It was just a cake.

Steve was already at the party when Peter went to pick up the cakes and his girl. He was helping Bucky make sure everything was perfect for Becca’s birthday.

“So, she’s coming to the party?” the brunette asked.

“Yeah, I asked her to deliver the cakes,” he answered with a smile.

“And she accepted? Just like that?” His friend raised an eyebrow. “That sounds pretty easy, if you ask me.”

“I didn’t give her much of an option,” Steve replied. He knew where Bucky was going with this, and he didn’t like it, even if he appreciated his friend’s caution. “Don’t be like that, punk. Not everyone we meet has a shady past with HYDRA or is loyal to them.”

“In our line of work, we can’t be too cautious,” Bucky said, rolling his eyes.

“Give her a chance. You don’t even know her.” Steve knew Bucky wasn’t good with new people, he didn’t like people that much in general.

“Neither do you! What, you’ve seen this girl… twice?” Bucky asked, exasperated. Steve just looked at him with intense eyes. “Okay, okay, I’ll behave… for now.”

Steve sighed, rubbing his temples. He understood why Bucky was acting this way, why he was being extra cautious. He had been the one to find Steve bleeding out after Sharon tried to kill him, the one who rushed him to the hospital and stayed by his side until he woke up. But Steve really liked this girl.

He felt relieved when Peter called to let him know they had arrived. He walked through the house and opened the door before Peter and she even reached the entrance.

He looked at her, and it felt like the air was knocked out of his lungs. She looked stunning. He already knew she was beautiful, but now he could see the effort she had put in—her hair moving with every step, her makeup, and of course, the dress that left him wondering what surprises were hidden beneath it.

“Hi, sweetheart,” he greeted her with a wide smile. “You look beautiful.”

He saw her cheeks turn red, his compliment clearly getting to her.

“Thanks… you look great,” she said, her voice a little shaky. “I should go put the cakes in the kitchen.”

She was nervous, but he hadn’t invited her just to stay in the kitchen. He wanted to show her around, even just a little.

“Don’t worry about that, sweetheart. Peter will take care of them, right, kid?” He stretched out his hand for her to take. “Shall we?”

Peter nodded and walked away with the cakes. Steve smiled at her. Instead of holding her hand, he linked their arms together.

He felt her body tense at his closeness, but he didn’t let go, feeling her start to relax little by little.

They walked through the door, and he heard her gasp. Turning to look at her, he saw her taking in every detail of the house.

“Wow, this place is…” She struggled to find the words to describe Bucky’s home.

“Yeah, Bucky has good taste in decoration,” he said with a smile. “Wait until you see the garden, that’s where the party is.”

As they continued walking, she tensed up again.

“Uhm, Steve?” She slowed her steps. “Why are you taking me to the garden? I’m not a guest, I should be in the kitchen making sure the cakes are fine.”

Steve stopped, chuckling. He looked at her with intensity, he wasn’t going to take that excuse.

“You’re my guest now, sweetheart,” he said with a smile “If anyone messes with you, which I doubt, just tell them I invited you.”

He saw doubt flicker across her face, but just as quickly, she put on a brave one again.

“That’s my girl,” he thought.

“…Okay, I’ll stay for now. But if I don’t feel comfortable anymore…”

She didn’t get to finish, because Steve cut her off.

“I’ll take you home the moment you ask. Promise.”

And he meant it. He didn’t want to push her boundaries, he wanted to earn her trust completely.

They arrived at the garden, and her soft voice saying, “This place looks like it’s straight out of a fairy tale,” melted his heart.

She seemed like a brave girl, but he knew that deep down, she was soft. He had noticed it in the brief interactions they’d had so far.

He heard the breathy sigh she let out. He wanted to pull her into his arms and reassure her, but he respected her space.

“You seem like you could use something to drink,” he suggested. She nodded.

They reached the bar, and only then did he let go of her arm. The bartender nodded in greeting.

“What’s your poison, sweetheart?” Steve asked her.

“I’ll have a cosmo, please.”

The bartender nodded and started making her drink. Steve watched closely as the man prepared it. He wasn’t a big fan of cocktails himself, he preferred straight drinks.

“Can you wait here just a second?” he asked her, and she nodded. He wanted to introduce her to Bucky. “Promise me you won’t run the moment I leave you alone? " he teased.

She chuckled. “Even if I wanted to run, I’m sure I’d get lost trying to find the exit of this place,”

He wasn’t sure if she was teasing him back or if she genuinely didn’t know her way out of Bucky’s house.

As he walked away, he glanced back to see her taking a seat at the bar, sipping her drink.

He went straight to where Bucky and Sam were talking.

“She’s here,” Steve told them. “Please don’t scare her off.”

Bucky rolled his eyes but didn’t say anything, while Sam snorted.

“If you keep up that attitude, Buck, I’m gonna start thinking you’re jealous,” Sam teased.

