It's So Quiet

Steve Rogers

I'll always be around to help, son.

~

"Mr. Captain America Rogers, sir?" I look up from my newspaper and coffee, to see Peter Parker with wide eyes staring at me nervously.

"Just call me Steve, son. What can I help you with?"

I noticed he had a textbook that could be half his body weight in his arms.

"Well, I mean, we have this- we have this- ess-essay, and it's-its about World War Two. And my teacher said that if-if we have anyone who has stories from then, then-then we should ask them about it. I was-ya know- wondering if,"

I cut him off, "of course, I'd love to tell you some stories." I smiled, clearly he was nervous.

"Cool, any chance you can also help me study? I can never remember any of the dates or people who did stuff." He rubbed the back of his neck.

"Of course, do you have everything now?" I folded my newspaper neatly, and set it under my coffee.

"Uh, yeah." He set the textbook down with a heavy 'thud', and I saw papers sticking out of the yellowed pages, and I noticed that he had a pencil peaking out behind his ear when he turned.

Chuckling slightly, i opened the messy book, noticing that it was just as heavy as it looked, not that it was difficult for me.

Sometimes it was still hard to believe that Peter was stronger than me right now, but looked like how I looked before the serum. When I spar with him, he usually struggled with controlling his strength and technique, but we're working on it. He was also really good with figuring out what to do off the top of his head, using his surroundings.

Zoning back into him taking the book from me, and turning to page 654, why there was that many pages in any book, I would never understand. He started muttering and moving things on the table around, looking for something.

"I swear, I left it right here. Why am I always losing it." I shouldn't catch the rest, but it sounded like he said the word pencil.

I chuckled once more, taking his pencil from his ear, and putting it in his hand. He blushed and just stared at his empty piece of notebook paper.

We worked through the afternoon, we made flash cards so he could practice his terms, although some of them were easier than others.

He could remember the term 'howling commandos' better than 'Anschluss', which wasn't surprising.

~

I read my newspaper and coffee in a daze, other avengers not bothering me.

Bucky was in Wakanda, and I had just gotten him back. Stark was still mad at me, and the rest of his team didn't trust me.

To be honest I really didn't have much else going for me. With other super soldiers, with actual powers, or people who were usefully smart like Bruce, or rich like Tony, I was just the strong fossil.

I just wanted something to make me feel useful again.

The tower seemed dreadfully dull. Everyone peering around in a bored state.