Steve x Child! Reader |Leaflet| AtR

Steve had been wary of taking her to the park after (Name) ran away. Finding her beaten and near death on the ground had sort of killed the magic of park visits for him, but for some reason the little girl seemed determined to go.

The last four days she’d been sticking herself to the window pane, staring outside at the park visible from their floor in the Tower. Bedtime, food time or Spongebob time were the only moments you weren’t standing there. Tony couldn’t even pull her away without resulting in a crying child and angry Steve.

“You should probably take her sometime soon,” Tony said from his seat, watching the girl pressed against the window. Steve placed a small stack of papers in front of him.

“Focus on your work.” He chided without looking up from his own. “Besides, you know why I can’t.”

“We already killed the bad guy.” Tony reasoned, taking the pen in his hand and scribbling across the third stack of papers that morning. “I wish we could kill this paperwork, too. Who told Fury to make the New Avengers with all these stupid clauses and fine print?”

“The government we both answer to.” Steve sighed, unhappy with the extra workload as much as the billionaire was. They already risked their lives to save the world, did they seriously have to do written work, too?

“You didn’t answer my point, though. There’s nobody left to worry about. Why not let the kid go to the p-”

“-Don’t say it.” Steve stopped him with a sharp glare, “She’ll hear it and go nuts.”

“P-A-R-K?” Tony tilted his head, and Steve nodded with a rather exhausted look on his face. “That bad, huh?”

“Last time I said it by accident, she wouldn’t let me go for a couple hours, asking if we were going or not. She didn’t believe me when I said ‘no’.”

“Sounds rough, buddy. Although it’d probably be a lot easier if you just let her go. Especially because the weather’s gonna get too cold to take her anywhere soon, and I haven’t seen you buy her any winter clothes. Might as well let her enjoy a little freedom before it’s too late, right? I figured you’d be all about that, Mr. Americano.”

“It’s different when she’s a former target of a terrorist organization. If I can keep her out of danger, I’m gonna try.”

“Uh, news flash? America’s the biggest terror target in the world. You don’t see us locking the borders and ports, though. Besides, we have a military that keeps us safe. And considering you’re a one-man army yourself, you’d think it’s more than enough for one kid.”

Steve glanced at him when the billionaire hopped up to leave, ruffling (Name)’s hair before heading to the elevator. “Just saying, you should consider it. FRIDAY, tell Pepper I’m sending her some more paperwork to finish.”

“Always a way out, even on the job.” Steve shook his head, though he couldn’t quite get back to work himself. His gaze fell  on the little girl plastered to the pane, not even paying attention when Tony messed up her meticulously styled pigtails.

He wasn’t wrong, though; maybe it would be alright to take her outside, even if it was for a little while. There weren’t any bad guys that Alicia hadn’t informed them about, and it was getting chillier out…

“...(Name),” She turned at his call, “Want to go to the park?”

It was as if July Fourth just lit her face up.

“Park!?” She cried, bolting to his side and grasping his pants leg. Steve couldn’t help the smile that crossed his lips. He lifted her up, taking her down the hall to her room.

“That’s right.”

“Park!!” (Name) bounced in his arms, laughing happily when she realized where he was going to take her. “Park! Park! Park park park!!”

“Slow down,” He chided gently as he set her down, searching for the little jacket he’d bought a while ago for rainy days, “Go find shoes.”

“Park and shoes!!” She bounced out of the room, returning seconds later with a pair of bright (f/c) shoes. She couldn’t have wiggled around any harder, which made his job difficult in an attempt to put them on her feet nevermind getting the jacket on her arms.

“Just hold still for one second!” He chuckled, glad to restrain her in his arms when he scooped her up again. “Come on, let’s go.”

He breathed a sigh of relief when she was finally ready, snagging a jacket of his own before they headed for the elevator and out the Tower. He ignored Tony shouting “About time!!” when they walked by.

“Tony silly!” (Name) laughed, making the genius stick his tongue out at her.

