Good Luck, Babe!
NEW YORK MOMENTS
Unholy Chaos by Arthur Christenson
At the second New York stop in popstar Kassie Cantor’s Holy Tour, a coordinated attack by five unnamed operatives left fans reeling. After using an explosive device to blast a hole in the stage floor, the operatives attempted to kidnap Cantor. Fortunately, well-known Avengers Captain America, The Siren, and Sergeant Barnes were on the scene and put a stop to the attack.
“It was crazy,” one anonymous fan stated. “They moved so fast. I don’t even want to think about what would have happened to our queen if they hadn’t been there.”
Preliminary reports indicate that seven fans were injured while exiting the stadium, though no injuries appear to be serious.
Cantor’s publicist had this to say: “We’re deeply saddened by the injuries fans sustained due to circumstances beyond our control, and we are very grateful to The Avengers for their assistance.”
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Almost immediately, Kassie strikes up a comfortable conversation in the car with two out of three Avengers. The Siren - Cleo, she tells Kassie to call her - is actually a fan, so the two have a little fun talking shit about Kassie’s recent ex.
“I couldn’t fucking believe it when I saw them together,” Cleo says, frowning deeply. “I’m not gonna lie - I wanted to throttle him.”
Kassie smiles wryly. “You and me both, but Luke is such a fame whore that the bashing he’s getting from all my fans is probably a pretty good substitute.”
Cleo folds her arms, and the guy who introduced himself as Bucky gives her an adoring look. “Good,” she says. “He deserves it. And The Saturn Chronicles was a fucking stupid movie, by the way.”
“I agree,” Bucky says, grinning at Cleo.
Kassie tips her head back and laughs. “You two are so sweet.” Cleo blushes and Bucky puts an arm around her shoulders. “If every guy looked at his girlfriend like that, I wouldn’t have to write breakup songs anymore.”
“But they’re so good!” Cleo says, and Kassie laughs again.
The two women chat like that through the entire ride, and Kassie honestly feels grateful for the distraction. She has absolutely zero desire to think about the earlier events, and talking with a fan who also happens to be an Avenger is the perfect excuse to focus on anything else.
Captain America - Steve, he insisted - doesn’t participate much, but Kassie doesn’t really mind. He seems a little uncomfortable with her - maybe even shy, so she figures she’ll leave him be for now.
When the car pulls up in front of the Avengers Tower, an identical SUV pulls up behind and Kassie tenses. She relaxes instantly, though, when the door opens.
“Ricky, I didn’t know you were coming.”
He smiles nervously as the group of five enter the Tower. “Apparently my attendance was requested.” He pauses and lowers his voice. “By Tony Stark.”
Kassie giggles at her manager, finding it silly that he’s still able to be star-struck despite his famous clients, and Steve shoots her a look as they step onto an elevator.
The group exits onto a nondescript floor and files into what looks like a conference room. Kassie takes a seat first, letting everyone else file in around her, and they’re soon joined by the Tower’s owner.
“Tony, good to see you again,” Kassie says with a smile.
“You too, Miss Cantor,” he says with a rakish grin. Cleo scoffs at him, and he shrugs at her. “If you wanted to go to parties with pop stars, you should’ve been a billionaire instead of a professor.” She glares, and though Kassie doesn’t get the joke, she lets it go.
Rick schools the fanboy expression off his face and gets down to business. “So, why is Kassie here?”
“We need to know why HYDRA targeted her - if they’re after her specifically, or if her concert was a distraction for something bigger,” Steve says, suddenly sounding very in-charge.
Kassie rolls her eyes at being spoken about like she’s not in the room, but it isn’t like she’s not used to it. “She has no idea why she was targeted, but she would also like to find out,” she says pointedly, crossing her arms under her sparkly top. Steve blushes, looking anywhere but the singer, and she can’t help but smile a little.
Tony makes a face. “Some of the intel we were able to intercept makes me think they wanted you specifically, but none of it gave any clues to why.”
Kassie frowns, her nose scrunching up. “Why would evil agent guys want me?”
“I’m not sure,” Steve says, shaking his head, “but given how public your life is, we can’t be certain they won’t try taking you again. We’ll do our best to question the operatives from tonight, but HYDRA agents are pretty notorious for not talking.”
Frank’s forehead is creased with worry. “If you think they might come after her again, what can we do? Should we cancel the rest of her tour?”
“Are you kidding me?” Kassie laughs. “That is not an option.”
Steve huffs a little sigh, sounding almost frustrated. “I’m sure that’s not your first choice, but if it’s in the best interest of your safety, then -”
“Look,” Kassie interrupts him. “If you don’t know why they’re after me, and I don’t know why they’re after me, then who’s to say they won’t find me regardless of where I am? Why would I cancel my tour - disappointing thousands of fans and putting people out of work, by the way - if we don’t even know that it would make a difference?”
