Hello Captain (Steve Rogers)

Emoji's and Hieroglyphics

Steve's POV
I parked the car and grabbed Sarah's bag after coming around to open her door for her. She insisted on walking up all the stairs, even though I told her I could carry her. She was pale and tired by the time we reached our floor, but she made it. I unlocked her apartment door and followed her in.

We sat at the table to eat the greasy burgers and fries she'd ordered for us. The chocolate shake wasn't bad – not sundae shop quality – but not bad. I cleaned up after us and washed my hands; Sarah just watched me tiredly, exhaustion in every line of her posture as she sat at the table, sipping her shake.

"Do you still want to watch that movie tonight?" I knew she wouldn't stay awake for long, but this way I could stay with her for a while. She didn't answer right away and I was starting to think she hadn't heard me.

"I'm not sure that's a good idea, Steve." She took a deep breath before continuing, her eyes on her shake. "I've been thinking, and maybe we'd be better off not being...interested." Her teeth worried her bottom lip as I comprehended what she was saying: she didn't want to see if we were meant to be more than friends.

I shook my head. "I'm sorry I said what I did; I know now that I shouldn't have. Natasha told me that every female agent she knows would have reacted the same way you did, so I guess I still don't know anything about women."

She snorted. "You think? If I thought you were saying it as legit orders from my Captain, it would have been a different story. I wouldn't have argued with you then. But Steve the man, telling me I can't do my job because I'm a woman, that's not acceptable."

I reached across the table and covered her hand with mine, thankful she didn't pull away. "Other than Natasha and Maria, you're the only other woman I've really worked with in this time, Sarah. I guess I'm still getting used to how things are now." I smiled apologetically. "Women didn't do this kind of stuff in my time. Peggy's the only other woman I know who went into the field and even then, she didn't do what you do."

She studied me for a long moment before speaking. "I can understand that, I guess. This century is radically different from what you're used to. So is that the only reason why you flipped?"

"Flipped? What does that mean?"

"Sorry!" she sighed. "It's slang...it means losing control, going crazy or both."

"Sarah, you basically told me you were okay with dying and I was just supposed to say 'go ahead'? No, I'm not okay with that."

She scrunched her eyebrows up and stared at me. "How on earth did you get that out of what I said? You lost me."

"You told me you'd made your peace with God – what else was I supposed to think that meant?"

"I said – 'I can do this. I realize this is hard for you, but this is my job and you need to let me do it. I know the risks and I made my peace with God a long time ago.' I didn't mean that I was okay with dying, only that I don't blame God for anything that happens to me or my team on missions. This wasn't my first mission, Steve. Not by a long shot. I've been going on them since I was 15."

I struggled to wrap my head around that. "When I was 15, I was getting beat up in alleys and tossed in dumpsters."

Sarah smiled slightly. "You went looking for fights, according to Jace's grandpa."

"Maybe," I said, not wanting her to think badly of me. "I'm sorry I overreacted. Do you forgive me?"

"Yes, and I'm sorry I snapped at you earlier. I just thought you weren't going to let me do what needed to be done because you thought I was some weak woman or some wet behind the ears kid."