Awakening - (Last in the trilogy of my Steve Rogers Romance)

Chapter 11: It's been a long, long time.

As soon as they stepped through the door Steve was on a cheer-up mission. He made hot chocolate, fetched a blanket and even put on April's favourite playlist from her iPod.
He finally took a break, and sat down next to her on the couch.

"You know." she blew into her hot chocolate to cool it "You don't have to fuss over me so much."

"I want to." Steve shrugged "I wanna make sure you're okay."

"I'm fine Steve honestly." she smiled at his caring nature "I can handle Johnny Storm and his tantrums..."

He nodded, contented, before continuing to sit and watch idly as April drank the rest of her Hot Chocolate.

April finished her drink before noticing the music in the background. "I love Ed Sheeran..."

"I know you do, that's why I put it on."

She grinned, suddenly getting up from her seat to make her way over to Steve's shelf. She glanced through some old records "I wanna hear your music."

"You do?"

"Yeah, what's your favourite?" She asked.

Steve stood too joining her in sorting through the box of records; he picked one and put it on. As soon as the sound blared from the vintage gramophone she could tell it was an authentic 40s tune.
Steve gently tapped his foot to the intro of the song before saying something that surprised April.

"You dance agent Stark?"

She smirked "I do."

Steve held out his hands for her to take. Right hands together, one hand on her hip, and one on his shoulder, they began to sway to the music.

'Kiss me once, and kiss me twice, and kiss me one again. Its been a long, long time.'

Steve tensed a little, the words relating to him on a personal level.

'Haven't felt like this my dear, since can't remember when. It's been a long, long time.'

"Steve? Are you okay?" April asked, noting his dulled expression.

"Yeah" his gaze flicked from the floor to meet her's "I just..."

"What is it?"

It took him a moment to collect the words together, to arrange them and then to speak them. By this point all their movement had stopped.

"I want to kiss you." He finally voiced, the words leaving his lips in a broken whisper.

April's jaw dropped slightly, giving Steve the impression she was taken a back by his words. But in fact she wasn't shocked by Steve's realisation... She was relieved.

She lingered, her gaze trailing down to his lips then back to the icy blue of his eyes.

"Then kiss me."