Fallout (Sequel to Aftermath - Steve Rogers Love Story)

Chapter 9: Neglected.

"Steve, what's wrong?" April asked from her place on the floor. She was cross legged sat playing with Lily.

Steve snapped out of his trance "Uh, I'm sorry... What were you saying?"

"I've been talking to you for like the past hour..."

"I'm sorry, Honey. My mind was somewhere else."

April furrowed her brows "I said that there isn't any reason for us to stay anymore." She sighed "Reed said that Lil's was fine, and eventually she'd be able to control it. It's just a waiting game. So, we can go home whenever."

"Really? Wouldn't you rather stay?" Steve tried to make excuses, he knew that he needed to stay long enough to find out the results of Reed's tests. "You hardly ever see Tony or Pep anymore, plus Lily's enjoying being around him so much.". Steve knew he shouldn't have used Lily to try and manipulate April, but he knew it'd work.

"I just, don't like her being in such close proximity to Johnny that's all..."

"I know A, but... Its harmless. Its not like Johnny knows anything." He reassured her.

"I suppose your right." She nodded, her eyes fixed intently on Lily "We'll stay just until uncle Tony gets bored of us, huh?" She cooed, kissing her daughters cheek.

****

Around about 3 weeks later; It was quite late in the day, and April had been sat out on the balcony for hours contemplating the events of the last few weeks.

"Where's the little squirt?" Johnny asked closing the balcony door behind him.

April was startled by his sudden presence "Oh, she's with Tony."

"I see that Tony convinced you guys to stay for a month or two?" He asked

"No, It was Steve actually. I think he sometimes misses being around more people than just me and Lil's sometimes."

Johnny seated himself next to her "What d'you mean?"

"We only came to visit Tony for a few days, but Steve was so eager to stay that I felt bad saying I wanted to leave. He's already sacrificed so much for me and Lily, I didn't want to be a buzz kill."

Johnny's analytical gaze, swept over her face "So, his misses being around the guys? Why don't you guys just move further back into the city?"

"Its too dangerous." April deadpanned "There is always someone trying to conquer the world every other day; at least where we are now, we're a bit further out of the way of immediate danger from any Dr Doom's or Loki's or Magneto's."

"Magneto's?" Johnny laughed hard "Isn't that guy like 90 years old!?"

"I don't care if he's 2000 years old, the dude's scary as fuck!" She challenged.

Johnny held his hands by his head in defence, before taking a swig from the bottle in his hand. He raised an eyebrow, and offered the bottle to April. She gave him a cautious look and he chuckled.

"Come on?" He coaxed "When was the last time you had a drink... A real good drink?"

April hesitantly took the bottle... This was going to be interesting.

****

2 hours and numerous bottles of alcohol later, it was almost dark. Johnny and April were still out on the balcony alone, and completely out of it.

"This is one of my favourite songs!" April slurred snatching Johnny's phone from him to turn up the volume, as Awolnation's 'Sail' played on speaker.

Johnny chuckled as she raised her hands in the air, and shook her head to the music. "I just want people to play this everytime I walk into a room, so I can be cool..." She thought about something for a second "I could kick ass with this. The bad guys would be so terrified of my dance moves that they'd run away and never want to commit crimes again."

Johnny laughed again "I thought you didn't do field work anymore?"

"I dont." She agreed "But I miss it." She tilted her head back and sighed dramatically before pulling an unamused face.

"What is it?" Johnny asked her

"I should be going to bed. But I really don't want to deal with Steve right now..." She admitted

"What do you mean?"

"He's just been really wierd lately. He's hardly been near me for the past 2 weeks, but he says he's fine. He doesn't even want to... you know... anymore."

Johnny turned to her "Whats, 'you know' supposed to mean?"

"He doesn't want to, have...sex, anymore." She bit her lip "He always just says he's 'not in the mood' or that he's 'too tired'."

"Eesh..." Johnny's expression hardened "Wonder what's going on with him?"

April didn't say anything, she just shrugged. Johnny sighed and cleared his throat lightly in an attempt to get her attention again, but it didn't work.

"He's an idiot you know." Johnny voiced, finally getting April to focus on him once more "Rogers doesn't know what he's got... If he did, then he wouldn't be taking you for granted."

Under any other circumunstances April would never have fallen for Johnny's honey words; in fact she'd have argued persitently against them. But her neglected mood, and drunken state meant she couldn't help but get herself into something she knew she'd regret.