Lark

The door was unlocked

Steve's POV

Finished wrapping up the last bit of his lingering after mission reports, Steve sends them off to Maria and Fury before shutting down his computer for the day. Standing up from his chair he stretches out the tense muscles in his neck and back from sitting for so long with a soft grunt. This was one of the parts of his job that he least looked forward to doing for many reasons. Steve understood the why, it was just tedious and drawn out in comparison to the actual mission that had been completed. At least with the actual meat of the job he was constantly on the go needing to always be alert focusing on the now. This part, well it was extremely boring. Although he did get to relive the more actiony bits as he recounted every detail and figured out where to do better next time or have a good laugh at something that one of the others said or did.

He did have to say that one of the plus sides of sitting at his desk for hours was the new set of framed pictures that lined the edge of his desk. All of them were filled with Aria. She hadn’t been thrilled at first when she came in and found them demanding to know why he had taken their private moments and set them out for all to see. When he told her the reason was because he loved her and wanted to see her beautiful face even when she wasn’t around she’d reluctantly agreed to leave them. But only if she knew which ones he was picking out first. Her reasoning was that some moments were too special to share with anyone else. Which is why Steve had been surprised when Aria had picked out one of his favorites. It was of the two of them from their first date, the one where he'd made her laugh as he kissed her neck. Aria told him that she chose it because it was the day she really knew that she wanted more with him. That it was one the best days of her new life. Hearing that had resulted in a locked door, drawn blinds and a very rumpled Aria when she left thirty minutes later. 

Smiling, Steve checked his watch and cursed to himself when he saw that it was getting to be time that they needed to head out to Becca and Tommy's place in the city. If they wanted to be on time for Buck's birthday party with his family they would need to leave soon. Locking up his office Steve strides quickly towards the elevator to get back to their floor so he could change and remind the other two to make sure Cobain and Ally were locked up so they stayed out of trouble while they were gone. With it being a Sunday most everyone was out and he didn't want the kittens to shred anything else with their sharp little claws should they get the caps off.

Snorting a little he shakes his head when he thinks back to having to hold Cobain down while Aria glued on the hot pink claw caps. His usually laid back feline had not been amused in the slightest by his new accessories. Alpine had taken it better than her brother, but it was Astrid who shamed them all by holding up each paw as Loki applied hers. Buck had grumbled that Loki had probably used magic to make her sit still as he dabbed at the scratches along his right forearm. Haughty as ever the Asgardian had told them, “My little Astrid is simply well trained.” To which Buck had snarked back, “Not well trained enough to not shred Tony's loafers! Which is why we're even having to do this.” Ever the mediator, Steve had to step in because Aria refused to take sides against her best friend and one of her boyfriends. So now, whenever they left the Compound each of the kittens, well cats now, had to be locked away in one of their apartments. 

Entering his apartment Steve stripped off his t-shirt on the way to his closet, tossing the discarded item in the hamper in the corner of his bedroom. Eyeing the options he grabs down the dark blue button down Aria likes on him and slips it on. Buttoning it up he stops into his bathroom to spray some cologne as he checks out his reflection. Satisfied that he was presentable, Steve tucks his shirt into his jeans before rolling up the sleeves up his forearms as he rushes back out to check on Cobain.

Seeing the grey feline peacefully lounging on the back of the couch leaving him relieved that he wouldn’t have to search him out. “Be good while I’m gone and I’ll break out the catnip when I get back.” Blinking slowly at him Cobain yawns as he stretches out, arching his body before settling back down curled up with his head resting on his paws. Chuckling to himself Steve pets him between the ears. “Good enough for me.”