“Well, you’re not wrong.” Steve grinned before they left the building, and just like that they were out in the open. While he was used to it, (Name) had yet to completely readjust to the noise levels. The last time they went out, it was to get some apple pie for Bucky’s birthday. That had been a while ago, and he didn’t want her to leave since.

It was only natural the girl was thrown a bit off-guard.

“Daddy, s’loud!” She mushed her hands against her ears, scrunching her nose when the clammering of people invaded her eardrums.

“That’s Manhattan, sweetheart.” He shrugged, weaving his way through the crowd with her secured at his hip with zero intention of letting her walk on her own.

“Man hats?”

“Manhattan.”

“Man hats!!”

“We’ve still got a lot of work to do with your English, don’t we?” He mused, despite having spent months teaching her the language whatever chance he had. While she certainly knew more than 50 words now, it had a ways to go.

“Yes!”

“Sometimes I’m not sure if you understand me or not, kiddo.” He laughed to himself, coming to a stop in front of the park’s entrance.

“No!” He stared at her for second before leaving her be. She was definitely an interesting little character, and for that he was thankful. It made things more interesting, that’s for sure.

“We’ll talk about your fluency later. For now, let’s play.”

“Play! Play at the park!!” She squealed, the wiggles returning in full force. He chuckled at her excitement, passing through the gate and carrying her up to the bench he recalled from the first time he took her there.

“Let’s do it. But you stay close to me this time, okay?” He lifted her up so she faced him, and she nodded vigorously.

“Stay close! I will!”

“Good girl.” He set her down, and he was convinced she didn’t understand what he meant because in the next second she was running at the speed of light. “(NAME)!!”

“Paaaaaaaaaaark!” She burst into the grassy field with a brilliant smile, flopping over and rolling in the lush green with the loudest laughter he’d ever heard from her. He shook his head in disbelief as he gave chase, thankful the serum gave him that extra boost.

Considering she darted around like a spooked fish, it was a miracle anyone could keep up with her in the first place. “What did I just tell you?” He said when he caught up to her, grasping her hand before she could get too far.

“Play!” She looked up at him innocently, tugging on his hand, “Chase me!”

“Chase?” He repeated, brow furrowing. He definitely hadn’t taught her that word. “Did Tony teach you some things while I was gone?”

The question was more for himself, particularly when she slipped free from his loose grasp and burst down the greenery chanting “Chase! Chase! Chase!” and watching for him to catch up.

“Okay, you asked for it!” He smiled before taking off at her, making her shriek in delight. Her little legs were fast, but he was definitely faster. He slowed down to a jog after getting a few feet away, letting her live the fantasy she might be quicker than Captain America.

But it wasn’t so.

“Gotcha!” He snatched her up, sending her flying into the air when he lifted her from the ground. (Name) exploded into laughs when he tossed her up, the action being repeated a few times and running her straight out of breath.

“Steve, stooop!” She exclaimed, grabbing his jacket in an attempt to hold something that would keep her planted in his arms. He chuckled, ruffling her hair while she learned out to breathe again.

“You think you’re fast, huh? Looks like you’ve got a long way to go.” She giggled at his silly behavior, patting his cheek.

“Steve funny!”

“Thanks, I think.” He quirked an eyebrow, though it went unnoticed when her gaze landed on the park behind him. Her eyes suddenly widened and she gasped, pointing frantically at whatever was over his shoulder.

“There!” She cried with a bright smile, “Look, Steve!”

“What?” He turned around almost expecting to see something or someone nefarious standing there, but to his pleasant surprise he followed her finger to a tree, a large one planted in the center of the park. “The tree?”

“Tree!” She echoed, shifting in his arms as if to move towards it. Steve set her down again before taking her hand, letting her lead him over to it. “Pretty!”

The once green leaves had begun to change their color, shifting from the emerald beauty to a warm, auburn mixture of reds and oranges. The sheer size of the thing made it a sight to behold, and he noticed how the girl couldn’t take her eyes off it.

