Time Unchanging

Chapter 45

Steve waited for the two of them to walk back inside. He tried to get his emotions in check. She was just making sure Loki was okay after Tony made that stupid joke, he kept telling himself. But it didn't help bring the anger down.

She laid her head on Loki's shoulder. Held his hand. Everything Steve wanted her to do with him. He walked back inside, hoping he had stemmed the tide of anger enough to at least pretend to be happy until it became real, but he was wrong.

Seeing Eva hug Loki before the two gods left sent lava through him again. As soon as the door closed, he went up to his girl and blocked her path. He clenched his fists when she stopped. She was within reaching distance, but still so far away. Why was Loki, a murderer, the exception?

"What the hell was that?" Steve asked, his anger enough to get the others to look in from the adjoining rooms.

Eva glared at him, actually glared at him, as she said, "What are you talking about?"

"He can touch you but I can't?"

"Are you jealous?"

Steve went to say something, but then closed his mouth. That was all the conformation Eva needed, who gave a disbelieving chuckle.

"What are you scoffing at?" Steve replied. "I'm serious!"

She started to go around him, saying, "I'm walking away now. This is ridiculous."

She moved out of his reach faster than he expected, which only made Steve angrier. "You don't just get to walk away! We're talking about this!"

She turned back to him, her hair flying out like a purple cape, eyes aglow. "I swear to God, if you push me, Steve-"

Steve tried to calm down some as the others move out to the hall. "Evelyn, your eyes-"

Eva balled up her hands, power crackling over them. "For a year, he was forced to watch me suffer, and I him! For a year, we were all we had to cope with it all! I only survived because of him! He can touch me because I know there's no hidden fucking agenda behind it!"

Steve's temper rose again, angry Eva would even imply he would force anything on her. "So, because I didn't suffer with you, I can't so much as hold your hand or kiss you without asking?"

"Exactly!"

Bucky tried to pull his friend away by saying, "Steve, you need to back off."

Steve glared at the one-armed soldier and ordered, "Stay out of this, Bucky!"

Eva threw a green ball of power between Steve and Bucky, saying, "Don't yell at him because you fail to understand!" The two men looked at her in disbelief. "If you can't understand why he and I are the exception, then this is done. We'll be done!"

Steve watched Eva stomp out of the room. He couldn't believe how everything had just exploded. All he wanted to know was what was going on between Eva and Loki that they could touch. He didn't understand any of it.

"You really fucked up this time," Bucky said, taking Steve out of his own head.