MORPH ✿ T. Stark's Daughter [Rewriting!]

ᵗʷᵉˡᵛᵉ

Steve was shocked when Lenna showed up on his doorstep at eleven o'clock on a Tuesday night. His initial reaction was to usher her inside his one-room apartment, before scurrying around to clean up. The place was sparsely decorated with only a beanbag and a floor lamp in the middle of the room. Lenna chuckled at the stereotypically single male living situation.

"Shut up," muttered Steve sheepishly.

Lenna walked in a little further to look at the kitchen which was just a fridge, a sink, three cabinets, and one counter all crammed into a corner. In the opposite corner was a small round table and a single folding chair tucked neatly under it. She chuckled again. Doubling back she peeked into the bathroom, a standard small bathroom, and the bedroom. The only things in the room were a mattress and a flashlight.

"Nice place."

Steve guided her to the beanbag in the main room and disappeared into his room. A few seconds later he reappeared with a second beanbag that he placed opposite Lenna.

"Why do you have so many?" She asked, shifting slightly on her own.

He shrugged. "For moments like this, I guess."

She grinned before it slipped off her face. "It's a shame you couldn't get any of the places you wanted in Brooklyn."

"It's closer to you," he replied. "Are you done avoiding the subject?"

"No..."

"Too bad. Lenna, why are you here?" He leaned forward and grasped her hands.

Her face was devoid of a smile as she recounted the earlier events. Steve saw how utterly exhausted she was. The bags under Lenna's eyes were more prominent and the fly-away hairs on her braid added to the disheveled look she wore.

"Grant and I got into a fight," she whispered. "It wasn't even about anything, it was just stupid."

"What was it about?"

Lenna took a deep breath in before letting it all out. She spewed about how Grant views her only as her father's daughter, and how she's scared the rest of the world will too. She rambled about how she didn't want to take him back, and that the only reason she did was that he made such a good argument about why they should try again. She spilled all her worries about college and living in New York by herself; how exhausting her sessions with Natasha were, and how frustrated she was with the little progress she was making.

And Steve just sat there. And listened. And squeezed her hand. And held her. And when it was over, he let her lay against his chest, breathing unevenly. She had finally let it all out.

"I wish you would use the phone we gave you," she joked weakly. He hummed and promised he would as Lenna closed her eyes against the vibrations.

"I read through the files of my friends S.H.I.E.L.D. gave me," Steve said softly. Lenna felt his words rumbling out of him. "They're all gone. And Peggy's in a nursing home. I haven't gone and seen her yet, but I know I need to."

"That must be hard," Lenna whispered. "All the people you knew..."

"Yeah, it is," Steve's voice broke. He cleared his voice. "But look at me. We're strong, alright? Nothing can stop us. We can overcome shitty boyfriends, aching muscles–"

"Loneliness," Lenna added.

"We need to be strong enough to make the right decisions," Steve squeezed her tightly. "C'mon, you're going to need to wake up earlier for school if you stay here. You can have the bed."

"Where will you sleep," Lenna asked, frowning at the thought of him sleeping on the ground.

"I have a cot in the closet, don't worry."

Lenna spent the taxi ride to school doing homework she didn't do the night before. She sported an oversized shirt she stole from Steve. It was a rough look, but people knew better than to say anything.

"I'm leaving early to meet my dad," Lenna said to her friends at lunch. "Can you take notes for me in the classes I miss?"

"Are you okay?" America asked worriedly. "You seem worse than yesterday."

"And you're wearing the same clothes too," Miles added, dodging an elbow.

"I'll be okay."

Tony noticed something was off to the moment he set eyes on her. "Do I need to kill that boyfriend? You look awful, are you getting enough sleep?"

Lenna laughed him off and walked him to the limbo where they stood waiting for the jet to be unloaded. "Did you remember to pack some of your own shirts?" she said, changing the topic smoothly.

"You're such a little shirt thief–yes. I donated some to you," he grumbled. "But only because you get this little grin on your face. There, that one."

Lenna's smile widened as she looped her arm through Tony's and leaned against him. He began to revisit his time consulting Thaddeus Ross, clearly exaggerating at certain points, but it made the tale more endearing. Lenna didn't know how much she missed her father until she was in his arms. A contented grin passed over her. This was all she needed. This was enough for now.