Legendary | s. harrington (18+)

chapter twenty nine

"STEVE!" Eve's face was pink as she panted his name, slamming a handful of coins on to the counter of Scoop's Ahoy.

The boy ran to where she stood, almost toppling over as he slid across the freshly mopped marble with a painful squeak of his sneakers.

"Yeah?" He searched her skin for any abrasions, any signs that something was wrong.

"What's your favourite ice cream?"

"What?" She looked over her shoulder, frantically.

"Ice cream." She repeated. "What's your favourite?"

"Uh..." he looked over the choices in the freezer. "I don't know...I-"

"Pick something and come sit with me." She pleaded. Steve's body followed her orders faster than his brain processed them. He scooped up three flavours: Eve's favourite's; mint chocolate chip and honeycomb, and vanilla. He scooped them in to a pot in the most perfect spheres he'd ever handed to someone. He put every topping he thought she'd like on it, messily, and cursed himself as he ran after her.

"I'll go on the till then, shall I?" Robin called. She wasn't as irritated as she sounded, in fact a smirk hung off the right side of her mouth. Scoop's Ahoy wasn't too busy, it was closing time so only Evelyn and Steve and two thirteen year olds filled the shop. They slid in to a booth and the ice cream glass clattered on to the table.

"What's this?" She said, eyes fluttering distractedly from whatever was over her shoulder and the glass between them.

"It's...a bowl."

"Mmhmm." She slid against him, her eyes looking over the booth to somewhere in the mall. Steve couldn't make out what she was looking at.

"Evie, what's wrong?" She pressed herself against him, pushing herself further away from whatever was bothering her. Her hair smelt of coffee beans, freshly ground, and her skin smelt of vanilla and apple. She'd changed her shampoo, he noted, and she pushed her spine into his chest. His arms went round her instinctively, taking the invitation he wasn't sure she was sending him. He spoke in to her hair, trying to see what was wrong but soon he was distracted. His eyes slipped shut. She was so close to him, it had been so long.

"There's a man." His eyes snapped open. "I served him at work this morning and he waited around until I finished and he was still there when I locked up but because I was locking up I was alone. I told him I was meeting my boyfriend." The word alone hurt his chest but then she gripped one of his hands tight, pleading, and looked up at him begging through her eyelashes. "Be my boyfriend." She was pink with discomfort, both from asking Steve and the situation but Steve did not need to be asked twice. When he looked again, he saw the man she meant. He looked several years older than them but still in his twenties. He swaggered to Scoops Ahoy, his muddy eyes sticking to Evelyn like a predator unwavering from its prey. Steve gave her one of the silver spoons in his hand and she took a mouthful of ice cream, practically shoving down her throat. Steve wondered if she hoped it was going stop the man following her. After an agonising few minutes, he arrived. He stalked to their table, slowly, terrifyingly, and loomed over them. Eve's chest was painfully tight. Was she going to cry?

"The shops closed." Steve growled, his jaw clenching tight when the man didn't even look at him. His slimy eyes stripping Evelyn bare. Eve felt the words radiate beneath her, through her chest. She hadn't expected him to be so stern, she just wanted a witness, and it took her breath away. If Steve was this concerned, maybe she should be more frightened by it.

"I was just wondering if your friend here wanted to get a drink. She's been working so hard all day." His callous finger wiped his split, dirty lip. Steve pulled Evelyn tighter to him. His fingers ghosted her waist, somehow finding an exposed part of her naturally. Her shirt had rose upwards, tucked in to her jeans but loosened when she sat down beside him. His fingers were ice cold from the freezers and he felt her gasp at his touch. For a fraction of a second, he was distracted.

"Yeah, she has and I've already got her what she needs." Eve wanted to stand up for herself but her body physically wouldn't let her lift her gaze to the man watching her. She dared to look up, stealing a glance, but he was watching her so hungrily it made her complexion turn grey.

"I'm not sure she does have what she needs." Eve wanted to vomit. She gripped Steve's thigh tightly. His free arm went around her shoulders, playing with her hair. She didn't know how Steve could be so relaxed. She was shaking.

"We're closed." Steve repeated. His voice was venomous, a deep snarl vibrating down Eve's spine. The man smiled at fraction.

"Then why are you still here? I'll walk you out." Steve grinned, gripping Eve painfully tight.

"I'm her boyfriend. I work here. She can stay as long as she likes. You, on the other hand, need to leave." Steve eyed the man. If he stood, tragically away from Eve, he would be almost the same height as him. One solid punch would probably knock him to the floor - he was skinny and his shoulders were hunched over. Then again, maybe he'd put up a good fight. Steve would loose his job, definitely, but if it stopped the man coming to search for Eve again...

"I guess that's my mistake." The man said, eyeing Steve up too. But he made no attempt to leave.

"Oi, Creep!" It was Robin. She rushed towards him like a tornado, keys for the shutter rattling in her hand. "If you don't leave now I'm calling the cops." The mans posture changed. Evelyn found some courage.

"If you come to the cafe again, too, I will get you arrested." Unlike Robin, Eve had an easy route for this to happen. Why hadn't she thought of that sooner? Robin grabbed one of the ice cream scoops and waved it at the man frantically. He recoiled and ran. His face was distorted by the neon lights of the shop as he fled. She was glad to see him leave. Eve shivered.

"What a weirdo." Steve mumbled. Eve hadn't realised how tense he had been until he relaxed beneath her. Their ice cream was melting, so she pushed it towards him. "Tell your boss. Make sure he doesn't come back again." She nodded.

"Thank you." She whispered it between them like a secret. Her ears were buzzing realising how close they were, her skin on fire.

"Any time." He replied just as quiet, trying to memorise her skin. He'd seen her so infrequently these past few weeks. The thought made his bones ache. Eve's adrenaline dissipated. She forget where she was or why she was here when his fingers ran over her jaw and lifted her face delicately towards him. He leant so close she could feel the cold air of his breath from the ice cream. Her heartbeat was so loud she was certain he could hear it. His lips were too close and Evelyn was certain she felt them brush her lower lip; split cold skin burning her own, hot, trembling mouth. But it was too soon to say, because she threw herself away from him, her face crimson, when Robin's voice pierced their daydream.

"You are welcome." She wasn't mad, she was smirking. Her smugness travelled towards them as she crossed her arms, making them squirm. Steve was shooting daggers in her direction. "Nice to see you Eve." Eve looked up, her gaze skittish as she fidgeted in the booth. She felt rude and disorientated.

"It's nice to see you too, Robin. Sorry -" she waved her off with a smile. She knew Evelyn from school. She liked her. They sat next to each other in English. She was one of the only non-judgmental people in her class. She was a rare human being. Eve was blushing, sweating, but Robin knew exactly what she'd interrupted. She was grinning wickedly at Steve, wanting to throw her head back on her shoulders and laugh at the uncomfortable heat she had conjured on his face. Robin turned, mumbling something about having to change the tally on the board, shaking her head incredulously.

"Is that honeycomb?" She pointed to the ice cream on the table. Steve nodded.

"Yeah." He answered breathlessly and watched her scoop it in to her mouth. She hummed in enjoyment, wiggling in a little dance. He smiled and slid closer to her, scooping up some of the mint. Sighing regretfully because he knew this would be yet another almost-kiss they would blatantly ignore.

Author's Note
I've written a new fanfiction! It's called Evermore & it's a Harry Potter fanfiction!! So please check that out (mature audiences only please!) updates regularly.

It's been a while since I've updated here, I'm sorry!! Irregular updates will resume, I'm sorry again! I hope everyone's coping during this wild year. Hopefully soon things will be better :) enjoy!!