𝐇𝐎𝐍𝐄𝐘 | 𝟏𝟖+

31 | More Complications

DAY 104

Another dull shift at the coffee shop.

Honey always dreaded Wednesday's at the cafe - they were the slowest days. Normally, she would try to pass the time with studying for classes or catching up on homework, but she didn't even have that to tide her over now that it was summertime. So, instead, she swept the floors a grand total of four different times, cleaned the coffee machines, and stared at the seemingly never-changing clock on the wall.

She had never felt more excited to clock out, slinging her apron on its designated hook as she wasted no time darting out of the cafe with a "see you tomorrow, Harry!" and a quick giggle at his envious expression.

As if her dreary day couldn't possibly get any worse, she slammed full-force into someone's lanky chest, her head snapping up with an apologetic expression that turned into surprise when she saw Parker Jensen's face peering down at her. 

Shit.

Honey hadn't spoken to or even really tried to reach out to Parker since the party. To make it even worse, she had realized that she had almost completely forgotten about him, which made her stomach churn with guilt.

"Parker," she greeted softly, brushing her hair behind her ear as she attempted to maintain eye contact with him without chickening out. 

"Honey," he responded, his tone not mimicking her gentle one in the slightest, but sounding more cold instead.

She deserved that.

"H-how are you?" she asked indifferently. 

His curly head tilted sideways, his green eyes narrowing for a brief second as if to say seriously? Stuffing his hands into his pockets, he shrugged slowly. "I haven't heard from you. You kiss me, leave with that guy at the party, and then what? Disappear?"

Honey's posture faltered at his words, her heart practically dropping into her stomach as she stared sympathetically up at him. There was nothing she could possibly say to make up for how she treated him, used him like that. It was entirely out of character for her to have done any of it in the first place, and she felt like useless dirt on the ground for it.

"Parker, I'm so sorry-"

"Were you even sick the first time we were supposed to hang out?"

She deserved that, too.

The bile was rising in her throat with every sickening turn the conversation was taking, making her eyebrows pull together tightly as she swallowed the thick, cottony lump that was forming in her windpipe. Rubbing her clammy hands together nervously, she mumbled, "Parker, I really never meant to hurt your feelings. That wasn't my intention at all, I'm sorry."

"You could have just been honest with me from the start," he muttered lowly, staring down at his feet as he swiped his converse along the ground. "I've never been anything but honest with you."

Her lips formed a thin line. "I know that, and I appreciate you for it."

She watched his green eyes flicker up at her skeptically, sending another twinge of remorse through her body as he reached up to rub the back of his neck. How could she expect him to believe a word that left her mouth after everything that had happened?

"The kiss," he practically whispered. "Was it real? Or was it to piss that guy off? Make him jealous or whatever."

Honey decided that saying anything would just sound like an excuse, making it just as bad as staying silent, worse even. Dropping her head, she took her bottom lip between her teeth as she stared down at the concrete beneath them. 

She felt like a horrible human being. 

"I guess I know my answer."

"Parker-"

"He doesn't deserve you, Daniels," Parker interrupted her, a lecturing tone to his voice. "You shouldn't have to fight that hard for someones attention, you shouldn't have to make someone jealous in order for them to notice you. You deserve someone who falls at your feet without you even having to do anything."

He may not have known specifics on her and Steve's strange relationship - but she couldn't deny that he was right. 

Her situationship with Rogers was a work in progress, he was a work in progress. But she hadn't even stopped to think about what would happen if he never progressed, if she wasted all of this time putting her effort into something that would never happen. 

"I never expected you to be into me," he continued, lifting his hands in the air aimlessly as he shook his head. "But for fucks sake, Honey, please don't settle for someone who isn't a thousand percent into you."

Popping her head up, her brown eyes met his as his words sunk in, realization dawning on her in a way that left her stomach feeling unsettled. Just when she felt like she was in a good position again, good enough to continue this thing with Steve, more complications just had to arise. 

"Thank you," she breathed shakily, unsure of what else to say.

"I'll see you around sometime, Daniels."

Her head nodded slowly up and down as she watched him hesitate momentarily, his eyes examining her softly before he twisted on his heel and left her standing on the sidewalk beneath the street light all by herself. She didn't tear her eyes away from his retreating figure until she couldn't see him anymore, her arms wrapped around herself searching for any amount of comfort.

It was time for her thing with Steven to either progress or dissipate all together. 

i wanted to say thank you for 150k <3

i also have a one shots piece up for marvel characters if you wanted to check that out.