Disclaimer: I do not own Marvel; only Rebecca and the world surrounding her.
Youth - Daughter
Welcome to Lithe from the To Build A Home Series!
Thanks to everyone that reviewed, favorited, and subscribed to this story so far!
I'm in some sort of head space after Infinity War. And I'm going to work my damnedest to get as far as I possibly can before Avengers 4 comes out next year!
Because boy oh boy are things going to get intense for Becca along the way.
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Youth
Shadows settle on the place, that you left.
Our minds are troubled by the emptiness.
Destroy the middle, it's a waste of time.
From the perfect start to the finish line.
March 2012
It had been three days since the incident. Three days and Becca hadn't been able to get a hold of Steve. The first day she let him breathe, knowing he was probably on edge from whatever night terror he clearly had and then harming her. The fact that he was not just dealing with the past and now in the day time, but being terrorized by his dreams at night was something that she knew was going to have to be discussed at some point. On the second day she tried calling him but did not get a response. She would at first assume he didn't understand his cell phone, but she knew that was out of the question since she had seen him use it to put her contact info in it. She casually stopped by his apartment later that evening after leaving SHIELD but no answer. Now here she was on day three, scarf wrapped around her neck for multiple days now, and her anxiety was high contemplating on what to do next. Steve was clearly hurting and she really just wanted to give a helping hand, but also didn't want to push him to a point where he would be annoyed with her.
"You paying attention to me?"
Becca turned away from the window looking out over the New York City skyline to see her father turned to her with an eyebrow raised. "Absolutely."
Tony knew for a fact that she had drifted off from listening to him, so he would play her for it. "Great, so we'll get your room ready for you to move in."
"What?" Her eyes blowing wide at the words, clearly not hearing him.
"Played." The older man smirked at her, winning this time.
A regretful, but also thankful that it wasn't true, sigh fell from her lips. She has been caught.
He had asked her to come over to see the mostly finished construction of the Stark Tower. Tony and Pepper had been flying back forth for the past two years getting this structure up and running in light of the destruction that had taken place at the Expo. It was supposed to be a place for new inventions, for people to be able to come and create. Sort of what they wanted out of the Expo, but this wasn't for them to show off. It was for creation and ideas. The top few floors would be home base for the Stark family.
Now that Tony knew about his daughter's involvement in SHIELD, he had been making more and more trips to the city. Saying he was checking up on construction, but really it was his not so subtle way of making sure his kid still had all her fingers and toes. She might be a highly trained spy, but she was still his baby girl.
"Sorry. There's just been so much going on lately." Becca's brown locks rustling back and forth as she shook her head.
"Fury setting you up on a mission?" He tried to ask the question casually, but again; daughter.
"If only. I think I'm actually getting a little stir crazy." She followed him over to the glass bar set up on the right side of the room. "Natasha's off on a secret mission. Clint's been off and on the same assignment for almost two years. And here I am having to much time on my hands to know what to do with."
Tony nodded pouring himself a small glass of whiskey and handing a glass of red wine that he knew his daughter had grown a taste for. "Guess that's what happens when you played double agent for two years for your life. Now you're bored." He took a sip before giving a dark chuckle. "I honestly didn't think it was even possibly for you to get bored. But you've been a worker since you were a kid. Never stopping to take a break."
Taking her own sip, Becca nodded at the acknowledgement of her life. She had always been dedicated to dancing as a young girl, and then to her ranking in SHIELD. Now she was at a plateau with her mission right now on helping a guy that didn't even want to see her. Don't get her wrong, there was always something to do at work. Always looking over possible targets and double checking old assignments to make sure nothing new was popping up, but Becca liked to be in motion. But if her title one day would focus more on the internal structure of SHIELD, like Fury has been dangling in front of her, she assumed she should get use to it.
"From what I've been hearing the mumblings of, that office has been anything but quiet since a certain ancient artifact has been thawed out."
Becca rolled her eyes at the distasteful mention of Steve from her father. She hasn't told him that she was working with him because she knew he would react badly to it. She could remember the stories from her grandfather at a young age of the nation's hero, but right after that was her father's almost hatred for the man. So she would once again be playing secret agent between the two. "It definitely hasn't been quiet. Everyone wants their piece of Captain Rogers."
