"steve, get out. we are not in the mood for men today."
steve frowns at helen before he has to dodge a throw pillow that maria launches at his face. "hey."
you sit on the couch in helen's office, swaddled from neck to toe in cozy blankets. she and maria bracket your shoulders, while wanda and natasha crowd by your feet.
your eyes shine, pink and puffy.
"what happened?" he asks, voice strained.
you just shrug sadly at him.
without thinking, his body moves to step through the door, but not before a wave of wanda's hand slams it shut.
he spends the rest of the day thinking about you. grateful for his friends, who want to take care of you, but—selfishly—wishing he had been there to console you first.
not that he expects you to seek comfort in him, but he lingers in the common areas of the compound for the rest of the day anyway, just to be available.
he almost gives up, accepting that he would have to hear what happened through the grapevine. but you find him late in the evening, sitting on the rooftop.
"am i bothering you?"
steve blinks in confusion. "no, hi."
he didn't think many people knew about it, but he comes up here sometimes, just to clear his head.
your lips form a soft, curved line that barely reaches your eyes, which still have a reddish tinge along the edges. "i'm sorry about everyone being mean to you earlier."
as if that was the first time those women have ever rightfully snapped at him. "it's okay." steve frowns. "are you okay?"
"just... freshly single." you try to say it like you're happy.
steve processes this information as you shrug, sitting on the ground with your back against the same vent that he liked to lean against while reading. "i'm sorry."
"i'm just humiliated that i didn't break up with him first." you scoff. "asshole."
"is there anything i can do to help?"
you turn and give him a gentle smile, and he admires the way the warm golden sun reflects in your eyes, off your lashes. "just looking for people to distract me."
steve clears his throat. "i'm not very entertaining."
you poke at the pages sitting in his lap. "you toured the country entertaining people."
his eyebrows raise, and he laughs. "that, was..." a shake of his head. "forever ago."
you smile. "got any good stories?"
"plenty."
with a sigh, you hug your knees closer to your chest. "tell me."
it baffles him, how anyone could ever break your heart.
he lets the book in his hand fall shut. "okay."