The Original Genius

12 - Whatever Next

Once you reach the headquarters, it was quite late. You knew everyone would have gone home and it’d only be a few techs and cleaners in the building.

“Let’s just hope there’s something we can find in here to help find him” you breathe out in a fluster.

You head into the lab, needed the space to spread paperwork out. But as you both walk in, you see a light on and the door ajar, with papers rustling.

Without hesitation Steve pulls you behind him and against the wall before turning and putting his finger to his lip, you nod, breathe deepening and heart racing.

Steve pushes the door open, it slightly creaks but only a split second as Steve stops it to stop the noise and he slides through the gap he’s created and switches the light on.

“Oh Jesus really?”

“Do you mind Rogers?”

“Howard? What are yo?”

“No, no, no, Evie don’t pleas-“ Steve tries to beg, trying to keep you in the hallway, but you were already through and you could and couldn’t believe your eyes.

Howard with his trousers unbuttoned, trying to button them back up, hair a mess and his forehead glistening with sweat from the lights hitting it and her sitting up fixing her skirt down and sorting those perfect little wringlets with one hand, as she wiped the smears of makeup from around her lips and eyes. Both clearing their throats.

You were stood, rooted to the spot, blinking hoping your vision would correct the nightmare you were seeing unfold in front of you. “Steve the time if you would please?”

“Erm, it’s 11pm Evelyn why?”

“Good to know, let’s go Captain, lets leave the teenagers to their nightly activities. Some of us have real work to do.”

“Evie, wait” Howard pleads after you.

“5 hours Stark. 5 fucking hours. Are you kidding me?! Every other woman in New York City wants you, wants to be in your trousers and you had to pick an agent working for a secret government company, give her an all access pass to our labs, our work. You let her take over every plan, me, you and Erskine designed for him” you voice was raised but breaking more and more with every word.

“All for what? A hump and dump? Is she going to get a Stark Special before she leaves? Even for you, this is low Howard” he watched you carefully, then his eyes go wide once he sees the tears sliding down your cheek. Before he can react, you turn back to Steve.

“Steve I am so sorry, do you mind if we call it a night. I erm-“

He holds onto your shoulders, giving you an understanding smile “Hey, relax. I can wait” he gently kisses your forehead and steps aside to allow you to walk out.

Steve looks back at Howard and shakes his head.  Turning to Peggy in a panic, Howard packs his things up, taking special care of what documents he took, your words ringing in his ear.

He looks between Peggy and Steve, clearly stumped on the best thing to do. Panicked and scared, his chest rising and falling still unsure of what he should do next. You scoff and shake your head before turning and walking out of the room.

“Really you two? It’s bad enough that you’ve ruined a friendship like theirs Peggy but to do it in the lab? Seriously?!” Steve questions, his voice filled with judgement.

“She’s overreacting again… for god sake he’s a grown man. He can make any decisions he wants and be with whoever he wants and he shouldn’t have to worry about his petty litt-“

“THAT'S ENOUGH” Howards screams before turning with tears in his eyes and stepping closer to Peggy. “You speak another bad word about her and you will never see the inside of an experiment or military base again. Your career will be finished."

“Howard, darling come on."

“No. Stop, just stop. She was right about you all along wasn’t she? So was Steve? Well now I’m gonna listen to them both, she is worth far too much to me to lose. Especially like this."

He runs after you, leaving Steve and Peggy stood in the lab, Peggy dumbfounded, Steve ecstatic grinning from ear to ear.

“Evie, Evie! Evelyn?” Howard screams outside of the lab.

“Why you screaming like I’ve just died Stark?” You utter out from behind him, leaning against a wall.

He turns to you and breathes a sigh of relief “I thought you had bailed on me”.

You give him a confused look “I did? I’m not waiting here for you or cause I needed some air, I’m waiting for Steve.”

Howard’s face falls and he becomes obviously uncomfortable. You look down at your feet, to avoid seeing him like that because you didn’t want to feel sorry for him, you didn’t want to forgive him.

“Oh I’m sorry guys, I’ll er-“

“No need. Nothing going on here, ready to go?”

Steve looks between you and Howard, confused. Howard shakes his head subtly and gives a side smirk to Steve, stepping to one side to allow you both past, Steve cautiously leads the way and you follow but before you make it past Howard, he grabs your arm.

“You can stay mad at me forever, you can ignore me, hate me and do whatever you can to make sure I feel every ounce of your hatred. But you will always be my best friend, my partner and I am never letting you forget that. My nugget."

You use every ounce of your strength and will power to not react, despite the tears surfacing, the inner need to wrap your arms around him and go back to normal and even the urge to smile at him and give him that hope you felt the same way.

He watches you closely for a few seconds and once he realises he wasn’t getting a reaction or response from you, he lets go and you follow Steve quickly, letting the emotions escape as Steve wraps his arm around you.

“I know you’re stubborn Evelyn, but this. You’re both in pain why not just talk it out?”

You didn’t have an answer, you had no clue why you couldn’t just brush it off. You had seen Howard with plenty of women before. But this felt different, you felt betrayed, deceived and… hurt.

“I wish I knew why Steve. All I know is I’m hurt. I can’t forgive yet. I’m gonna go home and rest for a couple of days okay? I need some space. Anything comes up for Bucky I will be sure to let you know okay?”

“Ye-Yeah sure Evelyn”

You flag down another cab, flashing a sad smile at Jarvis and head back to your apartment. After a 15 minute journey, you climb 3 flights of stairs and swing your door open. It felt empty, cold, lonely, you hadn’t been back there in… years. The dust was thick, letters piled high – the important ones were always addressed to the headquarters or Howard’s.

You close the door and flick on a lamp, before flopping onto your sofa, gripping the bridge of your nose between your thumb and finger and sighing. “What is going with you Evie, come on get a grip.” After lying there for a little while, you let sleep consume you.

You wake in the middle of the night to your neighbours fucking as loudly as they possibly could, fake moans and orgams from a woman and deep groans from a man. 4 minutes. Poor girl you thought, but then after a few minutes of hefty snoring, you heard the moans again, this time more genuine. Stopping each time there was a shift in the bed. Who could blame her?

Your stomach rumbles, but you already knew you had no food in because it was bound to be out of date, so you decide to head out for some food. As you stand up and begin to get yourself sorted there’s a paced knock at your door.

You open it “What are you doing here?”