Carmine Jewels ║ Wanda Maximoff

Chapter 15 - Running Away From Your Problems

"Oh, come on, Steve. You can't be serious. It's Saturday and you wanna go out running at six in the morning? That's not even human." Keira groaned dramatically, her arm draped over her eyes while one of her legs dangled over the edge of the sofa.

As their shopping spree the previous day had dragged out longer than they had expected, Keira had chosen to crash at his place. She probably would've done that anyway since they weren't exactly neighbors.

Steve, who was already dressed in a marine-colored t-shirt and jogging pants, was standing by the living room table and stretching his calf. "Oh, don't be so dramatic, Keira. Come on, you won't die from one run." He tried to convince her, a hint of tiredness lacing his voice.

Normally, he was a morning person but since Keira had insisted that they needed to start their Star Wars marathon, they hadn't gone to sleep until long after midnight. And even if he could do with a little more sleep, he didn't let that stop him.

Keira still didn't make a move to get up, but merely waved him away with her other hand. "Eh, no. I have absolutely nothing to gain from a run. You go." She gave a great yawn, which was rudely interrupted when a hand grabbed hers. "Steve!" She yelled in surprise as she got pulled up to her feet.

He gave her a smug smile while dragging her away from the couch, making sure that she wouldn't snuggle up in the blankets again. "See? Now you're already up, so now you can join me on a run."

Keira smacked him in the chest as she pushed him away from her and leaned against the wall for support. He was looking way too satisfied with himself for her taste. "You're a hard bargainer, Rogers." She grumbled while tugging at the tie that was holding her hair up. It was stuck in a messy bun, and it was pure luck that she had remembered to wash off her makeup the previous night before they had fallen asleep. "Lucky for you however, I'm not feeling particularly murderous at the moment, so you may keep your life, just this once. But if I get so much as a stitch in my side, I'm out."

Steve threw up his hands in surrender. "That's all I ask. I won't force you through the entire track unless you feel like it." He said, unable to keep the pride out of his voice. A smile twitched in the corners of his mouth, but at the cold glare from Keira, he quickly stifled it. He wasn't about to challenge fate now when she had agreed to come with him.

Keira was too focused with getting her hair free from the tie, which resulted in it breaking. Despite that, her hair stayed on top of her head because of how tangled it was, but upon hearing his tone, she pointed a warning finger at him. "Watch it, Rogers. I'm only agreeing to this so you can stop bothering me."

"Get dressed then, sleepyhead." Steve chuckled, turning around to leave Keira in peace.

"You're lucky I like you, Rogers, or you would've been sporting a black eye by now." She mumbled to herself, stumbling over to the bathroom in order to get her hair into a manageable ponytail. And also, to get into some more fitting clothes for a run. Her pajama wasn't exactly made to be worn outside.

"I would've healed from it quickly enough." Steve's faint voice could be heard through the closed bathroom door.

Right, two enhanced individuals in one apartment.

It took Keira about ten minutes to get ready, and out of those ten minutes, her hair had occupied eight. Had her hair been severely tangled? Yes. So badly tangled that she considered shaving it all off for a moment? Yes. But in the end, she had managed to untangle it with the help of about half a flask of conditioner spray.

And she had gotten into a pair of black tights and a maroon hoodie with her hair back in the traditional high ponytail.