[ No matter how exhausted he is, Steve's nights are almost always restless, so he has developed methods for keeping busy between sundown and sunrise. Most of the time he turns to exercise to tire himself out, whether it's a long run or a visit to the Triskelion gyms (he won’t find reinforced punching bags anywhere else). When he’d rather stay in, he passes time by reading or watching something from the endless list of things he missed. None of these sleepless nights are particularly fun, but some are much worse than ever, and every now and then there comes a night that threatens to send Steve on a downward spiral unless he can drive his thoughts away completely. That’s when he goes looking for company — the kind that tends to require little talking and even less thinking.
It isn’t public knowledge that Captain America lives in Washington D.C. running missions for SHIELD, but Steve still takes small measures to avoid being recognized. Nightclubs are ideal for anonymity — loud, dark, and crowded — but he learned the hard way that they’re too much to handle when he’s already on edge. Bars are the next best thing; most are only dimly lit and well populated, and no one expects more than small talk. Hotel bars are even better, filled with tourists instead of regulars, and thereby minimizing any chances of future run-ins around town.
Steve hasn’t been to this hotel before, but he told the doorman he was meeting someone and got directed to the bar without further questions. He takes a seat at the bar, orders a beer, and looks around. After a moment of deliberation, he decides to approach the woman sitting alone at the other end of the bar. From her clothes he can guess she’s here on business, and her body language suggests it hasn’t been a fun trip, but she doesn’t so closed off that she’d turn away company.
By the time that Steve realizes he’s seen her before, he’s too close to turn around. They’ve never met but he’d know even if they didn’t have any mutual acquaintances — she’s Pepper Potts, CEO of Stark Industries. And knowing Tony, she’ll recognize him too.
He only sees one option here: he has to play this like he knew who she was all along, and his real reason for coming over was to introduce himself properly and not to hit on her. So when he’s close enough, Steve smiles like he would when meeting a friend of a friend, and not like he would at someone he was hoping to spend the night with. ]
Ms. Potts? Hi, I’m Steve Ro — [ He cuts himself off, still wary of being recognized by anyone else if they’re overheard. ] Sorry, I hope I’m not bothering you. I just saw you here and thought I should come say hello.
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It isn’t public knowledge that Captain America lives in Washington D.C. running missions for SHIELD, but Steve still takes small measures to avoid being recognized. Nightclubs are ideal for anonymity — loud, dark, and crowded — but he learned the hard way that they’re too much to handle when he’s already on edge. Bars are the next best thing; most are only dimly lit and well populated, and no one expects more than small talk. Hotel bars are even better, filled with tourists instead of regulars, and thereby minimizing any chances of future run-ins around town.
Steve hasn’t been to this hotel before, but he told the doorman he was meeting someone and got directed to the bar without further questions. He takes a seat at the bar, orders a beer, and looks around. After a moment of deliberation, he decides to approach the woman sitting alone at the other end of the bar. From her clothes he can guess she’s here on business, and her body language suggests it hasn’t been a fun trip, but she doesn’t so closed off that she’d turn away company.
By the time that Steve realizes he’s seen her before, he’s too close to turn around. They’ve never met but he’d know even if they didn’t have any mutual acquaintances — she’s Pepper Potts, CEO of Stark Industries. And knowing Tony, she’ll recognize him too.
He only sees one option here: he has to play this like he knew who she was all along, and his real reason for coming over was to introduce himself properly and not to hit on her. So when he’s close enough, Steve smiles like he would when meeting a friend of a friend, and not like he would at someone he was hoping to spend the night with. ]
Ms. Potts? Hi, I’m Steve Ro — [ He cuts himself off, still wary of being recognized by anyone else if they’re overheard. ] Sorry, I hope I’m not bothering you. I just saw you here and thought I should come say hello.