Stay With Me

5. Into The Fire

Juliette Zellers' Residence. Philadelphia, PA. July 10th, 2018.

Steve slows the car to a stop at the stop light a block from Julie's house, he turns his head and watches her. The ride to her house was absolutely silent. She chews on her cheek, waiting for the explosion, waiting for him to lose it on her for putting herself in harms way.

He reaches over and gently grabs her jaw, making her look at him . Her whole body relaxes at his touch. "Don't chew on your cheek sweetheart."

He releases her jaw, and resists the urge to drop his hand to her lap, to hold her hands with his and draw circles on her knuckles like he used too.

"Are you mad?" She asks as he pulls up to her brownstone.

"No."

Juliette takes a visible sigh of relief. Until he grabs her jaw a second time, more forceful enough to let her know he's the boss. "I'm furious."

She gulps. "I told you, you were in trouble. I meant it."

Her nose flares as she juts out her jaw and tries to stand up to him. Her eyes blazing. "It's not like you're going to punish me. We aren't even together."

"The hell we aren't." He growls, suddenly his eyes soften. "You're in no condition for sex tonight, or this conversation. Let's get you some water and get you to bed. We can talk in the morning."

He climbs out of the car and walks around to her side, opening her door and grabbing her at the waist. He lifts her over his shoulder. It's safer for her this way. The last thing he wants to do is tend to a sprained ankle because she fell up the stairs in those fuck me heels she wore.

"You said you'd give me time to figure it out."

Steve scoffs. "I gave you 4 days. Time's up."

She huffs. "Spare key is ..."

"In my hand." He finishes for her.

"How'd you get a key?"

"Juliette. Please remember who you're talking too."

She wiggles, trying to be sassy. He slaps her ass quickly before unlocking her door. She yelps, which turns into a sigh. Music to his ears. But not tonight.

"I'm sorry I thought I was talking to Captain America. Not Captain breaking and entering."

Instead of setting her down in the entryway, he pushes the door closed with his foot. Locking the door with one hand while holding onto her thigh with the other.

"What's your security code?" He asks, stepping over to the house alarm on the wall. Natasha was right, her security system is too out dated. Tony would have a heart attack if he saw this.

"What'd you think?"

Steve smiles and chuckles softly. He punches in the numbers 5812. May 8th, 2012. Their first date.

"And you wanna act like you don't want to get back together." He shakes his head.

"I thought we were." She argues. "You can set me down, I'm not that drunk anymore."

"I"m not setting you down until you're safe upstairs." He states as he climbs the stairs to her bedroom and closes the door behind him. Acting as if it was something he's done a thousand times, not his first time in her house.

Steve grabs a t-shirt from her pajama drawer and recognizes it immediately. His old S.S.R. t-shirt, clearly well worn now.

"How'd you know what drawer my pajamas are in?"