Remember Me | Steve Rogers

19

388 Days After

I wake up to the aroma of bacon and eggs, and a slight hint of sweet maple syrup, smiling with my eyes closed. That's one of the best things about staying here, there will always be a meal ready. I get up easier than I usually do in the mornings, and get freshened up and put on something comfortable to get a quick workout in. 

When I get downstairs, the kids are eating. Steve and Laura are in the kitchen finishing up cooking more food, and I get stopped in the living room by Clint. 

"Up for some target practice? Let's see if you're rusty." Clint suggests, and I smirk at him.

"Let's see if you're rusty old man." I tease back, and he chuckles, putting his arm over my shoulders and leading us outside by the barn. He tosses me his bow, and I quickly extend my arm out to open the bow to it's full size. I pick up an arrow and set myself to aim at the target and take a breath before releasing it, and it hits the target, but not bullseye. I hear Clint snort behind me and I turn rolling my eyes at him. 

"You're forgetting to tuck your elbow." Clint advises, and I groan to myself before picking up another arrow and tucking in my elbow like he said. Releasing it from my fingertips once more and hitting the bullseye. 

"Told you." Clint comments and I throw the bow to him. After a bit more of target practice, Clint leaves me to go spend time with his family and I go on a small run. Once I get back, I run upstairs to get in a shower, and am starving by the time I'm finished. 

"Coffee?" Steve suggests as he waits for me on the bed. I smile at him, tightening the towel around my body, and then grabbing the mug from his large hands.

"I could get used to this." I tease him, and he smirks at me. Taking a sip of the coffee, it revives me. 

"It could be a normal morning routine for us." Steve offers, and I smirk at the thought of waking up in the same bed, with a shirtless Steve and a cup of hot coffee every morning. 

"Sounds like a dream." I comment, and he smiles at me, taking the mug out of my hands and setting it on the nightstand. He takes a step towards me, cupping my cheeks and kissing me gently and releasing me. I drop my towel at his feet, and walk towards my bag, grabbing a few things to change into, and I turn my head slightly, seeing that Steve has his back turned to me, and I smile. Always so shy. Once I'm changed, I tap Steve on the shoulder, cueing him to turn back around and he smiles. 

"Weird not seeing you in anything not black." He comments at my blue jeans and crewneck. 

"Being here is like being in a completely different, normal life." I admit, putting my hands on his broad shoulders, and his hands land on my waist. 

"Could you live in the middle of no where like this?" Steve asks me, and I shake my head. 

"In another life, maybe. But, I like the city. The noise. It somehow is comforting to me." I confess and he smiles. 

"Let's get you some breakfast." Steve insists, and I follow him downstairs. 

After stuffing my face with bacon, eggs, sausage and another cup of coffee, Steve and I get put on designated babysitter duty while Clint and Laura run to the store to grab groceries for dinner. 

"Steve, do you love Aunt Nina?" Nathaniel bluntly asks Steve, which catches the both of us off guard. My eyes widen at the curious thought, but Steve keeps his eyes on Nathaniel before letting out a nervous breath. 

"I like your Aunt Nina very much." Steve reveals, bending down to Nathaniel's eye level and pokes him in the side, to tease him, causing him to let out a pure, innocent laugh. 

"Is she your girlfriend?" Nathaniel eggs on, and I clear my throat. 

"Sweetie, why don't you go grab your brother and sister, we can watch a movie." I suggest, and Nathaniel gets distracted from Steve so easily, probably already forgetting what insane question he just asked, and runs upstairs to get his older siblings. 

"Girlfriend huh?" I tease Steve, throwing my legs onto Steve's lap, and he rubs his thumb in circles onto my thigh. 

"You offering?" Steve counteracts, throwing me a wicked smirk, and I roll my eyes at him, keeping a playful smile on his face, but I know it hit a nerve with him. Luckily, the kids start rolling in, and squishing their bodies near ours on the couch. Cooper on the floor, with Lila on the couch beside us, and Nathaniel squeezing his way through between Steve and I. 

I'm woken up to the sound of the front door creaking, and I whip my head quickly to see Clint and Laura sneaking in with hand full of groceries. Clint weakly smiles at me, and I smile back, turning back towards Steve who is still napping peacefully, and I rest my head onto Steve's lap. He instinctively starts to play with my hair, taking a deep breath. 

"Go back to sleep baby." He mumbles, and I freeze. He's tried calling me nicknames before, here and there, but this time feels different. I'm not sure if it's the environment, or that we're in such a gray area, or because I'm scared where this is going. Probably all of the above, but I try pushing the moment towards the back of my head, feeling slightly uneasy. 

"Hey, can we talk?" I ask Steve, interrupting him from the kids, and he nods, getting up from the floor and he follows me out to the front porch. I take a deep breath before sitting leaning against the railing of the porch, and Steve puts his hand on the small of my back. 

"What's going on?" He asks me, and I feel my eyes flood with tears, but I look away for a second to pull myself together. I take a deep breath in and face Steve again. 

"I think we should see other people." I blurt out, and his hand drops from my back. 

"Where's this coming from?" Steve interrogates, and I can sense the frustration in his voice.

"I can't give you more Steve. I am who I am, and that's not enough for you." I admit, and it sounds so small saying it out loud. 

"When are you going to realize that you are enough?" This time taking ahold of my hands in his, trying to pull me back mentally to him, and it's working, but I can't let it. 

"You deserve more." I let out quietly, and he releases my hands, gripping the rail, almost hard enough for his knuckles to almost turn white. 

"Stop pushing me away for once. We've been enjoying our time together." Steve spits out, and I attempt to put my hand on his back, but I decide against it. 

"I am enjoying our time, but I'm not pushing you away." 

"That's bullshit and you know it." Steve spits at me, and he takes one last look at me that breaks me. No one has ever broken me. I open my mouth to take back my decision, but nothing comes out. He sighs, and storms back inside.