Eerika||Avengers

Chapter 26

Steve

"Draco is not a bad character!" Erika took the book from my hand and threw it on the floor.
"Oh yes he is! He is the biggest jerk in the series, he's a death eater, and he almost killed that poor girl." I retorted. I've been reading to Erika for a solid two hours. Both of us are tired, but we also don't want to put the book down.
"He wants attention because his father is a jerk to him, which is why he is a jerk. He does not want to be a death eater! He is being forced to. And he didn't want to hurt her, it was sort of a if I hurt this girl I will live but if I don't I'll die type of moment."
"You can not be serious!" I complained. Slytherns annoyed me. They are just... terrible!
"Can you finish the book? I need to know what happens next" Erika pleaded. I did too. I'm dying to know what happens next, this is by far my favorite book in the series so far.
I reached down over the bed and grabbed the book and flipped to the page we were at last.
"Get comfy, we still have another hundred pages left."
Erika snuggled in close to me and paced her hand on my side. I've been beginning to grow fond of her. Her friendliness and silliness is a really big welcome to the modern world. I feel like around her in losing my seriousness, but what's wrong with that? I've lived my whole life uptight. It would be nice to change that.

By the time I finished the story Erika fell asleep. I don't know how much she missed but I'm definitely not reading it again. Looking at Erika I'm tempted to stay with her and hold her, but I know that's not right. I stare at her for a bit.
She is so beautiful when she sleeps. In the day she acts as if nothing can hurt her, but now, she's defenseless.
A part of me wants to stay and protect her from the evil that has no way of making it into the cabin, but again, it's wrong to sleep in the same bed with her.
I turn off the light on my bedside table and carefully slip out of the bed. I see her stir a bit, but she quickly stops when she's comfortable. I take a blanket and drape it over her body and gently kiss her forehead.
I leave my room and go into her room to sleep.

That's not weird...right?

I soon find myself drifting off. It's very late at night—or should I say early in the morning. I truly need some well earned sleep. Reading out loud takes a lot of energy. Especially when the person you're reading to makes you repeat some lines because you didn't speak loud/clearly enough.

I hope to do it again tomorrow, though...

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The next day

I don't know how long I've been sleeping, but I feel someone close to me. I'm scared to open my eyes and see the face of death.

You all know how it feels.

My eyes open to see two pale blue ones.
"Bloody heck, Erika."
She continues to stare at me with fascination.
"I'm sorry to wake you, I've just never seen someone asleep. Can you fall under again just so I can watch?" I shook my head at her question and stretched my arms. Erika's curtains were wide open allowing the bright sun to come through the window.
"That's a shame. Perhaps if we meet each other again I'll get the chance." Erika crawled onto her bed and sat at my feet.
"What do you mean?"

I positioned myself so I was sitting up. I was still tired so it was hard for me to keep my eyes wide open, but I didn't want to let Erika think I wasn't listening to her by keeping my eyes closed.
"Well, my dear friend Phil, who works with S.H.I.E.L.D stopped by this morning so I can give him a progress report. Given that I have finished and memorized all of the files given to me, I get to go home tomorrow. I cannot wait to see my older brother again! I've missed that...doofus—yes doofus."

My heart skipped a beat. I didn't expect her to go home so quick, she's only been here a few weeks, how can she possibly learn so much in such a short amount of time. I want to know more about her, I want to spend more time with her.
"Well I guess we got to make our last day with each other worth it, Erika." I said with a fake smile.
"Well we can start with making those cookies from last night."
"Already did. You slept in pretty late and I got bored. Do you want me to bring you one?"

I didn't think I slept in that late. It's bright outside but it's not BRIGHT bright. Probably 9:30 at most. I don't always have to wake up at 7:00, plus I went to bed late. I'm actually surprised she woke up early considering we both went to bed early in the morning.
Erika snapped me out of my thought.
"Steve-did you hear me?" She asked still snapping her fingers in front of my eyes.
"Oh, yeah but just one."

Erika nodded and left the room to grab the little snack. I can't believe she's already leaving, I was here before her and I'm still stuck here. Within seconds she came back with two cookies in her hands. One for her and one for me.
"That was quick." I commented.
"What can I say? I guess I'm just fast."
The two of us ate our cookies in peace. It was really good. Really really good.
"I barely worked out throughout my time here, if I don't build some endurance before I go home, my friend's workout plans will be hell on wheels. She told me I used to be the one that pushed her too hard, I guess that hit in the head made me physically weaker as well." Erika said.
I blinked a few times. She is just standing there staring at me.
"I need to change my clothing." Erika stated. Still, I didn't know what she was asking me to do.
"You're in my room, Steve."

Oh yeah, we switched rooms last night.

"Sorry, I sort of forgot." I left the room to give her privacy to change. While I waited for her to come out, I set up the speakers to play music. Music is sort of how we bonded, and how I almost got my chance to kiss her.
I wrap my knuckles in tape so they won't bruise or cut that easily. By the time I finished wrapping them, Erika walked out in leggings and a tang top with the Nike logo across the front.
"Play some music, darlin'!" Erika commanded as she began to stretch. I pressed the "shuffle" a song I haven't heard before started to play. I turned to Erika and she was smiling at me.
"Did you pick this song yourself?" She asked. I shook my head.
"Nah, it just shuffled right to this." I walked back over to the corner and stretched out a bit.
"When the night, has come
And the way is dark."
Erika began to whisper-sing.
I love her voice. Her accent reminds me of Peggy, but the two are completely different. While Peggy is all serious and proper, Erika isn't afraid to let lose and enjoy herself.
"Spar?"
"How could I resist an easy win?" Erika taunted.
Erika sent me a devilish smirk and directed me to the mats that have been laid out for awhile.

For almost five minutes the two of us kept trying to knock each other down, but we both failed. For now at least. I've been working to corner Erika up so she can't use any of her gymnastic skills to get out.
I've noticed that whenever Erika uses her left hand to punch, she shakes her wrist quickly to crack it. I've been waiting for her to shake her left wrist, and it hasn't come up—until now. Once she goes in for a punch I manage to block it with my forearm and grab her arm. I push her left arm back to the wall while doing the same with her other arm in the process.
"Looks like you aren't winning today."
"You didn't go in for the kill yet, Rogers."

Before I can even think of an attack Erika begins to lean towards me.
The thought of her using this moment to my disadvantage doesn't even cross my mind as she presses her lips against mine.

At first I was shocked and was left with my eyes open like a freak, but I slowly melt into the kiss. I've only had two kisses before this and neither of them were as nice as ours. There is a bit of both feistiness and passion in the kiss.
I was only given a few seconds to enjoy the moment before all I felt is pain. A whole lot of pain.