"Have you met him?" His deep brown eyes boring into her own hazel, almost green eyes today.
"I have." She nodded, drinking more of the wine to give her something to take her attention off the awkwardness of the situation.
"And? Is he everything everyone says he is?"
It was almost as if Tony wanted everything he's heard to be a lie. He didn't want to believe that the man his father worshipped to be the greatness that was spilled into his ears. Like he wanted to hold some sort of resentment to his father that he wasn't the amazement he had heard.
Becca had no idea how to answer the question the correct way, for herself, for Steve, or for Tony. "I don't know," she shrugged overthinking her response, "just seems like a normal guy to me that needs some help."
Tony thought about it for a second before a self deprecating smirk fell on his face. "Just a normal guy." He spat out, taking a swig of his whiskey as if his own medicine to deal with the thought.
Becca never fully saw her father jealous in her life. That probably had a lot to do with the fact that he easily could get anything he wanted, or he would make it himself. So seeing a person that he didn't even know making him boil under the skin gave her more anxiety then needed at this moment with her own problems with Steve.
The ding of the personal elevator broke the awkward silence around them, the two Starks turning to see Pepper walking in, phone to her ear. "Okay, we will make that happen." Pepper talked to whoever was on the other side of the phone call. "Alright, it will be our pleasure...mmhmm...great, we'll see you then." She hung up the phone and setting it on the bar along with her booklet.
"CEO looks good on you." Becca smiled at the women who held a confidence air around her that made the young girl admire her even more. If that was even possible.
"Oh, hush you." Said woman blushed before wrapping Becca up in tight hug. "You, however, are looking more and more gorgeous."
"Thanks, she gets that from me." Tony threw back the rest of his drink, avoiding the glare from his two women. "Who were you on the phone with?"
"There's a state night dinner happening in DC that they want to you make an appearance at." Pepper grabbed her own glass of wine that was handed to her. "So, we're going."
"I'm busy." He turned, rinsing out his glass in the wet bar.
"You don't even know what day."
"...well I'm busy that day too." The man turned around with a smirk present on his lips.
Pepper shook her own head, use to his reluctantness. A soft smile starting to become present on her own face. "You're impossible."
"Oh, like you expect anything different." He smiled back this time, leaving over the bar counter to give her a sweet kiss.
It might have been about two years now, but Becca honestly didn't think she would ever get over how much her heart almost burned her chest with love at the sight of the two of them together. Her father never had been a legitimate relationship, at least that she knew of, in her life. They were always flings. His true concentration was on work and his daughter. So seeing him truly open with his emotions to a women that she had felt like was her own mother meant more than anyone would know to her.
"You guys are cute." Becca's voice rich of awe but also a taste of amusement.
Pepper backed away first, the still blush resting on her cheeks while Tony rolled his eyes at the younger girl's bruising. "So, what do you think of the tower?"
"I like it." She took another drink, eyes once again looking around the floor. "Elegant but efficient."
"See," Tony pointed to his daughter, "she gets it."
Pepper ignored him and wrapped her arms around Becca's, walking the two over towards the balcony again. "I feel like I haven't gotten to talk to you in awhile."
"Well you've become rather busy as of late. If that was more possible."
"Was that a dig at me? Cause it felt like a dig at me." The father called from across the room, but once again got ignored.
Becca gave a gentle sigh, almost letting herself be held up by the older of the two. "Just living life."
"Safely, I'm hoping." Pepper gave her a side eye, taking a deep drink of the red wine.
"Ten fingers and ten toes."
"That's what I like to hear." At her words her phone started buzzing on the counter, gaining a groan from the owner. "That however is not."
Becca laughed and watched as Pepper went back to work. From the view that she was now back at the window her eyes drifted to the cafe she had found Steve at a few days ago now. Her chest bubbled with hope at maybe seeing him sitting there. She could find him there and she could run down to him, just sit and talk. Becca had to swallow deeply, letting her hope sink from her body seeing that he wasn't there. It was time for her to take the direction in her own hands.
