I Love You, Man

I Don't Wike It

"Do you want me to go with you?"

"Hmm?" Steve stood from the edge of your bed once his shoes were secure and quickly put on his jacket, gave his pockets one last quick check, tapping each one to check for his keys and cash before rushing out the door. He hadn't seen Chris in far too long, and he didn't dare be late when he was looking forward to this for the last week. It took forever just to get Evans on the phone, so this felt like a rare chance to finally get together. Ever since the universe was snapped back, the guy had been different; not that it wasn't expected, but this was hanging on.  "Um, no...I think I'll be okay," he answered absentmindedly at first, but pausing to turn back once he knew he had everything. "Wait, do you want to go with me?"

"Not really, just being polite," you smiled hesitantly. "Actually, I'm glad that you said no. I think he'll be more honest with you than he will with me."

"Why do you say that?"

"It's just a feeling, I guess. But also, I'm going back to sleep because you boys are stupid to be up and out this early. Even the sun is confused, Steve."

"Okay," he relented with a shrug before leaning down to grab a quick kiss goodbye. "Alright, wish me luck. I'll let you know if I can get anything from him. He hasn't even answered my texts today to be sure that we're still meeting. I don't know, doll, I can't figure out what's happening with him. He's never been so quiet before. I sure hope that nothing is wrong."

"I feel like Seb would've called us, or at least Robert if no one else. They talk to him probably more than anyone else other than his mom."

"True, but he used to talk to us even more," Steve nodded in agreement, pausing at the door. His hand had just landed on it to push it open, but his thoughts were now racing and he wasn't sure about his plans anymore. "Do you think we should give her a quick call before I head out?"

"No, let's see how your visit goes first," you reassured him. "I don't want to use the mom card unless we really need to. Last time I called her he wouldn't let me hear the end of it for months."

"Yeah, but at least we could count on hearing from him that way."

~~~

Chris looked around the bar as he walked in, needing to squint as his eyes adjusted from the glaring sunlight and into the dark and hazy room. His ballcap was pulled down enough so that he felt like he could remove his sunglasses without giving himself away, and he had let his beard grow in again so that usually helped some. It wasn't even close to midday yet, but still in the middle of the week, so he was one of only a handful of customers there; it made for an easy way to blend in, given who it was that was about to meet him there. When the two of them got together anywhere public it was never truly alone. When Steve finally walked in a few minutes later, it felt like forever since he had last seen the guy and it immediately set off his guilt and anxiety for letting his friend down after they had been so close for so long. He started to wonder if maybe Steve was going to rethink naming his only son after him after acting like such an asshole lately.

"Hey, Cap."

"Chris. How have you been?" Steve gave his friend a solid grip on his shoulder and pulled out one of the bar stools next to him, looking for the bartender to wave him to their direction. He quickly ordered two beers so that he could give his attention fully to the conversation because he was immediately on edge from the vibe he was getting. When he had said that Chris had become a brother to him, he meant it, and it meant that he could read the guy in a mere few seconds of seeing him. Something was going on and he was going to waste no time in getting to the bottom of it.

"Good."

"How's work?"

"Busy."

"Must be, we haven't heard from you in forever. Is everything okay?"