Summers' Purpose

Chapter 47

Y/n sat on the bench, enjoying the cool morning breeze as she took a bite from her sandwich while checking her phone. It has been two months since her visit to SWORD and she has been trying to make it right with the people around her, one of them being Rowan. Some taps later, she found herself looking at the messages she had been sending back and forth to him. It took some time to get to him to reply like the guard said. She brought up his number, her thumb hovering over the call icon as she breathed in slowly, deciding to tap on it. One step at a time, slowly but forward. Right?

She was nervous, her heart racing as she pressed her phone to her ear and listened to the dial tone. When the sound suddenly cut short, she inhaled sharply, not knowing he was going to answer that fast.

"Hello?" Y/n didn't know how much she missed the familiar, burly voice of her best friend. "Y/n? Are you there?"

"I'm here, Ro. It's so good to hear you! How—how are you?" Y/ncouldn't help but feel slightly awkward, not knowing what to say. Shedidn't expect or prepare for him to pick up, actually. Texts were easier, it gave her time to think and reply. But a phone call, especially with someone you haven't spoken to in a while, was something else.

"I'm good, all things considered. Fuck, it's been a while, huh?" Y/n could hear his voice wavering slightly as he cleared his throat in the background. "It's really good to talk to you as well. How are things with you?"

"I guess I'm doing okay. Better now that we're talking, I think." The two friends laughed as Rowan teased Y/n's response. "Hey, Ro... I want to apologize. For keeping you in the dark all this while, I should've done this much earlier. I figured it's best you heard it from me rather than read it through a text."

"Nah, don't worry. Communication is a two-way road, it's my fault too. I'm sorry, Y/n. For a while, honestly, I thought you were gone too. I had to go home and help deal with my family after the Snap and I guess I just never had the guts to give you a call after that. I was afraid to know I'd lost someone else. I still find myself wondering the same about Suzume sometimes, you know? If she's okay and all that. But it all feels a little much for me to even try, I don't even know where to begin." Rowan was silent, Y/n hearing him breathe slowly on the other side of the line. "You know what? You're still here, and I'm very grateful for that. I appreciate you reaching out first, Y/n. I'm sorry I didn't do it."

"Hey, it's okay, I get it. I feel the same way. What matters is how we move on, right? I feel the same about Su. Not knowing really hurts. I got close once. I'll do my best to find out what happened to her, don't worry." Y/n let out a small sigh. "I'm really glad to know you're still in my life, Ro. I missed you, buddy." Her eyes watered as she felt the love and relief flood her systems as she tried to build back one of the bridges she had unknowingly burned back then. "And I'm sorry again to hear about your family. If there's anything at all I can help with, you just let me know, okay?"

"Sure, thanks, Y/n. I missed you too. Hey, we should go for a beer sometime and catch up, huh? Like old times. I'm swamped for a little bit currently, but I'm free next Saturday if you can make it."

"Yeah, that sounds good!" Y/n sighed with relief, thankful that Rowan was helping make the process easier for the both of them. "Next Saturday it is. How does 7 pm sound, back at our spot in the city?"

Rowan laughed heartily. "Fuck, that bar still runs? That old man is immortal, I'm telling you. Yeah, our usual watering hole sounds good. I honestly won't mind if the Black Widow herself decided to join us-- if you get what I mean." He laughed again as Y/n grumbled at his joke. "See you, Y/n. Take care until then."

"In your dreams," Y/n laughed at him. "You takecare too, Ro. See you." They ended the call, both happy to have old connectionsback in their lives

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