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She gathered up her courage and pulled the heavy metal door open. The immediate smell of sweat, rubber, and just everything that was a gym atmosphere entered her nose. It was a 24/7 gym that was located underground that would easily be missed by the naked eye unless you were specifically looking for the place. The old school yellow, green, and brown walls honestly made you feel like you were walking back in time, which made even more sense to why he would have chosen this place a safe haven. The place was empty for the most part, two boxing rings sitting back to back, resting after what she assumed was a hard day at the towels sitting next to it that looked spotted with blood. What told her that she wasn't alone was the rhythm of punches and the squeal from a chain.
Becca followed the noise, calming her nerves at the sight she found around the corner. If she wouldn't have been hoping to find him, she would have known it was him automatically at the broad shoulders and overall stance from the man. She didn't know if he had heard her come in or was just assuming it was a stranger, but he continued to wail away at the punching bag hanging from the ceiling. She watched his back tighten and the punches seemed to be getting quicker and harder against the bag before something just stopped him. He just stopped punching and grabbed the bag on either side to stop it from swinging, resting his forehead on the material. She was invading a personal moment, but she didn't move. She did look down however, almost feeling desperation dripping off of him and setting deep in her chest. His deep breaths keeping her calm enough to not run over and coddle him.
This man wasn't Captain America. This was Steve Rogers in the flesh who was being tortured by his own thoughts and needed something to hold on to to keep him afloat. She was just a girl who wanted to be his life preserver in the deep ocean he was slowly sinking in.
"You know, there is a gym in the basement of SHIELD that you could use for free." Becca kept her voice low as to not make him jump out of his skin where he was already on edge.
He didn't move, just his breathing changed softer at the sound of her voice. "I feel more comfortable in a place where I'm not being gawked at." Steve could feel his sweat slicked skin sticking to the bag as he pulled his forehead off the bag. "If you didn't know, Captain America is awake and everyone wants a piece of him."
Those words left bile rising in her throat. She came here on a mission to make him hear her out but was she doing this all in selfish way. She didn't know anymore if helping him was actually more to make herself feel better. She wasn't trying to do that.
"And here I thought I was the only one worthy enough to know this knowledge." She smiled, hoping he could hear it. And from the soft chuckle she knew he did.
"Maybe the only one to actually know him." His hands dropped from the bag and finally turned over his shoulder to see the girl for the first time in three days. After he had left that night he had a fitful night at his apartment over thinking everything that had happen. Other than that he had spent most of his time at the gym breaking though one bag after another. His dreams when he did attempt to lay down to sleep we're plagued with one nightmare after another. "What are you doing here, Rebecca?"
"Well," she took cautious steps towards him, her hands gripping tightly to the leather strap of her crossbody bag, "I went to your apartment, but I once again didn't get an answer. And I remembered you mentioning a gym down the street that you wanted to check out. So, I spent my evening gym hopping."
Steve dropped his head, watching his shoes scuff the mat below him. She had been going out of her way for him, and her saying that just made him feel worse about their situation. "You've been looking for me?"
"Of course I have." Becca said incredibly, like she didn't expect him to think less of her. "I've been looking for you for days, Steve."
He looked up at her with sorrow in his blue eyes, the same eyes that fell to the scarf wrapped around her neck. He could only guess what bruise he had left on her soft, creamy skin. He could have made the situation so much worse.
"Stop over thinking." She whispered, pulling her bag off to rest next to his own on the ground.
"I could have killed you."
"And yet I'm standing right here. Breathing and moving on my own."
"But still-"
"-but nothing!" Becca's voice higher than either of them expected. "You have to let this go."
Steve shook his head, starting to unwrap his hands to pay attention to something other than her. She had easily become something that was constantly entering his mind; being something that he could grasp in this reality. "It's not that simple."
She huffed and stalked toward him to only be a foot apart now. She grabbed his right hand before he started to unwrap the left one. Becca could tell she had taken him by surprise with his eyebrows shooting up and him looking back and forth from their hands to her face. With her opposite hand, she gently began unwinding the scarf around her neck, letting it fall to the mat.