“It’s pretty, isn’t it.” He mused when they stopped in front of it, the massive tree towering over both of them. “Beautiful.”

“Bootiful?” She looked up at him confused, before laughing. “Booty!!”

“So Tony has been teaching you new words.” Steve pinched the bridge of his nose when the word left her mouth. “Don’t say that word, (Name). It’s bad, and Tony shouldn’t be teaching you any… Words? ...You’re not listening, are you.” He stared at her with a sigh, watching as she attached herself to the trunk of the tree, reaching high on her tiptoes.

“I wanna touch!” She whined, brow furrowed as she focused all her power on trying to touch the leaves hanging seven feet above her.

He stepped over to her, taking her up in his arms again and elevating her to shoulder height. “Well you can’t touch them from there.”

“Whoa!! High!!” She exclaimed with a happy smile, grasping his hands to steady herself. Steve placed her on his shoulders, exchanging hands for her legs to keep her from falling.

“You wanted to touch the leaves, right?” He reached up, bringing a small branch low enough for her to touch. “Take a look.”

The way her eyes lit up would’ve melted Steve’s heart if he could see. She gasped softly when she touched them, plucking a few from the branch and clutching them in her hands as if they were precious jewels.

“What these?” She asked him, shoving them in his face and effectively blinding him with the fronds.

“Leaves.” He informed her, taking a big, orange one from her hand and holding it up. “This one’s orange. Orange leaf.”

“Orange leaf!” She nodded as if to confirm he was correct, and plucked it from his hand to replace it with another. “Orange leaf?”

“No, this one’s red. Red leaf.”

“Red leaf! This one??”

“Brown leaf.”

“Brown leaf! Orange red brown!!” She cheered, bouncing on his shoulders. Now he really smiled. This girl was amazed by just about everything, but he knew the autumn park would be something to stick.


“Colorful leaves, huh.” He lifted her up to settle her against his hip again, grabbing a couple more for her to take. “You like them?”

She nodded, resting her head on his chest and staring at them, “I love leaves!”

“Good.” He planted a kiss on the top of her head, holding her close. “They’re beautiful, just like you.”

“Bootiful.”

“...Tony’s going to be in so much trouble when we get back.” He muttered to himself, before releasing her to play some more. The leaves remained clutched in her hands even after she fell asleep, the pair spending hours in the park without even realizing until the sun began to go down.

Steve carried her home feeling completely spent, but happy nonetheless. It had been ages since she’d gotten to go to the place she loved, and it had definitely been worth it. Now that she rested peacefully against his chest, leaves sticking out her jacket pockets and a smile on her face, he was glad he did.

“Come on, kiddo. It’s time we got you to bed.” He murmured when they reached the Tower floor, taking her to the bedroom and settling her under the blankets. It’d be a little while before dinner, and she could use a nap after that adventure. Carefully, he peeled the jacket from her body and took out all the leaves, which had somehow multiplied in her pockets.

“Geez, did she steal a whole tree?” He laughed to himself, setting them on the table for her to obsess over later. He wasn’t going to miss a learning opportunity when he saw one. And after seeing how happy she’d been all day, he made sure to set his fears aside the next time she wanted to go.

Which, for her, would be quite often.

…

……

………

…………

……………

“Welcome back, Cap and Caplet. I take it the park visit went well?”

“Sure, Stark. Though I have a quick question for you.”

“What’s that?”

“(Name) used a pretty interesting word, today. I know I didn’t teach it to her, and I was wondering if you knew anything about it.”

“Interesting word, huh? I know I taught her a couple; Pepper, Iron Man, quantum physics-”

“-Booty?”

“...Maybe.”

“So you did?”

“I will neither confirm or deny I said anything until I have a lawyer with me, and-- Hey, wait a second! Put the wooden spoon down!! I plead the fifth! The fifth!!”

“Get back here, Stark!!”

~Ende~