The Second Coming || Guns N Roses, Bon Jovi, David Bowie

The Second Coming: Eleven

Cap was becoming more and more irritable by the second, so to relieve myself of some pain I stayed in for the next few days. I also avoided him like the plague, which was extremely difficult since he lived below me and heard every step I took.

Jess was gone a lot, his inauguration date was inching closer- that meant more work, and more absences around the apartment.

Cap liked to eat together whenever possible, so most times I excused myself from the table five minutes after the meal had begun, or just stopped coming to meals altogether. I blamed it on an upset stomach, or in cases of extreme scrutiny- my period. The minute those words came out of my mouth, Cap would most likely stop talking completely and allow me to leave.

Of course this meant I was starving all the time, but it also meant I could ask the housekeepers to prepare me whatever I wanted- no more nuts and berries. I'm sure Cap wanted me thin, but his efforts were excessive.

I was a little disappointed- it was New Year's Eve and I hadn't heard from Jon. At the same time I was planning on sneaking out to go to the recording studio for my first session, so I barely had time to be sad.

I still hadn't told anyone about the apartment- I didn't know if I was going to at all.

A few hours before I was set to go, I asked the housekeepers to make me some more chicken soup. I'd skipped breakfast on account of my 'terrible cramps', I was pretty sure my stomach was eating itself.

Once the soup was ready I poked my head out of my bedroom like a turtle from its shell, scanning the room for signs of Cap.

Once I determined that the coast was clear I went to the kitchen table and sat down. The housekeeper sat my bowl in front of me which I dug into hungrily. I was in heaven for a few moments, until I heard a noise and choked on my soup.

I inhaled broth, which sent me into a coughing fit. Cap was sitting beside me, watching motionless as I nearly hacked up a lung onto the table.

"Well, now I know you were lying about your... um... menstruation."

I gulped down some water. "How?"

"You always avoid coughing when you really are, you know... menstruating. And sneezing, as well as laughing. Why is that?"

I scoffed, which burned my raw throat. "You wouldn't understand."

"Hm."

I blotted my mouth with a cloth napkin and sighed. I felt gross.

"Well, I'm glad you're eating something. I was afraid you might starve to death trying to avoid me."

I furrowed my eyebrows. "I'm eating no less than I did before."

There was an ice wall between us, and I could tell it made Cap extremely uncomfortable. For me it was refreshing, liberating even. I knew it could only exist for so long before Cap found some way to shatter it, but I wanted to enjoy my freedom for as long as possible.

"There's a New Year's Eve party happening at the White House tonight. I want you to attend with me, there are a lot of old friends that are dying to meet with you, you know... eleven years later, I suppose."

His eyes were narrowed. The invitation wasn't truly an invitation, it was a command in disguise.

"Sorry, I can't. I have plans that I made weeks ago, I'm sure you understand."

I took one last bite of the soup before I pushed the bowl away and stood. I needed to go to the bathroom and ensure I hadn't wrecked my makeup in the midst of the coughing.