"What are you doing?" He whispered down to her, his heart racing at the lack of distance between them.
"Showing you that I trust you." The brown haired girl raised her head to fully look him in the eye, and also giving him a full view of her neck. She watched the grimace flash across his face at finally seeing the hand print there. Becca didn't hesitate to bring his hand back up to her neck and gently place it so that he was cradling the side of her throat. Her eyes didn't leave his as he watched his hand, not trusting himself. She wanted to change that. "You are not a monster. I trust you, Steve."
"But I hurt you." His throat feeling dry from the contact and the situation.
"And I hurt you." Her other hand that wasn't holding his, lightly traced the thin line that was left on his forearm from where she had cut him. It was healing quickly from what she assumed from the super soldier serum.
"It's different."
"Is it though?" She tried to rationalize with him over each of their problems. "Despite my job, I don't actually go out of my way to hurt people."
"I don't either." Steve couldn't bring his eyes away from hers now.
"Okay. Then we step forward. If you want to. I'm not pushing you into anything, just like I told you when we first met."
Taking one last feel of her skin beneath his palm, he nodded and let it slide back to his side. "Okay."
"Okay." Her smile brightened his demeanor. "So, um...do you want to get out of here. I'm starving and it wouldn't hurt to have some company with me to go grab some food."
He agreed, before grabbing his bag and heading to the locker room to change quickly. It barely gave her enough time to calm her own nerves of what just happened. She may have seemed calm, cool, and collected but this man made her hair stand on its end. Their walk had a sprinkling of small talk, keeping both of them at ease in the late night, chilly New York air. They stopped in at the 24 hour diner that Becca had taken refuge in one to many nights between college and SHIELD. It was never abnormal to find her there at midnight staring out the window when she was supposed to be paying attention to the paperwork set out on the table. The hostess sat them at a table at the back next to the window, leaving menus on the table and saying their waitress would be there shortly.
"I like this place." Steve mentioned, eyes taking in the bright neon colors and ruby red booths and stools at the counter.
"I thought you would. And their food it is even better." Becca open the trifold menu in front of her. "Natasha, Clint, and I usually come here after a mission to refuel. Might be good food, but it always made me work extra hard the next day to keep the dancer body."
"How'd you get interested in ballet?"
"I remember dancing a lot as a little girl. My grandmother would play the piano and I can remember twirling around the room with no care in the world. No doubt annoying everyone because I always wanted them to join me." She rested her elbow in the table to hold her chin. Staring off with a soft smile, eyes sparkling at the memory. "I think I loved dancing so much, and still do, because it reminds me of her."
He couldn't tell if the shine in her eyes was because of the dancing or the thought of her family. "You lost her?"
Becca nodded, eyes falling back to him. "When I was a kid, both my grandparents." This could have been the moment. This could have been the time where she told him about who she really was, but that opportunity was lost as the waitress came over to get their drink order.
"I never knew my grandparents. Either side." Steve opened up to her. He realized how empty he had felt in those few days without her in his day. He knew if he wanted this relationship to continue he was going to have to open up to her, just as she had been doing every time he asked a question. "Then again I didn't even know my father. He died before I was born."
She nodded, the two having a similar backstory of family but also very different outcomes. "I never knew my mother. She left me on my father's doorstep when I was only a month or so old."
"Well, aren't we the saddest two people to be put together." He laughed, pushing his hair off his forehead.
"Not necessarily. I mean, yes we might be sitting at a diner at 11 at night, but hey we aren't alone." She pointed to the couple of stragglers around them. She had no doubt the place would get packed again around 2 or 3 when bars starting letting out. "The fun thing about New York is that you can be anyone you want. These are just strangers that we'll probably never see again."
The waitress left two coffees on the table along with the pot, and bowl of creamers, before taking their order. Becca telling Steve to order anything that might sound appetizing and her sticking to something simple incase he wasn't into it. Another simple action that had the super soldier reeling from her pure nature.
"So, what would our new life be?"