Tony leans forward. “She’s got a point, Cap.”
Steve glares at his teammate, running a hand through his hair. “Well then what do you suggest we do instead, Tony?”
“I say one of us keeps an eye on her. She’ll be protected, and we can get to the bottom of whatever crackpot plan HYDRA is up to. Two birds, one stone.”
Kassie honestly isn’t convinced that this wasn’t a one-off thing, but if an Avenger wants to follow her around for their own peace of mind, she’s not going to complain about it.
Cleo looks like she’s about to volunteer, but Tony shoots a look across the table that silences her. “I think Captain Boyscout here should do it.”
Steve gapes at him. “Why me?”
Tony shrugs. “Lite Brite is busy with her little research project, which means Barnes is also busy. Natasha and Legolas are off doing their thing, Banner isn’t really a mission guy, and I… Well, I don’t want to.”
Kassie stifles a laugh at the irritated look on Steve’s face. “Come on, Captain. I’m not that bad.” She bats her eyelashes at him with an innocent smile. “We might even have some fun.”
Steve blushes bright red, and Bucky leans forward with a serious look that seems to be taking all of his concentration to maintain. “I agree with Stark. You’re clearly the only man for the job.”
Steve sighs deeply, defeatedly. “Alright, fine,” he says. “Bucky and I know the most about how HYDRA works, and he is busy with other projects, so I’ll take the mission.”
Kassie winks at him, renewing his blush. “Your country thanks you, Captain.”
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Steve really doesn’t like what he’s gotten himself into, here. He’s been on plenty of missions, traveled to plenty of places, but this? Babysitting a popstar? He isn’t one to have a big head, but still - this doesn’t seem like a job for Captain America.
And yet here he is, packing a bag so he can follow Kassie Cantor around eleven more North American cities.
He looks up from his leather duffle bag when he hears his front door opening, just in time to see Bucky waltz in and throw himself down on Steve’s bed.
“You look like you’re packing for a funeral, punk. You could be at least a little excited.”
Steve levels a flat look at his best friend. “Excited? About babysitting duty? I don’t think so.”
Bucky rolls his eyes. “Come on, man. Things have been relatively quiet around here, and aside from morning runs, you haven’t left the Tower in weeks. This could be fun - like a vacation.”
Steve chuckles dryly. “This isn’t my idea of fun, Buck.”
“Maybe that’s why it’ll be good for you. Get you out of your comfort zone a little. Life isn’t all frontlines and fighting evil, y’know.”
Steve narrows his eyes. “You’re a lot more annoying now that you’re happy, you know that?”
Bucky barks a laugh and pushes himself off the bed, ambling out of the room. “Just think about what I said, okay? Try to loosen up a little.”
Steve returns to packing, turning just as Bucky reaches the door to call, “Jerk.”
Bucky chuckles. “Yeah, love you too, punk,” he says, and then Steve is left alone. Again. Always.
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Kassie watches Steve with interest as he boards her plush tour bus. She’s lounging on a couch in the main area, snacking on macarons and wearing a pair of pink, lacy lounge shorts and a white tank top.
“Cookie?” she asks, holding out the box in Steve’s direction.
He furrows his eyebrows and shakes his head. “No thanks. Where can I put this?” he asks, hefting his duffle bag.
Kassie lets out a squeak of surprise. “Is that all you brought?”
“I learned to pack light,” Steve says with a shrug. “Where can I put it?”
She smacks her palm against her forehead at the repeated question. “Duh, sorry! Follow me.” Kassie stands from the couch and leads him past the sitting area, through a kitchen with a dinette, and into an enclosed room with four bunks and a small bathroom. “You can take whatever bunk you want. Sometimes crew members ride along and crash here, but it’s not consistent.”
“Of course,” Kassie says with a mischievous grin, “if this isn’t suitable for the great Captain America, you can always stay with me in the master suite.” She gestures to the closed door at the back of the bunk area, and Steve flushes.
“Nope, this is perfect. I was in the army - this is downright grand compared to some of the places I’ve slept.”
Kassie rolls her eyes and turns to walk back to the couch. “If you insist.” She turns her head and winks at him over her shoulder. “Offer’s open if you change your mind, though.”
Steve simply yanks the curtain closed, shielding her view of the bunk area, and she suppresses a giggle.
Of course Kassie thinks the man is dreamy - he’s a full foot taller than her, he’s absolutely ripped, and he’s got that whole righteous savior thing going on. But mostly, she’s just trying to mess with him. She can’t tell how much of his schoolboy persona is an act and how much is really him, and honestly it’s driving her nuts.
So, Kassie’s plan is to flirt with him - make him blush, make him nervous - until she finds out. And if it leads to a hot rebound from her asshole ex in the process? Well, who would she be to deny America’s greatest hero?