Coming Down ➢ Steve Rogers

four

Chapter Four;

"Ice cream? Captain America enjoys going out for ice cream?"

Delaney stared at the ice cream shop in front of them. Somehow, however she'd pictured spending the day out with Steve last night, going out for ice cream hadn't come up in her mind.

Steve raised an eyebrow. "Does that sound too normal for you?"

"I don't know. I just didn't see you being an ice cream type of guy."

"Not always, but I enjoy it from time to time." He grabbed his wallet and smiled. "Here, it's on me."

Delaney grinned slyly. "I'll request the most expensive one; I haven't had ice cream in two years."

"Can you get triple scoops? You need a triple scoop."

"Of the most expensive ice cream?"

"Nothing less."

Delaney laughed, but in the end she walked out of the store with her favourite cookies and cream, and only a single scoop. Though she had a chocolate cone. She grinned as she inhaled her ice cream, savouring the sweet goodness. Steve watched her, an amused glimmer in his eye as he ate his own.

Delaney hadn't expected the day to be so normal. She didn't know what to expect when Steve arrived at her place after lunch – on his motorcycle. She'd been slightly nervous clambering on behind him, though she'd soon relaxed.

A week of just being able to talk, getting to know one of the people she thought she'd left behind forever. They'd mostly talked over coffee in the park, catching up on everything that had happened since Delaney had left. Steve spoke more than Delaney; his life with S.H.I.E.L.D. had been considerably more interesting than her own, thought she spoke with excitement of some of the cities she had visited, of the different cultures she'd been able to experience and learn from.

She thought that maybe, she'd be awkward, but her friendship with Steve kicked off from where she'd left it. It was so natural, being with him, and soon she was coming out of her shell and making jokes, feeling the deep bonds of friendship she'd severed for two years.

Ice cream had been their last event together for the day, and they finished as the sun was starting to set. Delaney thought she'd go straight back to her apartment, though Steve inquired if she'd like to go to his place for a while: she'd said yes without second thought.

Night had fallen when they arrived at Steve's apartment block. Delaney retracted her arms from where they'd been wrapped around Steve's waist and jumped off. She waited for Steve and together, they climbed the stairs to his apartment, making small talk on the way.

When Steve approached his apartment, his neighbour's door opened and a blonde woman stepped outside, a phone held between her ear and her shoulder, a load of washing in her other arm.

"Hey. I gotta go, though," the blonde said, laughing slightly. "Okay, bye." She turned off her phone at turned to them, and Delaney stifled a gasp as she was struck with a sense of déjà vu. The blonde looked familiar – Delaney was sure she'd seen her somewhere before. She bit her lip and shrunk away. In her situation, recognising someone even slightly was not a good feeling.

"My aunt, she's kind of an insomniac," the blonde explained, with an indulgent smile on her lips to which Steve smiled in response. She glanced at Delaney, and her eyes widened slightly. "And you're -"

Delaney placed her hands in her pockets, avoiding direct eye contact. "I'm Lane." She wished Steve would move to open the door; she didn't want to spend any more time with this woman than was necessary. She wanted to return to being a shadow, where no one but Steve knew her.