kind of person, exactly what Steve was looking for. He spent hours thinking about how the date would go, about what they were like in person, he hoped for someone romantic but he wasn't going to weigh in on that.

Steve looked at the time and took a long and slow breath, it was time to go, worries and nerves aside, he could do this.

Just as he was about to step out the door his phone rang, the sound jostling him and sending his nerves into another fiery spree of prickling and uncomfortable. He calmed himself and picked it up, "Hello, Steve Rogers." He answered stoically, like a captain might be expected to. He may or may not be feeling the pressure, he wouldn't admit it if he was.

"Hey, Steve. It's Bruce,"

Steve squeezed his eyes shut and prayed he wouldn't be asked about a date or anything like it. "Hey Bruce, how's it going?"

"Not too bad, was wondering if you were free this evening? I'm in a social mood but it seems Tony's out tonight."

Steve bit his lower lip and put on his best casual face, regardless of whether Bruce could see him or not, "Actually I'm busy this evening, sorry. Can I get a rain check on that?"

"You too, eh? Alright, fair enough. Rain check sounds good, we'll do something some other time then." Bruce didn't sound terribly upset but Steve still felt like a complete jerk for brushing him off.

'Well you ARE busy, so you aren't lying and you shouldn't feel bad.' He told himself. "Right, sorry again."

"Don't worry about it. I'll see you around."

With that the phone call was over. Steve lightened up a little, a smile crossing his lips as he locked his door and marched down the hall. He hadn't lied to his teammate but he still managed to skirt telling about his date. Bruce hadn't asked what he was up to; he asked if Steve was free. Steve was not free therefore he wasn't lying and 'not telling the whole truth' didn't apply because explaining his date didn't count as 'the whole truth' with the question that was asked.

Everything was going rather well.

Steve arrived at the restaurant; he noted it was a good fifteen minutes early and hoped that the table reserved for them was open. He approached the front, glancing at the 'please wait to be seated' sign and fidgeted nervously. How was he supposed to get the right seat? He swallowed his nerves and smiled at the waitress who walked up to him, "For one?"

"Two, actually. I'm expecting someone." As confident as he hoped he looked he knew his face had a distinct 'I don't know what I'm doing' expression when that was the case.

"Are you part of the blind date special?" The girl asked with a bit of a smile. Obviously they'd know about it, the seat was reserved after all. Steve brushed the back of his head sheepishly and nodded, not sure what to say. The blind date site was specifically for same sex couples, she could clearly see what he was after just by him nodding his head.

Then again, she'd see it anyway because he'd be having a romantic dinner with another man in a few short minutes. "I am, yeah."

"Right this way, honey." She winked and started walking him over to the fantastically set up table. He was amazed, put a little money into an online dating site and they go all out for you. There was a soft white cloth spread over the table, two wine glasses sitting and waiting, cloth napkins folded into nifty little tee-pees on the plates, the silverware sitting to the side of the plate, polished and clean. He smiled at the waitress and politely thanked her as he took his seat, casually waiting as his heart thumped like a jack rabbit.

He looked at the clock every thirty seconds, he was pretty sure, because several times he encountered that the time hadn't changed at all since he'd last looked at it. 'I wonder what he's like. I'll bet he's handsome, charming maybe. I wonder what he likes to do in his spare time? None of that was on the data sheet I got back; maybe we're really different when it comes to hobbies. Won't matter, that way we can have our own hobbies and not get in each other's hair. I wonder what his hair's like...' Steve's train of thought went on like this until his mind wandered to a few things that it shouldn't have, his cheeks darkening with a red tint. 'I hope I like him, I hope he likes me...'

The door to the restaurant opened, or, the elevator dinged and caught Steve's attention. It was about the right time, just about anyone could be him. His eyes were glued as the door's slid open and a young man walked out, a little skinny but didn't look too bad in a suit. Steve was a little nervous until he spotted the woman following him out of the elevator. 'Oh, okay not him.' He nestled back in his chair and took a deep breath. 'When he gets here do you want to be a sweaty nervous mess? No? I didn't think so. Get your act together, Rogers. It's not the end of the world if this doesn't work out, just gotta keep trying. And who knows, you might catch a break with this one.'

The doors dinged again and he glanced up calmly this time, a subtle smile on his lips as he watched the doors slide open one more time.

His heart fell and a cold feel crept into his gut.

Tony Stark walked out of the elevator, slipping a pair of sunglasses into his pocket, glancing around the restaurant.

Steve had never wanted to die as much as he did right then.