So This is Love || Book 1

Uncle Steve Knows Best

─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───

My foot tapped against the floor to the light upbeat tune playing from the elevator's speakers. Eyes, staring up at the rising number above the doors.

My mini-party didn't last long as my destination was only a floor above the helipad.

As soon as the doors opened, I was greeted by Steve's startled expression. "Y/N," he said my name like it was unnatural to find me in my own home.

"Mister Rogers!" My hand shot up in a mock salute.

He shook his head. "You make me sound like the old guy from that kid's show you used to watch," he chuckled.

"I'm not too far off," I shrugged smugly. Although my smile fell as the elevator doors began to shut, making me squeeze through at the last minute.

Steve only laughed. "You calling me old, kiddo?" He jerked his head up towards the stairs, indicating that I follow him.

"Does it really count as being old if you've been asleep for like... a million years and still look young?" I partially joked as we traversed up the stairs.

"Sixty-six years," he scoffed. "And that depends on how you see it. I'm either 30ish or 100ish."

"So you're like my Uncle Grandpa?" I snorted.

"That sounds... Pretty lame. As you would say."

"I think it sounds cooler to brag about having an uncle who's a hundred years old and can still kick ass," I said, poorly imitating the punches I've seen him throw.

He laughed at me. "Don't say ass," he scolded, raising his hand to ruffle my hair to which I whined.

Silence washed over us and I turned around to find Steve had stopped halfway up the stairs. The smile he directed at me began to feel a bit forced if not beginning to feel pitiful.

"What?" I asked.

Then he asked me a question...

A question that seemingly came out of nowhere. A question I didn't expect to catch me off guard. A question that deprived me of the positive energy I felt when bantering with Steve just a moment ago.

"You doin' okay?"

"What do you mean?" I knew what he meant. I just wanted to be sure before I suffocate him with years of worry and anxiety.

"After what happened with Loki, you've been very..." He paused. "You've been around more. Not that having you around a lot isn't nice. I just can't see your dad without you tailing him like you're part of his shadow. Not to mention being the first face we see every time we land the jet."

I huffed, tilting my head up at the see-through walls of my father's lab. The same lab I was on my way to before our untimely encounter. A look of uncertainty replaced the one of worry on Steve's face.

"At first I thought it was puberty but I realized that was stupid." He continued to climb, catching up with me and putting an arm around my shoulders. "Come on. Tell uncle Steve what's wrong."