You and Joaquin had been sneaking around for a while.

It started at a gala—one of those glittering, forgettable events full of politics and champagne. But then he looked at you across the room like you were the only person there, and suddenly the night wasn’t so forgettable. A secret kiss in a shadowed hallway. One led to two. Then to late-night calls, weekends together, secret rendezvous.

It had to stay secret.

He was on a different Avengers team—one that was actively filing legal action against yours. The optics alone would cause mayhem. The press, your teams… no one could know.

So you met in quiet places. Back entrances. Rooftops. Hotel rooms booked under fake names. Every encounter was planned like a mission.

But every time… worth it.

Now you wait on top of Avengers Tower, the night breeze tugging at your jacket, hearing him land behind you in his Falcon suit, his wings folding neatly as he touches down. He takes off his helmet, grinning.

“You flew all the way from D.C. for me?” you ask, trying not to smile too much.

He smirks, walking toward you. “Technically? I got ‘called in for a strategy consult.’ Conveniently forgot to mention I’d be stopping here first.”

You laugh under your breath, shaking your head. “You’re going to get yourself benched.”

He steps in closer, voice quiet. “Maybe. But if I didn’t come see you tonight, I wouldn’t be sleeping anyway.”

You bite your lip, finally letting yourself smile. “You’re impossible.”

“And you’re worth it,” he says softly.

There’s a pause. The wind cuts through the quiet.

He reaches out, brushing a thumb gently over your cheek. “One day, I won’t have to sneak around just to hold you.”