The One Shot Chapters (18+)

Actor!SteveRogers (AU) - Blush Pt 3

I get Steve's around 9am the next morning. My head is surprisingly ok, and I give him a text from the office that his coffee is on the counter in the kitchen. I feel like a complete idiot for saying what I said last night and turn on some music in the office. Nick isn't in at the moment, instead he's at his main office which makes me relieved but also worried at the same time. I honestly don't know what to say to Steve even if I flat out said I was drunk and told him to forget it last night.

I change the music to 'Sparks' by Coldplay, and answer a few emails that have come in for interview requests. Quite frankly I need some mellow music to start my day. Steve emerges a while later and leans on the doorframe. He looks pretty tired. "Thanks for the coffee, it's well needed." He holds up the coffee cup in gesture.

"Anytime." I look up and smile,

"Nick not in yet?" he looks around with concern.

"He's at his main office sorting a few things out. He'll be here this afternoon." I say as I pen my reply to an email. "So...I hope you're planning on making the most of your time off. Such as relaxing and not partying." I muse.

He chuckles. "After last night? I think I'm getting too old for this."

"Only someone in their thirties would state that." I grin. He's 35 so technically he's still not considered that old. When he hits forty it'll probably sit differently.

"I would wager that you're not in your thirties then judging by that comment." He smirks.

I eye him. "Just turned 30 this year."

"Yikes, welcome to the club." He grimaces.

"Amen." I say. "So far it's not that bad."

"All starts going downhill mid-thirties." He says.

I laugh. "How could it possibly be going downhill for you?" I look at him and that face that looks like it's been carved by the fucking gods. "You've got everything going for you currently. You get to play with shields and stuff, overall a good job, nice girlfriend..."

"Who you seem to not get along with." He now points out.

"Not when she uses me as her own personal slave." I come out with it, really not caring if he's offended by it. "Amongst other things. Have to admit Steve, she's pretty awful to me."

"I know. I heard her yesterday. Look I'll talk with her." So that's why he'd mentioned she'd left early last night. Because he knows full well what she's like.

My head shoots up. "No, don't worry. I can handle her." I brush it off. "Besides, if you end up marrying her then I suppose technically I'm gonna be a servant anyway."

"But you're not Millie. You're an assistant. There's a difference." He points out. "Let me deal with Sharon...wait...what do you mean, end up marrying her?"

Shit.

I shrug. "I dunno, just to give you the heads up that the rumour mill is out in force again, and she's not exactly quashing it."

He runs a hand through his hair, "Great..."

Now I frown at my laptop screen, still trying to reply to this email as well as concentrate on him. "Not ready for that then." I state as I know he's not.

"It's not that..."

Now I look up. "Not with her..."

"She's...it's hard to explain." He stumbles over his words, conflicted a little. 

"Not really, She's a piece of work. That's what you really wanna say."

He shifts now. "It's complicated."

I rub my temples now. "You're worried how she'd react if you ended it." it's obvious. She's the type to not leave quietly either. If anything Nick and I would be dragging her down the driveway kicking and screaming. "If you're unhappy, then why are you still with her?" It's a question I'm dying to ask.

"Guess I'm just too nice of a person to do that. Guess I'm also worried that I'd regret it." His phone now goes off and he looks at the caller ID. "That's her now, I'd better take this..." he now switches to boyfriend mode. "Hey! You get there ok?" I hear him ask as he walks out.

He's conflicted. I can see that, but also relieved that he can see that she's not so sweetness and light after all.  Either way, I know that Sharon is going to be here for just a while longer, and I'm going to have to bite my tongue and see it through. 

I hope for Steve's sake that he does the right thing.