Romanova [COMPLETED STORY]

33

FINALE PART 3
-STEVE-

Steve Rogers was another person that I did not know well whatsoever. I've maybe said a few words to him, passed him in the hall, but that's about it. Him and I are people who would normally not get along. I don't want my ass kicked, so I try to steer clear of him.

Why would he kick my ass? Well, we're polar opposites. He loves his country, I killed a bunch of people in mine and kinda betrayed important people. He stands for what's good, I did every wrong thing until I joined the team. He's nice, I'm kind of a bitch sometimes.

I feel like he's also kick my ass if I said goodbye to everyone but him. He doesn't like to be left out. I had to at least offer. What would I even do? What does Steve like to do? I have no clue, maybe he'd have an idea.

  "Hey Mr. Rogers."

  "Nikita, you know you can call me Steve right?"

  "Um, you might have said that before, yeah. Anyway, what are you doing?"

"For once, nothing. Finished all my paperwork, got my training in... wait why?"

"Well, I'm leaving soon, for a six-month placement in Brazil. I've been saying goodbye to everyone, and I know we never really got along, but I thought we could hang out one last time."

  "One last time? What's that supposed to mean?"

  "Well, it's dangerous. I'm a kid, you never know what's going to happen."

  "You're one of the coolest, scariest kids I've ever met. You'll be okay. Anyway, what did you have in mind?"

  "That's sorta the thing, I have no idea. What do you like to do?"

  "This is about you. We can have fun doing whatever you want to do."

"Well, you like running in the park right?"

"I go every morning."

"Well, we're both... enhanced... individuals with above average stamina. Why don't we go run some laps?"

"Sounds fun, meet back down here in 15?"

"Sure."

I ran up to my room and changed into something I could run in and actually be comfortable, not like the stupid outfits Tony makes us wear. Today's look was a simple baggy tee and leggings. I grabbed my runners and jogged back to the door.

"Ready?"

"You betcha."

We jogged out the door and down to central park. Didn't say a word the entire time, but it wasn't awkward. I liked not having to carry on a conversation... I wasn't very good at small talk. I didn't like it either.

  We were about 3 miles in when Steve stopped near a tree. I slowed to a stop next to him.

  "Everything okay?"

  "I should be asking you that."

  "What do you mean?"

  "You haven't said a word this entire run. You're going away for half a year, you're still a kid. How do you have nothing to say about this?"

  "If you stuff your emotions down enough they disappear. And I'm not very talkative."

  "That is incredibly unhealthy."

  "But it works."

  "I know that you don't know me very well, and you don't have to talk if you don't want to, but I'm here if you do."

  "That's nice. I don't want to go, but it's not like I have a choice."

  "But you do, don't you? You found the contract."

  "I was given a chance to start over. I don't want to fall into the same thing I did last time. A teenager who betrayed her country and ruined lives and had nobody there for her," a tear trickled down my cheek.

  "I can't do that again. I can't have nobody there for me. And if I turned this down, I'd lose Natalia forever, she's tried so hard. I don't know how many more times I can push her away before she stays away."

  "So why don't you tell her? If you told her what you just told me, I know she'd understand. Do you even want to go?"

  "I-I don't. I don't want to. I'm scared. I know I act like I don't care, but I do. I'm scared."

  "Then don't go."

  "I have to."

  "You don't. Seriously, think about it before you go. Wanna head home?"

  "Yeah, wanna race?"

  "You're on."

  We both sprinted home, I won, but I think he let me. It was a good day, and out of all the people, the one I talked to the least got me to talk the most. I'm still going to go, I have to, but at least someone else knows.