"Hmm?" She mumbled, mixing her coffee just the way she likes it; three creamers and 1 sugar.
"You said we could be anyone we wanted. Who would we be?" He took a sip of own coffee, keeping it black.
She pursed her lips in thought, twirling the spoon in the liquid. "I would be in the company at the NYC Ballet. Working hard enough to stay on as first string, but also start working on my own ensemble at the same time. You would be an artist working in Brooklyn, designing what he wanted, when you wanted. But you had a gallery that was always willing to showcase your work. Constantly getting attention for them and yourself. Becoming an underground name to be reckoned by."
He had sat back at some point and let her vision ran rampage on his head. It sounded great. If only it could ever happen, or if he even wanted it to happen.
"And these two people would be here, at this diner, in this booth at the beginning of each month to catch up on what they have been up to. It would always be late at night and neither cared. Just excited to tell the other about their life in those past few weeks."
"It's almost too good to be true." His fingers played with the edge of the sugar packets.
"It doesn't have to be if you just believe it."
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Becca had been warming her hands with a cup of coffee in the kitchen when she got the call. It was just after 7am when she went scrambling back to her bedroom, cup still in hand, to grab her ringing cell phone. She pulled the device off the charger with haste seeing Steve's name written across the screen. He didn't call her, he had never called her, so her heart was beating out of her chest in worry.
"Morning." She said into the phone, hoping he couldn't hear her nerves on his end.
"Um..M-morning, Rebecca." Steve cleared his throat, very unusual for him to stutter over his words. "It's Steve."
She wanted to say she knew from caller ID, but that would probably make him feel embarrassed and that's not what she wanted. "Hey, Steve. What's going on?"
"I was wondering if you were busy."
"Not busy." She sat down to rest against her headboard in the unmade bed. "Just drinking my morning coffee."
"Oh, I didn't mean to interrupt you." He sat in his living room, elbows resting against his knees. Slowly coming down from his panic attack he had a suffered a bit ago. All he wanted right now was to be near her, because when he was he seemed to breath a bit easier.
"No interruptions here." She was quick to not let him think he was a problem. "What was on your mind?"
"I needed-I wanted to see if you wanted to go for a run?"
She was taken back by a mere split second. "Sure, absolutely!" if he was going out his way to ask her to do anything she would have at the moment. "What did you have in mind?"
"I was actually going to ask you. You're better at direction then I am."
"How about Columbus Circle by Central Park? It looks like a nice enough day outside to finally get back to the park." It was mid March and she was just hoping that winter was long gone now for spring to take over.
"Sounds great to me." He was hoping she couldn't hear the relieved sigh that left his lips.
"Awesome, I'll see you there in about 20 minutes?"
With an agreement, the two hung up and Becca began to get ready. She did however hear the uneasiness in his voice that he was trying to hide. But he had reached out to her in one way or another and that was progress. The young Stark pulled on a pair of leggings, a t-shirt, and hoodie that she had no doubt would be taken off half way through the run. Grabbing her arm band for her phone, money, and key, she was out the door on her bright orange sneakers. She had lost count on the times Clint, Nat, or Garrett had abused her about the footwear but they were the comfiest footwear she found for running. Given being a dancer, her feet weren't exactly the prettiest in many ways, but they did her job.
Becca was overly joyed by the warmer temperature and sunny sky as she left her building. Just a few more weeks and she knew she could finally pull all of her shorts out of the dresser and no longer felt claustrophobic by the pants she had been sporting since fall had landed last year. She was a summer girl in every sense of the word.
It was a busy Sunday out in the city, everyone taking advantage of the weather, but she found her partner with ease stretching his long legs waiting for her.
"You picked a fabulous day for a run." She complimented him upon a few feet away.
"Thank you." He gave her a real, genuine smile upon seeing her. The tension he had been holding in his shoulder gone with her around.
She smiled just as wide back at him, but could see there was a problem in his eyes. Specifically, they were red and held bags under them. You would have only noticed though if you known him.
"So what's up with the early morning run?" Becca stretched her hamstrings. Steve simply shrugged, trying to push it off. She was going to ask once and that was it. "You want to talk about it?"
