It's a promise

Chapter 11

Steve's POV

The breakfast was not as uncomfortable as I thought it would be. Especially because I haven't talked to Rylee yet. At the beginning it was a little bit tense because nobody really knew what to talk about, but Rylee broke the ice when Tony came back from the kitchen aisle.

'Tony? On a scale of one to 'I want to die' how bad is your hangover?' She also gave him a slight smile to show him that she wasn't really mad at him. I couldn't say that about Nat who was shooting daggers with her eyes at Tony and enjoyed him suffering.

'Status – I will never drink again.' The whole table started to laugh. When we stopped Tony took us by surprise. 'I want to apologize for my behavior last night. I overstepped a line.'

'An apology from Tony Stark. I think I need to mark that day in my calendar.'

'Do that, Romanoff. It will not happen again.'

Tony really looked awful. Rylee recognized his green face and she stood up and started to mix something. While she was mixing up whatsoever for Tony I couldn't keep my eyes off of her. Her hair was messy, probably because of the pillow fight with Nat. Nat and pillow fights weren't things I would see together but Rylee brought a softness to her which I never really saw she had. Especially in the last few years. We all built up our guards and didn't let anyone in, even me. But Rylee woke up something which I thought I didn't want anymore.

In the 40s I had a plan on how I wanted to live my life. I wanted to go to the army, fight in the war, find a dame, start a family. Then I became Captain America and met Peggy Carter. But we never had the chance after I crashed into the ice. I held onto the past for so long that I convinced myself I wouldn't want anything serious anymore. I had a few casual relationships but I never let myself feel anything for anybody.

I met Rylee in June but I just got to know her in the past few weeks. The long talks in the hospital, the time we spent alone especially when we were in the woods and when we had the movie night I realized I wanted more. It wasn't like I wanted to marry her right away but for the first time since I came out of the ice I could see myself with a woman for the long run.

My thoughts were interrupted by Rylee who came back to the table. My attention went to Nat for a second and she saw me watching Rylee. But instead of a devious grin like the last days she just gave me an encouraging smile. After last night I felt a little bit of hope that I wouldn't lose Rylee because of something that never really meant anything. ButI kinda understood her because none of us told her. She was shocked and I couldn't even imagine what she was thinking.

She gave a glass with something that looked like mud to Tony. 'Drink that. You will feel better after that.'

He looked at the greenish drink and then at her. 'Did you spit in it?'

'Yeah. That's my secret ingredient against a hangover.' I hid my smile behind a napkin. I loved her sassy side. We all stared at Tony who was sniffing at the drink.

'Do I want to know what's in it?' Rylee just shook her head. I knew Tony wouldn't drink it before he didn't ask at least hundreds of questions. So I helped her.

'Just drink it, Stark!' He threw an angry look at me before he brought the glass to his mouth and drank it in one go. He didn't look better after that. He looked worse and I thought for a moment that Rylee just got back at him for the last evening.

She squeezed his shoulder. 'It's awful I know but it will help soon. It's Laura's secret recipe and she made a few of them for me when I had a hangover. Even one time after I drank too much of Nat's eggnog at a Christmas party.'

'How bad were you?' That was a question I also wanted an answer for.

'I don't really remember...' Nat interrupted her.