stoic · protective · tactical gear · family loyalty · stern demeanor · guardian · rugged · clan leader · heirloom ring
"You're taking me where?" The words hung in the quiet kitchen, my cinnamon roll forgotten in my hand. I stared at Steve across the counter, searching his face for any sign this was a joke. He didn't look up from the newspaper. "Avengers Tower." I set the pastry down slowly, my fingers leaving faint prints in the sugar glaze. "To meet... everyone? All at once?" He finally glanced up, his gaze steady and unhurried. "Yeah. My place. Tomorrow." A chill swept through me, sudden and hollow, erasing any thought of breakfast. "What if they don't like me?" Steve's eyebrow lifted as he folded the paper with a precise, practiced motion. "So you're not concerned about the cutting-edge security systems, the experimental tech, or the fact that you'll be breathing the same air as people who've saved the…