"Not entirely." His eyes not finding hers now. The blue looking over the people coming and going from the park.
"Okay." She nodded and started toward the entrance.
The super soldier's eye widened as he caught up with her easily. "That's it?"
"Yep."
"You're not going to keep asking?"
"Nope." She dead stopped, making him do the same since he was following right behind her like a puppy. "Why, do you want me to?"
"N-no, I just..."
"Was expecting me to harp you on it?"
His hands raised a foot at his sides, kind of gapping at her a second to catch his grounding. "I guess so."
"I asked once, you said no, I move on. That's how I am. I'm not going to keep asking you over and over. You know the door is open if you want to explain, but I won't badger you about it."
Steve swore everyday he was with her he found another quality that he was becoming astonished by in the best way possible. "Thank you.
"Absolutely. So, are going to take it easy on me or should I prepare to be picked up by an ambulance half through?"
He laughed with a shake of his head. "You won't need an ambulance." He watched her for a second before continuing on. "I'll just carry you the rest of the way without breaking a sweat."
She couldn't keep the shock of her face as she looked up at him in the sunlight. It was harder to process what just happen. "Oh, really! You got jokes? Oh, someone feels better all of the sudden!"
The two started off a jogging pace, getting a feel for each other. Seeing who liked the right or left better, who took leads around corners and so on. Becca pointed out a few things here or there as they went, taking their pace through the park. They came down to the water's edge and really started sprinting now, Steve getting his energy up to full speed. Becca tried her hardest but damn that boy could really run. He finally stopped further down, waiting on her to catch up.
"Damn it, Rogers." Becca let her hands rest on her knees, trying to catch her breath. "I swear to God, I'm not out of shape."
"No, you're definitely not." He laughed, hands just lightly resting on his hips as he watched her.
She knew his words didn't have a double meaning, but that didn't mean a blush didn't find it's way across her cheeks.
"Um, do you know her?" Steve pointed behind her, getting Becca to turn in haste, finally finding her breath. "Cause she's calling your name and coming over here."
Her hazel eyes found her blonde haired best friend rushing over to them with a wide smile on her face. Becca's quickly turned back to Steve and whispered before Eve would get to them. "Whatever you do don't bring up SHIELD."
"Okay, but why?"
"She has no idea about it." She mentioned before spinning back around just in time to greet the other girl with a smile.
"You're a sight for sore eyes." Eve hugged her tightly, the two girls having not seen each other in a few weeks. "Thanks for answering my text last night."
"I didn't get a text." Becca pulled out her phone confused, making sure she didn't miss it while Eve did the same. "Are you sure you sent it?"
"Yes. I wanted to see if you wanted to do a wine night," Eve let her bottom lip frown, "and I never hit send. Goddamn it, I suck."
The brown haired girl laugh and tucked her phone back away. "All good. I've been busy anyways."
"Clearly." In her usual fashion, not bashful in the slightest, her eyes raked over the tall man standing next to her best friend.
Becca rolled her eyes and slapped her arm. "Not like that, you freak." She hoped Steve didn't notice and made him uncomfortable at all, but he seemed to just be focused on the kinde ship between the two. "Eve this is Steve. Steve this is my big mouthed best friend, Eve."
"Big mouthed?" Eve took that as her cue to slap the other on the arm in anger, but knowing it was true. "I'll take it. Pleasure to meet you, Steve."
"Pleasures all mine, ma'am." He smiled, shaking the hand she offered him.
"Ma'am?" Eve smirked. The SHIELD agent could practically hear the gears working in her head. "Becca, dear, how did you find such a decent man in your life?"
"Eve, it's 9am on a Sunday, shouldn't you be hibernating from a night out at the clubs?"
"Haven't you heard, I'm a changed person. I go to bed early, have stopped drinking, and started evening going to church in the morning." All she got was a high eyebrow raise in return. "Okay, that is all a lie."
"Ya think!" Becca turned to Steve now to let him in a bit. "Eve and I met in college."
"And she hasn't been able to get rid of me since. How'd you two meet?"
