Mr. Rogers And ME [BL]

He felt like he was sacrificing every bit of his 90-plus years of dignity.

The mere thought of sending a half-naked photo of himself to someone, one he'd have to personally sign, was already excruciatingly awkward.

However, this was Lirael's request, and no matter how conflicted he felt, Steve found it nearly impossible to say no.

But then came the awkward part.

What Steve had brushed off as a casual comment turned out to be a serious matter for Lirael.

Lirael, meanwhile, was in turmoil.

He wasn't like his coworkers, who openly swooned over Captain America's physique day in and day out.

He was a dignified elf after all!

How could he possibly accept such a photo?

And yet, Steve had gone out of his way to offer—turning it down would feel like rejecting a heartfelt gesture.

Worse, it might even feel like a missed opportunity.

The inner battle lasted less than half a second.

Lirael's eyes lit up as he grabbed his phone and frantically typed.

[ @PointyEars4Life: Wait, really? Captain America's? And it's signed?! ]

[ @PointyEars4Life: Will it show his big chest?! ]

[ @StarsandStripes: ... ]

[ @StarsandStripes: It will. ]

Even through the screen, Steve could sense Lirael's excitement, and to his own surprise, it brought a strange sense of satisfaction.

As Lirael bombarded him with exclamation marks, Steve leaned back against the sofa, sent a polite but slightly strained smile emoji, and decided to steer the conversation elsewhere.

[ @StarsandStripes: You know, it's rare to see you this excited… Do you really like Captain America that much? ]

[ @PointyEars4Life: I guess you could say I do. He's a good person. ]

[ @PointyEars4Life: Plus, he reminds me of a friend I used to have… Though, to be honest, our relationship wasn't exactly harmonious. Still, sometimes I find myself missing him. ]

Even though Steve couldn't hear Lirael's voice, the genuine sense of longing and melancholy was evident in his words.

Steve frowned slightly and began typing a response, but he quickly deleted it.

Everyone had their own secrets, after all, and some were too personal to share.

Probing further wouldn't be appropriate.

With that in mind, he sent a simple 'comfort' emoji instead.

Lirael quickly replied with a smile emoji.

From there, their conversation drifted into a variety of casual topics, ranging from something mundane to something amusing.

Although none of it was particularly important, both of them found themselves thoroughly enjoying the exchange, just as they had when they first met.

Before long—or at least, that's how it felt to Steve—the clock in the living room struck 9 PM.

It was Lirael's usual bedtime, and despite the lingering enthusiasm, Steve knew it was time to wrap things up.

[ @StarsandStripes: Get some rest. I'll send the signed photo to the address you gave me. [smile] ]

[ @PointyEars4Life: Thank you. And you should rest early too. ]

[ @PointyEars4Life: Good night! [heart][heart][heart] ]

[ @StarsandStripes: Good night. ]

As if frozen in place, Steve stared at the screen, fixated on the row of conspicuous red hearts for a long time.

Long enough for the clock to tick forward and for @PointyEars4Life's avatar to dim into the gray of offline status.

Only then did Steve finally set the phone down, straightening up from the couch and rubbing the back of his neck, which was starting to feel a bit sore.

"Good news, Cap?"

Carrying two glasses of milk, Sam Wilson strolled into the lounge and placed one in front of Steve.

He raised an eyebrow, his curiosity piqued by the faint expression lingering on Steve's face.

"Nothing particularly special."

The phone screen automatically dimmed, taking with it a map pin that wasn't far from the Avengers Tower.

The image disappeared so quickly that no one could have possibly seen it.

Steve, who had just exchanged a signed photo for someone's address, picked up the glass of milk, hiding the subtle upward curve of his lips behind the rim as he took a slow sip.

Then he blinked at Sam, his tone nonchalant but deliberate.

"But you can help me out with something, Sam."

"What's that?"

"Take a few pictures of me. Use J.A.R.V.I.S.'s system to make sure they turn out good."

Sam's expression froze. "...What?"

...

At precisely 7 a.m., Lirael stepped into the bakery.

Despite the fact that he had been caught up in a hostage crisis that had shaken New York the day before, there was no way to escape from work the next day when you had an infamously capitalist boss.

After all, even elves had to make a living—especially a lone elf trying to survive in the 21st century. S.H.I.E.L.D. certainly wasn't cutting him any slack with subsidies or retirement benefits.

They left this old elf to fend for himself in human society without a trace of concern.

The bakery where Lirael worked was located near Manhattan's bustling city center, just a few blocks away from Avengers Tower.

Normally, at this time, the store were already filled with people, but yesterday's sudden incident had left the place in shambles.

Overturned tables were scattered everywhere, the counter was askew, and one of Lirael's coworkers, who had also been taken hostage, was now lazily sweeping up shards of glass.

When the coworker spotted him entering the store, he enthusiastically waved his hand and came over, the shared ordeal having clearly fostered a sense of camaraderien in him.

"Our boss is such a tyrant—couldn't even give us a day off, huh?"

The coworker, Jimmy, stepped out from behind the counter with a broom and clapped a hand on Lirael's shoulder, grinning. "But seriously, you seem a little bit late today, don't you?"

"That's only because you came too early, Jimmy."

Lirael glanced at the counter, which looked like it might collapse into dust if touched.

He hesitated before avoiding it altogether and instead chose a glass-free corner to set his backpack down.

"I'm guessing you didn't sleep at all last night."

"Of course not—who could sleep after meeting Captain America!"