“Very funny, Sam,” Bucky growled sarcastically. “Let me remind you that his last girlfriend almost killed him.”

“Just be civil, okay?” Steve interrupted their banter before they could go on forever.

Sam nodded, and Bucky groaned again but started walking with them.

When they arrived at the bar, Steve started looking around for her. Not finding her anywhere nearby, he thought the worst, she had left the party. Anger began to bubble up.

“It seems your little bunny ran,” Bucky teased with a satisfied grin.

Steve groaned and took out his phone, sending a text to Loki. He felt angry and disappointed. He had trusted her with something as small as not leaving the party, and yet she had left.

“I’ll go check if everything’s alright with the party,” Bucky said. He knew better than to be around Steve when he was mad. The man had a heart of gold, but his control over his anger wavered when he felt betrayed.

Sam didn’t say anything and simply tailed behind Bucky. He, too, knew when their friend needed space.

Loki and Thor didn’t take long to reach Steve’s side.

“Can you track down the baker’s phone?” Steve asked Loki. “I asked her not to leave the party…”

“The baker girl?” Thor interrupted. “She’s with Jane and Darcy.”

“What?!” Steve asked, confused, unable to understand why she would be with Jane and Darcy. “Why?” he asked, raising an eyebrow.

“They’re friends,” Thor answered matter-of-factly.

“They… they are friends? How?” Steve couldn’t wrap his mind around it. He knew the world was small, but not this small. He looked at the brothers. Loki only shrugged, but Thor added, “I dunno, didn’t ask.”

Steve sighed. Thor and Loki were two of his most trusted men. Loki was smart, manipulative, and persuasive, while Thor was strong, ruthless, and always got the job done. Neither of them were the type to ask unnecessary questions.

“Okay, can you take me to her?” he asked, already starting to walk.

The closer they got to where the girls were, the louder the laughter became. He saw her, genuinely laughing and having fun. It gave him a glimpse of who she was around people she trusted, reinforcing his desire to gain that trust.

“I thought you had left,” he said once he was close enough. She turned around. “You know each other?” he asked, pointing between her and her two friends.

“Nope, I’m still here,” she replied calmly. He had already calmed down the moment Thor told him where she was.

“Yeah, we’ve known Cupcake since we were kids,” Jane, Thor’s girlfriend, chimed in.

“Stop calling me that,” she groaned. “People will start calling me that.”

“Cupcake? Is that a nickname because you’re a baker?” Steve asked, raising an eyebrow. He noticed the way her cheeks turned pink.

“How cute.”

“Yes,” she said at the same time Darcy said, “No.”

Steve looked between the two of them, waiting.

“She’s Cupcake because she poisoned a boy with a cupcake when we were in high school,” Jane added quickly.

“Poisoned a guy?” That was something he didn't expect.

She groaned again, covering her face. She looked adorable.

“Don’t say it like that, Jane!” she protested. “You make it sound like I didn’t do it for the right reason.”

“There’s a right reason to poison someone?” Thor asked before Steve could.

“Well, no… yes?” Now Steve was curious as to why she would put something in a cupcake.

“We were in our first year of high school, and there was a guy who bullied Darcy all the time,” Jane began explaining. “He used to steal Darcy’s lunch everyday, so Cupcake here made a cupcake with some laxatives in it. Of course, the boy ate it. Let’s just say he got what he deserved.”

“What can I say? I hate bullies,” she said matter-of-factly. “No one messed with us again”

Steve heard Loki and Thor chuckle, and he couldn’t help but let out a small chuckle himself.

“The little bunny has claws after all.”

“I hate bullies too,” he said, placing a hand on her shoulder as if to show his support for her decision.  “I’ve been in more fights than I can remember because of that.”

She smiled at him, really smiled. It was the most beautiful smile he had ever seen. Not one of her usual shy, polite smiles, but a real one.

“It’s almost time to cut the cake,” he reminded her, remembering why he had been looking for her in the first place. “I want to introduce you to Bucky before he gets a taste of them. What do you say?”

He saw her glance at her friends as if looking for reassurance. Both gave her an encouraging nod before she turned back to him and nodded slowly.

He smiled at her and stretched out his arm for her to take. She smiled back and linked her arm with his, just like she had when she first arrived at the party.

They walked together until they stopped in front of Bucky, Sam, and Tony. The three men immediately looked at them, but Steve shot them a warning glance.

“Guys, this is the amazing baker I was telling you about,” he introduced her, noticing the way her cheeks turned pink at his praise. “Sweetheart, these are my partners Bucky Barnes and Tony Stark, and this is Officer Sam Wilson.”

He didn’t understand what happened, but he saw how pale she became. He felt the small tremors run through her body. She was scared, that much was obvious. But why?

She recovered quickly, acting calm as she extended her hand toward the men in front of her, shaking hands with each of them. “Nice to meet you,” she said evenly. “Steve is selling me high.” She was trying to lighten the mood.

