Aftermath (A Steve Rogers/ Captain America Romance)

Chapter 12: Ice cream and cuddles.

April groaned as she pulled the duvet covers all the way up to her chest. Reed and Bruce had given her the all clear to roam the hellicarrier, but her aches and pains had confined her to her room for the best part of the day.

She hadn't seen Johnny since their argument in the infirmary, and she wasn't sure she wanted to. Her and Johnny had been growing apart for some time; when their relationship was good, it was really good - and she'd often spent days contemplating how she had gotten so lucky. But when it was bad; when Johnny accidentally said the wrong thing, or did something without thinking about the consequences, it just drove her insane!

April was pulled from her thoughts by a soft knock on the door.

Steve poked his head into the room "Hey. Ok if I come in?".

April nodded and watched as Steve shut the door and perched himself on the edge of her bed.

"Did Banner and Reed send you to check up on me?" 

Steve chuckled and raised a brow "Maybe..."

April shook her head in acknowledgement of Bruce and Reed's protective, mothering nature.

"How you feeling?" Steve inquired

"Like I'm laying on a cactus..." April admitted

Steve laughed again and his expression softened "I heard, ah... about you and Storm." 

"I guess good news travels fast."

Steve grinned at her "We are on a ship full of spy's A..."

April let a fit of giggles escape her before stopping due to pain. She clutched her ribs and took a moment to return her breathing to its normal pace. 

Steve watched her, concerned. When satisfied that she was ok, he turned the conversation back to Johnny,

"Word is, Johnny managed to set the whole supplies sector on fire... Fury's had to detain him on the detention level."

April breathed a laugh "Atleast that means I won't run into him..."

Steve lowered his brows, looking at her sympathetically "There was one other thing Reed sent me to take care of..." He smiled reaching behind him. When his hands reappeared, they emerged holding two spoons and a tub of Ice cream "Guess he didn't think I'd be able to eat this all on my own."

April's face brightened and she held out her hands, flexing her fingers in a 'gimme! gimme!' action. Steve handed her a spoon and settled gently beside her. April pulled herself up so she was resting against the headboard, and began digging into the tub of vanilla Ice cream. 

In between scoops April turned to the man sat beside her "Steve?"

"Hm?" He looked at her expectantly

"Thankyou."

He put his spoon down for a moment "What for?"

"The company..." She smiled "It's nice not to be on my own right now."

Steve looked down and nodded. Glancing back up and meeting her eye contact he spoke softly "Anytime."

After the entire tub of Ice cream had been devoured, Steve took April's spoon from her and got up to leave. On the realization that she was now going to be left on her own, April burst into a sudden fit of silent tears.

Steve half opened the door and looked back at her "If you need anything else I'll be-" He stopped himself, seeing the tears pooling in her eyes. Shutting the door again, he re-traced his steps and knelt by the side of her bed. "Shhh, It's ok..." He cooed "Don't cry, A."

April fiercely wiped at her cheeks. She couldn't believe she had just erupted into tears in front of Captain America; her cheeks flushed red with embarrassment and frustration.

Steve layed his hand atop of her's "Tell me what you need."

April took a long pause as she continued to urge the tears to not fall from her eyes. She looked over to Steve and shrugged. 

"A hug?" She sniffed.

Steve crawled onto the bed beside her, pulling her into his side. She wrapped her arms around his neck and buried her nose in his shoulder. He rocked her back and forth, tracing circle's on the small of her back until she stopped crying.

"Don't let him make you feel like this A..." Steve finally said, obviously referring to Johnny.

"I can't help it."

"I know..."

April pulled away from Steve slightly, but he kept her locked protectively in his arms "Do you think he's as upset as I am?"

Steve shrugged "If he isn't by now, then I'm sure he will be once Tony gets his hand on him." 

April sighed and huddled closer to Steve again. He ran a hand through her hair, and kissed the top of her head.

"I do understand how you feel April." He declared "I know what its like... When I woke up, and I realized that I'd lost everyone I once knew, everyone I held dear to me... It crushed me." Steve deadpanned. "So don't feel like your on your own. I know what it's like to lose the person you love."

April took a second to absorb everything Steve had just told her. She gently craned her neck to peck a kiss on Steve's jaw. "Look at me..." She whispered "I'm so silly. Sat here wallowing because of one man..." She gazed up at Steve "You lost everything but here you are, fighting the fight. I haven't heard you complain once." April admitted "And here I am, pouring out tears just because of Johnny."

Steve ran his hand up and down April's back, giving her a gentle pat. April pulled away from him completely "Thankyou Steve."

"Like I said A, anytime..."