Hold On Soldier ✔️ | marvel

34. Military Base full of Memories

Since Nat joined us again I've been hella grateful. She has helped the awkward tension between Steve and I.

"So what happened while I was gone? I only ran into a couple of agents." Nat smiles obliviously.

"Um We..." I watch as Steve begins to casually steal a vehicle not too far away.

"You're blushing a shit ton Isabelle." Nat chuckles.

I give in, "Ok so I kissed him but I swear it was an impulse! Rumlow showed up so it was the only way to hide!"

"Damn you really did that huh?" Nat hysterically laughs after a shocked mouth gap. "That was your first kiss too!"

"Shut up! Shut up!" I say through gritted teeth as Steve pulls up. All she does is laugh as she enters the car. I go in the back to avoid the awkwardness.

"Where did Captain America learn how to steal a car?" Nat says after we drive out a little.

"Nazi Germany." Steve confirms, "And we're borrowing. Take your feet off the dash." Natasha immediately takes her feet off the dashboard.

"Alright, I have a question for you, oh, which you do not have to answer. I feel like if you don't answer it though, you're kind of answering it, you know?" Nat rambles.

Steve sighs willingly, "What?"

"Was that your first kiss since 1945?" I choke at Nats words.

"Nat you bitch!" I cannot anymore with Nats balls. She hasn't rested with the two of us since New York. "It was nothing."

"That bad, huh?" Steve has a sad smile on his face.

"I didn't say that." I defend.

Steve grins, "Well, it kind of sounds like that's what you're saying."

"No, I didn't." I huff.

"I just wondered how much practice you've had." Nat returns to the conversation, which seems way too casual now.

"You don't need practice." He's getting embarrassed which makes me laugh to myself. I could sigh with relief.

"Everybody needs practice." I participate.

"It was not my first kiss since 1945. I'm ninety-five, I'm not dead." Steve jokes. I cringe.

"Nobody special, though?" Nat smirks as she looks back at me.

-

After a few conversations we arrive at the location. It's a military base but seems abandoned. A gloom falls as we look around, it seems far from alive now.

Steve finally speaks after a long silence, "This is it."

"The file came from these coordinates." I confirm.

"So did I." He has a rasp within his words that makes me ache. I lay a hand on his shoulder sympathetically. Through the years I've known him we've talked about his losses and his troubles. I know this is going to be hard on him. I wish I knew that this was where he trained. I could've prepared better. But we must move onward. I push back my sorrows as we try to pinpoint the area the signal identified with.

"This camp is where I was trained." Steve breaks the quiet ghost town atmosphere.

Nat questions with a raised eyebrow, "Changed much?"

"A little." He replies. He seems in a world of nostalgia, probably remembering a time he doesn't find too distant. But it truly is, which makes me frown.

"This is a dead end. Zero heat signature, zero waves, not even radio. Whoever wrote the file must have used a router to throw people off." I tell irritatedly. We should leave. If this is useless then what's the point of it hurting Steve like this? I notice him pace, "What is it?"