Frostbite

Soft Melodies

The elevator opened, letting Steve and I enter my hallway. It was dark and silent, so I quickly flipped on the light, illuminating the empty living room. We had left soon after the fireworks to get a head start on getting home to D.C. Steve was still quiet, probably because his throat was sore from obnoxiously singing as loud as he could for almost an hour of the drive. I shook my head in silent amusement.

"It's already after two? Wow," he yawned, arching his back as he stretched.

"Yeah, it's way past your bedtime, old man," I smirked over at him. He pursed his lips and narrowed his eyes at me in response.

"Which room is it again?" he asked, glancing down the hall. I brushed past him and opened the door to the spare room beside mine. Steve was the only one that had used one so far. We had been together for six months now and he still insisted on sleeping separately. I turned to stare at him, blocking the doorway.

"You're always welcome to share mine," I teased, tracing my finger down his bicep. His brow shot up and he grabbed my hand, pulling me close to him and effectively surprising me.

He backed me into the door frame, leaning down to kiss me. His lips brushed against mine softly and slowly, but with a hidden passion and desire. I pressed myself into his sculpted chest, feeling his heartbeat beneath my fingers. He suddenly drew back, gazing down at me in longing.

I sighed knowingly and smiled up at him in reassurance. Lately, it seemed as if we were dancing around what we both wanted. Steve was conflicted with himself, and I didn't want to pressure him, so I had been waiting patiently, burying my own desire. He grew up in a different time than I did, and I wanted to respect that.

"Goodnight, Steve," I whispered, pecking his cheek softly. He mumbled a goodnight in response, and we parted ways. I closed the door to my bedroom and changed into something more comfortable. Then I went into the bathroom to wash my face, staring back at myself in the mirror as I dried my face. It was eerie how I hadn't changed through the years.

When I came back out, I was surprised to see Steve sitting on the end of my bed. He looked up as I approached, eyes burning.

"Are you okay?" I asked, wondering what was wrong. He stood and cupped my face in his hands, causing me to catch my breath. He leaned in and touched his forehead to mine, and I closed my eyes, my heart thundering in my chest in anticipation.

He nudged his nose against mine and our mouths met, forming a kiss that was demanding and deep. I wrapped my arms around his neck, stretching onto my tiptoes. His fingers laced into my hair and his tongue was dancing fervidly with mine. I groaned quietly as we pressed against one another, as if trying to eliminate all the space between us.

This caused him to grab onto my waist and lift me so that I could wrap my legs around his torso. We made out for several moments before he suddenly tipped me back onto the bed and was on top of me. We were both breathing heavily at this point.

I reached above me and yanked his shirt over his head and tossed it to the side. Piece after piece of clothing was stripped until there was nothing left on either of us. I left a trail of kisses across his chest until I reached his neck and he moaned quietly.

"Are you sure you want to do this?" I whispered, searching his face for any indication of doubt.

"I'm sure," he assured, his voice husky. His face was filled with endless adoration. That was all the confirmation I needed.

Our bodies collided, and we melted into one another, savoring each touch, each kiss. It was as if we couldn't get enough, as if we needed this more than the air we breathed. Nothing else mattered. It was just us, just this moment of bliss.

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I shot up hours later, drenched with sweat and my breath was labored. The terror from my nightmare began to fade as I took in my surroundings. I couldn't remember much of it, only flashes of a face and large amounts of blood. I shuddered and shook my head, trying to forget those images too.

Steve was still fast asleep beside me, and I smiled to myself as I gazed at him. Not wanting to wake him, I silently slid out of the bed and made my way out into the hallway. As I was making my way to the kitchen to get a drink and calm myself, I passed the door to my studio and hesitated.

The piano that Tony had gifted to me last Christmas stood out to me, gleaming in the silvery moonlight. It was like it was trying to tempt me, sick of its isolation. It demanded to be played. I had yet to touch it, not wanting to stir up painful memories. It had belonged to my mom.

I strolled over to the piano and tentatively sat down on the bench, lifting the keyboard cover as I did. After several moments of staring at the keys in debate, I began playing my favorite piece, letting the melody soothe my frayed nerves. It was as if I had never stopped playing. I smiled as my fingers flew across the keys, savoring the familiar feeling of peace.

The last few chords faded away, and I sat quietly for a few minutes before I closed the cover once again. Tony would be happy that I had finally played. I turned to get up and jumped when I noticed a figure a few feet from me.

"Jesus Christ, Steve," I huffed, putting my hand to my chest.

"I didn't mean to scare you," he chuckled, moving to my side, "What was that? I didn't know you could play, and so beautifully at that."

"It's Chopin, the second in his Nocturne pieces. I haven't played in years," I admitted shyly.

"How did you end up with a PhD in biophysics when you play like that?" he asked in astonishment.

"Dad would have had a heart attack if I had gone through with Juilliard," I responded simply. That's just how he was; he wanted the best for us, and he was convinced I'd never make a living from playing. Steve scoffed and shook his head.

"What are you doing up?" he wondered, changing the subject.

"I woke up and couldn't go back to sleep," I told him, rising from my seat. He wrapped his arms around me and placed a gentle kiss on my forehead.

"Next time you have a nightmare, wake me up, Mel," he mumbled. I should have known he could see through my half-truth. I nodded, and buried my face into his neck, taking comfort there.

"Let's go back to sleep," he suggested, tugging my hand.

"Okay- but quit hogging all of the blanket. Just because you had a big night, doesn't mean you get special privileges," I teased, wiggling my eyebrows at him.

"I would never," he responded, feigning offense. I rolled my eyes and followed him back to bed.