The Shield and the Rose || S. Rogers

Confessions

In the week following Thanksgiving and the unexpected visit from Victoria, Katherine found herself attempting to ease into a routine that no longer included trying to find ways into the Avengers Tower. She and Steve had begun to think of ideas for lunch now that the days had become cold enough that neither thought it a bright idea to eat outside for the time being.

Steve would often take his afternoons to where he normally would, listening the criticisms and suspicions that his friends often had about his relationship. Nat and Tony were especially suspicious, asking him questions about Katherine and what she was truly doing every day. Steve found himself grateful one afternoon when Sam Wilson was standing in the lounge of the Tower.

"Sam," he greeted. "It's good to see you."

"It's good to see you too, Cap," Sam greeted in return.

"What brings you in?" Steve's brow rose just a bit.

"The others called me in to ask if I could come in and train a bit when you got here," he shrugged. "And because they had questions for me."

"Questions? What kind of questions?" Steve laughed.

"About Katherine," Sam sighed. "They told me what's been going on around here and showed me the pictures and video. They had a good point, you know."

Steve's jaw set as he felt the frustration course over him. Setting his belongings down on the couch and folding his arms across his chest, he glanced at the ground, thinking of what to say before looking back at his friend.

"What 'good point' is that?" he frowned.

"It is a little odd that you have a girlfriend and then someone's sneaking around the tower who happens to be dating someone from the war," Sam frowned. "Do you really trust that it's not her?"

"I do," Steve nodded. "She's been honest with me."

"And you fully know that she's been completely honest with you?" Sam seemed to sigh slightly.

"She's never given me a reason to have any doubt," Steve defended. "You know, I really wish you all would let me enjoy this. I meet a woman that I can't stop thinking about and everyone starts accusing her of being something that she's not."

"I never said that I was accusing her. I said that they had a point," Sam's frown was still etched against his cheeks.

"Well, it's not her," Steve defended once more.

"I trust you," Sam nodded. "Come on, let's go train."

Steve nodded, the two walking away and down to a training gym. As they set the gym up for themselves, Steve wrapping his hands before setting up a punching bag, Sam seemed to study him for a moment. Frowning, he decided to continue asking about Katherine, even if it wasn't about the suspicions that the others were having about her.

"So how are things between you and Katherine?" Sam raised his brow at Steve.

"They're good," Steve nodded, changing the way he stood to be in a proper stance. "They're really good, actually."

"Is that so?" Sam asked as he watched Steve throw his first punch at the bag. "What's been really good about it all?"

"I can't get her out of my mind, Sam," Steve shook his head as he continued throwing punches at the bag in front of him. "She's amazing. Everyday that I see and spend with her, I seem to both wonder how I spent a day without her and how it's like I can't remember what it was like before I was with her."

"I see," Sam nodded.

"She's all I can think about," Steve continued. "I just, I've really never felt like this before."