Dark Arrow

Chapter Sixteen

I barely made it two foot out of the compound before Steve was by my side. All I wanted was to go for a walk, give myself five minutes to sort through my head. Apparently that wasn't going to happen.
Steve fell into step beside me, keeping his hands in his pockets as we walked through the busy streets. I wanted to explain what had made me up and leave, but I couldn't. I wasn't sure of the reason myself. It wasn't the first time I'd had an argument in the tower, it was the first time I'd stormed out of the room because of it though.

"So...Sharon had some choice words when you left." Steve tested the waters, not wanting to upset me further but obviously looking for some answers.

I rolled my eyes, letting out a small chuckle. "I only threatened to hurt her. She's lucky I didn't actually go through with it." No matter how much I wanted to stick an arrow in the eye of that stuck up bitch, I knew better. It wasn't even that she'd kissed Steve, or that she'd tried to warn me off him. It was her referring to me as a child that had me feeling angry.

"She's wrong you know, I never saw you as a kid." He looked down at me, a smile I'd not seen before sitting across his face. The slight stubble on his cheek was almost too tempting, I wanted to run my fingers over it.

I shake my head, more to clear my thoughts than anything else.
"Careful Steve, it's starting to sound an awful lot like you care."  I teased, nudging him with my shoulder so he wouldn't take it too seriously.

He let out a laugh, one I wanted to bottle up and listen to over and over again. I needed to get my feelings under control, I didn't hate him anymore, but I couldn't let myself feel something either. That would only end in disaster.

"You make me sound so unreasonable." He carried on laughing, shaking his head slightly.

I couldn't help joining in, letting out a small laugh of my own. "Well you do keep calling me a brat." I reminded him, knowing full well just how much I enjoyed being a brat. It was something I'd come to terms with a long time ago.

"Well you do keep acting like one." He countered, his voice sounding slightly deeper than usual. If I didn't know any better I would say that thinking of me as a brat is turning him on.

I stopped walking, turning to face him. "And yet you still find a way to constantly be near me. Why?"

"You grew on me."

We both shuddered at the comment, the pure cheesy-ness of it made my stomach churn. "Oh god, that was..." I couldn't even find the word.

"Really really cheesy?"

"I've seen less cheese in a grilled cheese sandwich."

The way he was laughing with me, looking at me like I was the only woman in the world. It began to shift something in me again. I found myself wanting to see more of this side of Steve, the side that shows him in a completely different light. He's not judging me or my past, he's not doubting what I can do. He's just letting go, letting himself be completely him. It began to bring my own walls down, so much so that I made a split second decision. I was going to give him a chance, a proper chance this time.

"I have a proposal, if you're willing to listen to me for once?"

He raised his eyebrow, trying to gauge whether I was winding him up again or not.
"I may live to regret this, but I'm listening."

I got down on one knee, ignoring the way the wet path soaked through the knee of my jeans. He shook his head at my theatrics, only making me more sure of my decision.
"Mr Steven Rogers, will you do me the honour of being my friend?" I batted my eyelashes at him, just for extra effect.