Sharp Edges / Peter Parker

𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐏𝐓𝐄𝐑 𝐓𝐄𝐍

a/n: i know i don't really neeeed to say this, but just as a lil reminder this is story is an au one. in my story, obviously steve did still go back in time but he came back and brought peggy with him.

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     STEVE GREETED HIS FRIEND WITH A SMILE AND A HUG. "Thanks for coming," he stepped aside so she could enter his home.

Of all of the people that Tillie met at group therapy, Steve and Joe immediately became her favorites. And with Steve, it wasn't because he was a hero, it wasn't because he was Captain America. With how they all talked about loss, it became surprisingly easy to see him as just another person, grieving the same as she was.

After she had attended her first meeting, Tillie was mentally preparing herself to say that she didn't intend on coming back to these meetings. Everyone seemed nice enough, sure, but being around people that experienced the same type of death and loss that she had, just on different scales, it was too much. She wiped away tears more than once, and just hoped that nobody had noticed.

But Steve had. He'd approached her after everyone else had gone home, and it was just the two of them. He noticed her sitting on a bench outside, and he thought it was because she was waiting for her ride to come pick her up. In truth, she hadn't called them yet. Just wanted a moment to gather her thoughts. So he sat next to her. For the first few moments, neither of them said anything.

When she looked back on that day, Tillie was grateful he didn't jump in with a bunch of questions. Was she okay? Did she plan on coming back the following week? Did she want to talk about who she had lost, because she didn't do it when everyone else was there? Instead, they just sat there. When Steve finally spoke, he was quiet.

"These meetings not really your thing, huh?"

Tillie was surprised at how he sounded. When the rest of the group was there, even talking about his own sadness, he was louder, and there was still an air of confidence to him. None of that was present with just her though.

"Umm, not really. It's not because of any of you, I don't want to offend anyone. It's just... I don't know. I'm only sixteen, I'm the youngest one here. I feel like I'm being silently judged. Like because I'm so young people think oh well she's got most of her life still ahead of her, she'll live longer without whoever she lost than she's lived with them, why is she even here?"

"I promise, none of us are thinking that. I... I lost people suddenly too. Of course for for them, it was decades and decades that they had to grieve me. But for me, it felt like seconds. People don't say it directly to my face, but I've heard whispers. He's Captain America, he's got these super hero friends, has saved all these lives, how can he be sad for things, and people, that he lost so long ago? The thing I've learned, is that you can't let anyone tell you how to grieve. Sure, you're a teenager, but that doesn't mean your loss is any less important than someone who's double, even triple your age."

Those words often played over and over in her mind, when things were getting tough. Now seeing Steve in front of her, it was easy to see a good friend and not Captain America. It wasn't that long ago that he first helped her, but at the same time it felt like a lifetime ago.

"So how's life treating you?" Steve pulled her from her thoughts, forcing her mind back to the present.

"Umm, good." When she was how skeptical he was at her vague response, Tillie laughed. "Really, they're good. Better than before, at least. I moved into a new apartment, got a part time job. It'll be a big challenge figuring out my schedule and all that fun stuff once I go back to school, but it keeps me busy."