Steve's eyebrows raised at the question directed at him, not fully knowing how to answer. "Oh, um-"
"Steve's an artist from Brooklyn." Becca took the charge, hopefully getting the heat off him. "We met at a gallery downtown."
"Ooo! An artist! That makes complete sense, you do have a type, Bec."
At this Steve's ear turned a bright shade of red, hand coming up to scratch at the back of his neck. Becca could feel the embarrassment off of him even if there was nothing between the two. "You're incorrigible, Eve."
"Ain't that the truth." A new voice entered the conversation, taking all three of them by surprise. Another young woman stopped beside Eve and greeted her with a kiss.
"And that's why you are up this early." Becca smirked, knowing her best friend to well.
Eve broke the kiss before looking back at her best friend. "I take back everything I just said. Cora," she pointed to the deep chocolate, curly haired girl next to her, "this is Becca S-"
Becca's giant eyes and the slight shake of her head stopped Eve from finishing that sentence. She knew 'Stark' was going to be next thing that came out of her mouth, but it was one thing for Steve to know her last name, it was another for a complete stranger to know it.
"-Steve. Becca and Steve." The former ballerina fixed herself, hopefully that no one would take notice.
The two greeted Cora, Steve more apprehensive than Becca. But she just took it as another new person to meet.
"It's great to meet you both, but we've got to get going." Cora smiled at them before looking back at Eve.
"Right! Sorry, we're apartment hunting this morning."
Steve noticed Becca automatically tense up at the statement, clearly getting taken back by it. But he fully couldn't understand why since he just met the two girls standing in front of them.
Eve must have also noticed the reaction before quickly finishing her thought. "For Cora."
Becca nodded, still a bit clammed up about it. "Well you don't want to be late." She pulled a smile back on her face again to make it believable.
"I'll call you later." Eve squeezed Becca's hand, before the four of them said their goodbyes to each other.
While she watched the two walk away, Steve's eyes stayed on Becca. Trying to read her but she was very good at putting up a wall. Now he understood why she was always trying to get him to open up to her, it was aggravating.
"You okay, Rebecca?" His hand gently brushed against her forearm from where she had them crossed against her chest.
"Hmm?" She murmured looking up at him. His blue eyes held worry and confusion. "Yeah, sorry. I spaced there for a second."
"Is something wrong?"
"You worried about me?"
Steve scoffed, but played along. "Would it be so bad if I said yes?"
"Not a damn bit." A soft grin replaced her solemn face. "I just worry about Eve. She never picks the right people to be with. And her going apartment hunting, even if it's not for her, with a girl she just started dating has my worry meter at a ten." She nudged her head and the two started walking their route back to where they started.
He heard her choice of words and decided he would ask. "So, Eve dates girls?"
"No, Eve dates boys and girls. She's bi." She watched his usual forehead wrinkle appear when he was trying to understand something. "She's bisexual. Meaning she is attracted to both guys and girls."
She left it at that, seeing what his reaction would be. But she couldn't judge much by the simple "Huh" leaving his lips.
"Is that a problem?"
"Not at all." He shook his head rapidly, looking down at her. "People should be able to be with whoever they want."
Him saying those words right there truly made her swoon for Steve Rogers. He was from a different time and she was very nervous he would judge that idea, especially given that it was her best friend. But there he goes surprising her again.
"I think Eve is really great by the way. She compliments you perfectly."
"Thanks Steve. That truly means a lot."
"She kind of reminds me of-"
Becca looked up to see why he had abruptly stopped mid-sentence, but all she found was his happy mood from a second ago shift to guarded again. She had a feeling she understood exactly who he wanted to say, but saying that name would bring up a whole new level of emotional baggage they weren't at yet.
She gently grabbed his arm, stopping him from their pace to look up at him. "We don't have to touch that subject yet."
"I'm just not ready to open that chapter yet." He cleared his throat, fighting off the suffocating feeling of the loss of his best friend. Especially after the nightmare he had of it the night before.
"All in time, my friend." She softly squeezed his forearm and they continued on their journey together.
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I'm just so in love with these two fools already! Damn do they have such a future ahead of them.
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