Beyond Time (Avengers X Reader)

Chapter 10

Over the time you had been in the past, you realised you had got yourself indulged into a habit which would not necessarily be described as the best kind - deriving pleasure from Steve's sufferings, which you were the one to inflict upon in the first place. By your words or actions, it didn't matter.

Natasha, she didn't care for you much nor did she try to get in your way. Much like she had been earlier. (Or later. This is why people shouldn't be travelling through time.) Therefore, all she earned were a few snarky remarks and general ignorance.

But Steve? No. He was basically a ray of sunshine. Nothing like the distant man you knew. Wiping that ever present joyous smile off his face provided you with satisfaction in its own cruel way.

And this wasn't right. Of all people, Tony made you realise that.

"If you're going to hover by my door all day, you might as well leave. Or come in, although the former option is more preferable." Steve's voice came through the door. At least he was just unhappy. It could've been worse.

Slowly pushing the door open, you hesitantly walked in. "Capitaine. I would like to offer an explication for my unusual conduite."

"So you're here to apologise." Steve greeted you with his all knowing smirk.

"No." Your eye twitched a little but you fought the reaction, "For what it's worth, I would like you to know that for raisons I'm not at liberty to discuss, we required you to stay back from this mission." Steve continued to stare wordlessly at you so you quickly added, "We being me and les fonctionnaires de l'ordre supérieur of le gouvernment français."

"Are you or any of these higher order officials going to tell me why I was absolutely required to stay back from this mission?" Steve asked.

You ran your tongue over your teeth. "Comme je l'ai dit, there are reasons I'm not at liberty to discuss."

Steve didn't push the matter any further. He had issues of his own. "You know, I'm yet to hear a single 'I'm sorry' from you."

"That's because I'm not apologising." If it was possible for the human body to internally produce smoke, you were positive it would be coming out of your ears. Wheeling around, you headed for the exit.

"Something's happened, hasn't it?" Steve's words made your feet freeze in place.  The exhaustion of the entire chain of enervating events was beginning to materialise all at once.

"Even Tony isn't this snippy for no reason." Apparently, Steve wanted to help, "Look, we may not be anything more than work acquaintances, but I'm willing to bet my bottom dollar on the fact that we're the closest people you've got in this country. And that is on the indeterminate assumption that you know other people. Let us in. Tell me, what's wrong?"

"Nat, where's mom? She was supposed to pick me up an hour ago." After standing outside the sports center for a little too long to be bearable, (Y/N) decided to call her sister.

"(Y/N), mom's in Germany."

"What!?" (Y/N)'s pitch peaked but she quickly got it under control. "Okay, I'll see what I can do."

Natalie felt dread coursing down her spine. If only she could be in New York and help her sister instead of being stuck on a stupid school trip to Rome. "See what you can do? There's a hurricane warning!" Her mind was processing a thousand things at once, "Stay put. I think I can get dad to pick you up."

"But he's in..." (Y/N) began but Natalie had hung up before she could finish, which happened more often than not, "...Manchester."

(Y/N) couldn't remember the last time she was so happy to see her father. Not him, per se, more by the idea of getting shelter from the impending hurricane, given that she had been standing in the pouring rain for the better part of the hour.

"Jesus, (Y/N)! You're shivering." Steve draped his jacket around his daughter's shoulders. It was (Y/N)'s luck that he was already on the way back from Manchester when Natalie called.

"Thanks, Steve." (Y/N) wasn't in the habit of talking much, not with Steve. He didn't like her addressing him by his first name. It was a change that had come so subtly yet so affirmatively that all his efforts to discontinue it were in vain.

(Y/N)'s childhood hadn't all been horrible. Some of it was unbearably average.

"My father's life has been threatened." You suddenly blurted out. Steve's posture went rigid. Whatever answer he had been expecting, this wasn't anywhere near it.

Words were flowing out without actually registering in your conscious. "I can't even list ten things about him. I've met him a total of 22 times. He was never there. I don't think he would reconnaître me if I were to stand right in front of him! Mais cela importe-t-til? No. Because the burden of saving his life is on my shoulders. And..."

Your voice dropped down to a deadly whisper and your eyes personified fear. "...and I'm not sure if I want to."