“Maybe you’re selling yourself short,” Steve replied, giving her arm a reassuring squeeze.

“Stevie boy says your cakes are the best he’s ever tasted,” Tony said, smirking. “and that’s a big compliment because the man hates cakes.”

“Thank you,” she replied shyly. It was as if she wanted to disappear.

“Well, it’s good to finally put a face to the name,” Bucky said. Steve knew his friend well, and the tone he used wasn’t friendly, it was scrutinizing.

She nodded, her smile nervous. “Steve talks about you too. It’s nice to meet you in person.”

Before anyone else could say anything, Becca interrupted.

“Come on! Let’s cut the cakes!” she said cheerfully, oblivious to the tension in the air.

“I suppose it’s time for the truth,” Sam joked, trying to lighten the mood. Steve made a mental note to thank him for that.

“I’ll go find Darcy and Jane,” she told Steve quietly before turning to the others. “It was really nice to meet you. I hope you like the cake.”

Steve watched her, silently asking what was going on, but he let go of her arm. He reminded himself not to push too hard.

“What was that?” Tony was the first to break the silence. “She looked like she was about to pass out.”

“Maybe she was just nervous,” Sam offered. “I mean, Bucky here was looking at her like a scanner searching for weapons.”

“Or maybe she’s hiding something,” Bucky said, his tone serious. “You should let Sam or Tony look into her background.”

“Buck, we already went through this. Not everyone is hiding something, and I don’t want to look into her background. I want to do this the old-fashioned way, okay?” Steve tried to convince himself of that, too. But Bucky’s doubt was starting to creep into him.

He snapped out of his thoughts—whatever it was, he would eventually find out.

“Let’s go before Becca comes back.”

After singing Happy Birthday to Becca and cutting the cake, Steve looked around, searching for her. But she was nowhere to be found.

“Hey, this cake is actually as good as you said,” Tony said, clapping a hand on Steve’s back. “She’s talented. Rare, but talented.”

Bucky grunted in approval.

Others started complimenting Steve’s choice of cake, which only made him feel uncomfortable. Where was she? She was the one who should be receiving all this praise, not him.

With a sigh, he stepped aside and started talking with Sam, trying to put his mind at ease.

“Here comes your girl,” Sam teased with a smirk.

Steve had thought she had left the party the first chance she got, but no. She was still there, walking in his direction.

“Hey, sweetheart,” he said with a smile, and she smiled back.

“I didn’t think this cake could taste better than the one I had at the coffee shop, but you’ve exceeded expectations, again.” He praised her, suppressing the urge to reach for her cheek.

“Really? You liked it that much?” she asked, unable to hide her surprise, her smile growing wider.

He loved how her face brightened when he praised her.

“Definitely one of the best cakes I’ve ever had,” Sam chimed in. If you have time and are up for it, would you mind doing the birthday cake for my nephew?”

“Sure, I’d love to.” Steve was surprised by how easily she agreed to make Cass’s cake. Maybe she just needed a push and a little patience. “Here, put your number in so we can go over the details for the cake.”she said, handing him her phone.

He typed in his number and gave it back to her.

“I’ll leave you two to it,” Sam said, clapping Steve’s back and stretching his hand out to shake hers. “If you need anything, don’t hesitate to call.”

Sam had no idea Steve had Peter keeping an eye on her, making sure she was safe every second of the day. And he didn’t need to know.

“Thanks,” she said with a small smile.

“Well, that went well,” Steve told her. He wanted to show how proud he was but didn’t want to scare her off with his intensity.

“Yeah… Thanks, Steve.”

That caught him off guard.

“This is a huge opportunity, and you didn’t have to help me, but here you are, helping a complete stranger.”

“You’re not a complete stranger, sweetheart,” he said without hesitation.

He didn’t feel like they were strangers anymore.

 “I know your name, where you’re from, what you’re doing in New York, and what your dream is. I think that’s a pretty good start to getting to know someone.”

She stared at him, and he had no idea what was going through her mind. But he had noticed she had a hard time letting people in. The way she acted around her friends, carefree and open, was completely different from how she restrained herself around others.

“And you know some things about me too,” He continued “What I’m trying to say is that we’re not strangers anymore. And if I can help you, I will.”

“Thanks, Steve. That’s really kind of you.”

When her hand made contact with his arm and she gave it a small squeeze, a shiver ran down his spine.

It wasn’t a hug or a kiss or something more intimate.

But it was something.

For the rest of the day, he saw her relax a little more,not fully in professional mode, but not completely letting go either.

As more people gathered around them, Steve kept a close eye on Bucky, and on her.

He didn’t care how close they were. It was like her body was naturally drawn to his. If he moved, she moved. Like a moth to a flame.

And when their arms brushed, he knew that the only thing he wanted in that moment was to unravel the mystery of who she was.