Remember Me | Steve Rogers

21

411 Days After

Nina's POV

It's been 23 days since I've seen Steve, and I've been distracting myself by working out, going to the shooting range, and drowning my thoughts of Steve with liquor in my apartment. I haven't dared to go to the bar that Steve and I have in common. Seeing him so upset with me replays in my head over and over again. His eyes filled with defeat, and loss of hope. 

A few knocks on my door echos throughout my apartment, and I groan, struggling to get up to answer it. I look through the peephole, and roll my eyes at my unexpected, but not surprising guest. 

"Hi James." I greet him cheerfully but fake, and he gives me a fake smile back and pushes past me, letting himself in. "Come in." I sarcastically remark after the math. I watch him scan my apartment and he puts his hands on his hips. 

"This is why you've been blowing me off?" Bucky asks, making his point about all of the beer and liquor bottles scattered around the apartment, and I roll my eyes. 

"I've been busy." I argue, but he laughs at my words. 

"I can tell." He comments, walking around my apartment, looking disgusted, and I take a good look around too from where I'm standing. My apartment has never looked this messy. 

"Get dressed." Bucky demands, and I cross my arms. 

"For what?" I ask, then he looks at me sternly. 

"To let off some steam in a healthy way." He answers vaguely, and I roll my eyes at him again, walking towards my room to get changed. 

When I come back out, Bucky is picking up the last of the trash on the floor, and he ties the garbage bag together. I zip up my jacket, and follow him out to his car. I remember the route we're taking, and he's taking me to the compound upstate.

"Don't worry, no one is home." Bucky reads my mind, and I don't say anything. Once we reach the compound, we go straight to the firing range. 

We start off with a hand gun, firing off at the same time, and we pull our targets back to us, and I smirk at the fact that I hit the mark better than him just by one bullet. We go onto bigger and louder guns, before he drags me out into the sparring room. I've only sparred with Bucky like twice, and it didn't end well for either of us. 

"So this drinking rampage you got going on, any of it have to do with Steve?" Bucky brings up, and I hold my breath, continuing to wrap my knuckles. 

"I don't know what you're talking about." I lie, stepping onto the mat, he follows behind me, walking towards the other side, and positioning himself in his fighting stance. We circle each other, watching each other's movements, and I strike the first punch that he deflects, counteracting with his knee connecting to my stomach. He takes a step back for me to regain my balance.

"Steve told me what happened." He adds, and I chuckle, taking a stride towards him and sweeping his legs from under him.

"Still don't know what you're talking about." I lie again, but I know it won't get me anywhere. Bucky groans, but gets up slowly, running towards me and tackling me to the ground, pinning me to the floor. 

"Come on, talk to me." Bucky says through his teeth, and I buck my hips up, putting my legs up from behind him, and making him rock backwards, with me on top this time, my fist in the air ready to take a blow, letting out a deep breath and getting up off of him. 

"What is this Buck?" I spit out, letting him get back up, catching his breath. "This some sort of intervention to try to be with your best friend?" I add, wiping the few strands of hair on my forehead. 

"I just want to know why you're pushing him away." He explains, and I sigh. 

"He's Captain fucking America, and I'm... Me." I explain, and he laughs at me. 

"And what's that supposed to mean? You used to be this confident, spunky, annoying girl I used to bother, and now you're acting like you're so much smaller." Bucky argues, and I throw my hands up. 

"My sister died Buck! The one person who believed in me is gone, so what do I have left to push me to be a better person? To deserve a life worth love?" I confess, unaware about the tears on my cheeks until Bucky steps towards me, putting his hands on my face, wiping the tears off of me. 

"You have people in your corner Nina. You have me, Sam, Clint, Yelena and now Steve." Bucky lowers his tone, comforting me. I rest my hands on top of his, resting my forehead against his. 

"God, Steve Rogers. He's the last person I thought would get under my skin." I let out, wiping my own face. 

"So what's the play?" Bucky asks me smiling, happy to see that I'm finally allowing my emotions to take place. 

"No play Buck. I told him to move on, it's been weeks since I've seen him." I answer, and he smirks at me.

"Believe me, you are not a woman you can get over easily." I smirk at him, starting to take off the wrap from my knuckles.

"James Barnes, did you have a crush on me?" I tease him, but he laughs again, handing me a water bottle. 

"God no, I'm just saying a lot of heads turn when you walk into a room." He confirms and I smile. 

"Sure, sure." I tease again, and he playfully pushes me. 

"You sure you don't want a ride home?" Bucky repeats, and I shake my head. 

"It's okay, I'll just take one of the company cars home. I've got stuff to think about." I reassure him, and he smiles, pulling me in for a hug that we both laugh at. 

"You know I love you right?" Bucky expresses and I smile, putting my hand on his arm. 

"I love you too metal man." I add, and he rolls his eyes at me. 

"It's vibranium!" He shouts at me when I reach the car, I roll my eyes, giving him one last wave, and driving off. 

When I reach my apartment, there's no parking on my street, so I circle back to the street over and park. When I step out the car, I throw my jacket on, leaving it unzipped, and turn around to the sound of laughter. I stand frozen on the sidewalk, looking at the couple, until they realize I'm in front of them. 

"Nina." Steve realizes quietly, and takes his arm off of the woman's shoulders. 

"Steve, oh um hi." I embarrassingly reply, and they stop in front of me. I keep my eyes on Steve, who's had his beard fully grown out, and he looks amazing. 

"Sorry, this is Darla." Steve introduces, and I turn my attention to his date, putting out my hand. "Sweetie, this is Nina. She's uh-" 

"Old colleague." I finish for him, shaking Darla's hand, and then release. She looks like someone that would be his type.  Salon dyed blonde hair, clear complexion, and beautifully pale. 

"It's nice to meet one of Steve's friends." Darla comments politely, but I know she's lying. 

"Well, it's nice to meet you Darla." I add, and she smiles back at me, before connecting her hand with Steve's and I glance at their embrace quickly. 

"We were just about to go grab a drink, would you like to join us?" Darla asks, and Steve and I look at each other, then back at Darla. 

"Oh, it's okay. I'm worn out from working out with Bucky." I answer.

"Bucky, your best friend right?" Darla asks Steve, and he clears his throat. 

"Yeah." Steve answers quietly. 

"Well, you both have a great night." I comment, and she smiles at me before leading Steve down the sidewalk, and I watch them walk away. Steve not even glancing my way, and I sigh, continuing to walk to my apartment. 

"Fuck me." I whisper to myself, grabbing the bottle of vodka I hid in the cabinet.