Steve Short Story

7

One week later...
"What did you do?!" Tony said to Steve in a stern voice.
Steve didn't answer right away and crossed his arms across his broad chest as Tony approached him in the gym.
"I messed up, Tony. I don't know how to fix it since she won't talk to me," Steve said with sad puppy eyes.
Tony tapped his lips in thought and then pointed a finger at Steve. "Fix it, and fix it now. She's brilliant and I need her back in my lab. And you should know better than to keep secrets. People always get hurt from secrets." Tony turned on his heel and left the gym.

Tony went to his lab and then went to the kitchen and grabbed a pint of ice cream from the freezer. "Friday, tell Happy to get my car ready." He grabbed a cloth bag and some spoons and then headed towards the elevators.

Tony knocked on Remi's apartment door. It was only 10:00 am, so he hoped she would be awake. Remi checked through the peep hole and then opened the door. She was past the point of embarrassment with Steve and Tony. She felt completely defeated. "Hello Mr. Stark, come on in," she said to him. He stepped into her apartment and looked around, incredulous at the small size. She was wearing sweats and hoodie and curled up on the couch under a blanket. She picked up the remote to resume her movie on mute.
"Remi. I know this isn't normal. How much ice cream have you eaten?" He asked as he looked at her coffee table littered with trash.
"What do you need Mr. Stark? I'm on sick leave right now," Remi said tonelessly.
Tony moved a few items over on the couch before he sat down. "Look, I don't know what happened, but Steve feels really bad about it."
Remi didn't look at Tony when she said, "He's a liar."
Tony looked down, and shook his head. "I know I don't have the best character, and I've spread my share of lies, but I know one thing for sure: Steve is a crap liar. He couldn't lie to save his life. Believe me, I've seen it before and it's not pretty."
Remi looked at Tony from the side of her eye. "Look, I know you and Steve are celebrities and I'm just a nerdy scientist. I just need to remember my place and it's not with Steve. Or with you in your lab," she said quietly.
"I think you should give him another chance," Tony said quietly. "The heart can't help who it loves. And he's in love with you. He's not mean and cruel and I know he wouldn't hurt you on purpose." Tony went to her small kitchen and placed the ice cream inside the freezer.
"I expect you back at Stark Industries on Monday, kid. Don't forget to lock up," he said as he left her apartment.

A few hours later Remi woke from her nap on the couch. She stretched her stiff body and decided to take a shower and then clean up her apartment. It was a bit of a mess and a clean start would do her good. After she scrubbed her body completely from the last few days scum, she diffused her long hair, making her curls super bouncy. She dressed in some jeans, boots, and a thick sweater and decide Chinese food was on the menu tonight. She grabbed her purse and headed out into the winter chill.
——
Steve had been a slug for the past week. He moped everywhere he went and he wasn't fooling anyone when he said he was fine or a little under the weather. Bucky kept trying to apologize to him but he knew it was his own fault for not telling Remi the truth.
He'd finally had enough and wanted a change of scenery so he left the tower and went walking the streets. He wandered aimlessly, trying to think of the perfect words to explain how he felt about Remi. She was kind and beautiful and moved with a grace she wasn't aware of. He had been on many dates in the past, but none of those ladies held a candle to the sweetness and allure of Remi. He stopped walking long enough to notice he was hungry and went into a Chinese restaurant he frequented.

"Hello Mr. Rogers! Table for one?" He was greeted discreetly by an older man as he came into the door.
"Hello Mr. Chen. Yes, table for one," he said glumly.

Steve took his usual spot at the counter and only after his water was served did he notice a young woman sitting next to him. He did a double take as it was Remi. Her hair was a little more curly than what he was used to and she was wearing a beat up jacket over her sweater. She looked a little out of her element and so sad. After a moment, she noticed he was sitting next to her. Her dinner was half finished and she stood to leave, wiping her mouth with her napkin.
"Remi, please don't go. I didn't know you were here. I'll leave," he said to her as he placed a hand on her arm.
"No, it's ok Steve. You just got here. It's ok. I'm- I'm ok," she said to him.
They sat there awkwardly for a few moments while she picked at her food.
"Do you mind if I talk to you, Remi?" Steve asked hopefully.
"You're talking to me now," she said with a shrug of her shoulders.
"I want to apologize for my behavior. I know it wasn't fair to you... and I guess we were closer than I realized." Steve looked down at his hands. "I never meant to hurt you, and I ended the bet before I asked you out. I met you just that morning and you were so beautiful and nice- and, and I knew. I just knew I had to know more about you." 
Steve mentally face palmed. "This sounded so much better in my head," he thought to himself.
Remi didn't say anything as she felt Steve had more to say.
"I'd like to think I would have eventually asked you out. I'm sure Tony would have said something to me or pushed us together..." Steve was rambling now.
Remi smirked at the thought of Tony. She had gotten to know the eccentric billionaire a little better over the past few weeks. His heart was in the right place, but his actions didn't always translate that sentiment very well.
"It's ok, Steve. I understand now." Remi looked at him. "And I have to apologize, too. I didn't wait to hear your whole side of the story. I let my own fears and insecurities paint the worst possible picture of you and I'm sorry for that."
Steve looked at her with a hopeful look on his face. "So does this mean you'll be talking to me again?"
Remi was about to answer and faltered a little bit. Did he mean only talking? Or were they back together, dating again?
"Yes. Is it just talking? I understand if you want to take a br-"
Steve interrupted her sentence with a kiss to her lips. He couldn't help himself. Remi's eyes were wide with surprise but then she closed them and hummed while she returned his caress.
Steve broke away and put his palm on the side of her head, his thumb caressing her cheek. "We've only been away from each other for 10 days, and seven hours. I don't want to ever take a break from you," he said as his eyes shimmered with unshed tears.
Remi leaned forward and hugged him, nestling her head under his chin, breathing in his scent. "I don't want to be away from you either. I was so miserable and I never knew I could need someone like I need you," she said with a sniffle.
Steve squeezed her harder. He knew exactly how she felt. Every day that he didn't see her or hear from her, he had a great sense of anxiety, like something was deeply missing. He released her from his embrace and wiped at his eyes a little.
She looked at him incredulously. "Were you crying?"
He sniffled a little and said, "It was the hot sauce." He looked at her from the corner of his eye, hoping to be convincing.
"You haven't ordered anything yet!" She smiled at him. "Tony was right; you are a terrible liar!"
Steve laughed as he hugged her to him. "He came and talked to you? What did he say?"
Remi turned a little more serious and cleared her throat as she adjusted her glasses. "He told me to come back to work. I took my sick leave..." she trailed off.
Steve felt bad that she had stayed home from the lab. He knew she loved her work.
"I'm sorry," he said softly.
"It's ok. Let's just forget any of this happened. I'll just work on not jumping to conclusions," she said with a smile.
Steve ordered some food and they stayed at the restaurant for a few more hours, talking until it was closing time.
Steve walked her back to her apartment, all the way to the inside of her place. She kissed him goodnight and promised to call on him in the morning when she went back to work.