Living & Loving-A Marvel Story

Chapter 27: Date Night?

You head back downtown, to one of your favourite restaurants.  As you take your seat in the private corner of the beautiful room, you start to feel nervous.  You know it's a good thing that you've managed to get Steve to talk, but you're now starting to worry that you won't be able to sort the issues that have arisen between you.

You're fiddling with your menu and napkin, when you look up to see Steve watching you with an amused look upon his face.

You smile, putting the napkin and menu down, and look at your friend properly.

"Sooooo..." You say hesitantly.  "Talking....you reckon we should do that?"

"Haha, yeah," Steve replies.  "Let's do that."

"Seriously Steve," you begin again, "I do want to sort this out,  I hate not knowing if there's something wrong, and I feel like there's something going on with you a lot at the moment."

Steve swallows and looks down at the table without responding.

You speak again.  "I just want us to be us again, you know?"

This time Steve speaks back.

"You have no idea how much I want that too," he replies.

You breathe a sigh of relief.  

"OK then," you say.  "Let's start over.  Hey, pleased to meet you!  I'm your future best friend!"

You hold out your hand for Steve to shake, but he just stares at you in amusement and something else you can't quite put your finger on.

"Oh jesus Steve, you're supposed to say hello back and shake my hand!"

"Fine," he laughs holding out his hand too.  As your palms touch, you gasp, the feeling of a thousand butterflies suddenly taking flight in your stomach coming over you, and you pull your hand away, frowning.  

As you look at Steve, he's smirking, a knowing look in his eyes.  Nodding, he pushes his chair out, and throws money on the table.

"C'mon," he says.  Lets get home."

You make your way back to the compound, barely talking.  You mind is still buzzing with confusion over what happened when you shook Steve's hand.  You can feel his eyes on you every now and again, but you daren't look at him.

The butterflies still feel like they're there, but you choose to ignore those too.  Taking a shaky breath, you look up at Steve as you wait for the lift back up to the main entrance of the compound.  

"Thanks for tonight Rogers, I feel like we've turned a corner don't you?"  You ask.

Steve's voice is as shaky as yours as he replies.

"I really think we might have done."  He says with that knowing look in his eyes again.

Your breath hitches in your throat again, as you look up at your best friend.  Something has changed and you can't work out what.  As the lift doors close, and you travel the short distance up, you look up at him once more.

"Steve," you say breathlessly, as the lift doors to the compound open.....