Happy Steve Bingo - Deciduous

[felicitygs]

 A better late than never fill for my happystevebingo card, which you can view here . 

Deciduous

Steve double checks his bag--sketchbook, pastels, setting spray. Pencil case with a couple pencils, the gummy eraser, the rubber one. A book, for if he changes his mind once he gets to the park, some water. Assured it's all in order, he closes it up and slings it over his shoulder.

"Be back in a bit," he calls out to what seems empty air.

"Have a good trip, sir," Jarvis replies, voice smooth and soothing as ever. It still, sometimes, gives Steve's goosebumps, but Jarvis themself isn't the problem.

It's hard, picking a favourite season. There's good cases to be made for all of them, and as much as he sees people debate it online, Steve doesn't even have a grudge against winter.  But as he walks to the park, the air turning his cheeks pink, he has to say that autumn certainly makes a strong case; maybe even as strong as late spring.

No one really pays Steve any mind at the park; it's one of the only reasons he stays in New York and at the tower with the other Avengers. Everywhere else, he's a celebrity, too well known to go about his day--here, though, he's just another guy. Besides, it's good to be near the rest of the team if there's an emergency. He picks out a spot under a tree with a view over the lake and gets to work, trying to capture a little of the warmth and radiance of the trees before they go into their winter slumbers.

"That's really good," a voice says.

Steve looks up, startled. A man is standing next to him, tall and lean and well-dressed. His eyes are sharp, skin the kind of smooth that only comes from youth or a lifetime of careful control.

"Well thank you," Steve says, managing to smother the instinctive urge to hide his work.

The man looks away, out at the view that Steve has been drawing, then back at Steve.

"Do you take commissions?" he asks.

"Uh, I... not really? Maybe." Steve's a little surprised; whoever this person is, he doesn't seem to know who Steve is. 

"Mm, well if you do." The man pulls a business card from the inside breast pocket of his suit, hands it to Steve. The paper is thick, expensive, and it is blank except for the glossy black embossed letters across the center; when Steve tilts the card, they sheen magpie greens and blues. He reads:

Loki LaFey
Investments &Solutions

and a phone number.

"Your work is quite beautiful," Mr. LaFey says, "and I wouldn't mind it in my office."

"I really haven't done commission work, but I'll let you know."

"Good," LaFey says. He gives Steve's sketchbook one last look, and then he leaves, steps clipped and long and fast, a sharp silhouette against the afternoon light and fall colors.

"Well, I'll be damned," Steve says, turning the card over to find a magpie. He has no idea who this guy is, or if he'll even do work for him but...

it's nice, being approached for his art and not for being Captain America.

Comments

[pennie_dreadful]

I keep going through my reading page half hoping to see another fic and half dreading it, because they're all so good and hit aaaaall the right AU buttons for me, but I also know I'm going to end up wanting more. Regardless! I love your writing.

[terresdebrume]

Aw, that's really sweet! I like the Stoki undertones of it, but I'm mostly happy that Steve got to be just a regular guy for once, rather than just Cap :D

[felicitygs]

Awww, thank you!!! I'm planning on trying to do more of my card (all the prompts I actually like, a couple are way too sappy even for me lmao), so stay tuned <3

[felicitygs]

Thank you! I love doing little loki/steve things where one is just some normal dude.