Forty-Five

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Being too exhausted and terrified to move from his room, Steve sat on his bottom bunk with his knees to his chest. Steve assumed that Thursday night would've been the hardest, only to discover that Friday was just as bad, if not worst. Now with it being Saturday, Steve wasn't sure how much more of this hazing he could withstand. Especially since Brock mentioned that it was only the beginning. And perhaps Steve should've expected it, but that didn't mean that it didn't faze him.

Eyes wide and bloodshot from lack of sleep, Steve prayed to Alveus himself that he'd be able to go home soon. Guess Brock won, since I'm praying, Steve chastised himself. Running his hand through his hair, he longed to be back home with his family. Hive knows that Steve would bury himself in Loki's embrace and never let go if that meant he'd never have to return to this horrid school.

And a horrid school it was. Steve's roommates hated him. But they weren't the only ones. The other boys in the hall hated him too. And beyond that, Steve believed that the faculty wasn't fond of him either. None of them had checked on him. None of them had helped him as he blindly stumbled from one side of the campus to the other covered in sweat and caked with dirt from The Hell-Beast's Cell.

Holding himself tighter, Steve wondered if Uncle Loki would come get him if he --

A knock at the door caused Steve's heart to race and his breath to hitch. Not knowing who would be at his door, Steve stayed in his spot, wishing they'd leave him alone. After all, he'd chosen that spot and he didn't want to move unless he was being physically moved. And even then, he didn't want to move.

When the knocking finally stopped, Steve let out the breath that he had been holding and rested his forehead on his knobby knees. All Steve wanted was peace.

Peace, however, didn't seem likely as the doorknob started jiggling. Not much, just enough to alert Steve that someone was going to enter his room. Whether he wanted them to or not.

So, taking in a deep breath to settle his nerves, Steve climbed off his bed and crossed the room. Throwing the door open, Steve expected to find one of his roommates. Or one of the other boys who lived in the hall. Who he found instead was a petite redhead kneeling on the ground with two opened bobby pins in hand.

Shifting so she was sitting on her feet, she looked up at Steve with a smug smirk. With a furrowed brow, Steve pushed his glasses up the bridge of his nose and questioned, "What are you doing?"

"Thought you might want this," she replied in a raspy voice while holding out his cellphone.

Recognizing the voice but not trusting his own memory, Steve asked, "Natasha?"

"Yeah," Natasha confirmed and stood from her spot. Passing the phone to Steve, she pointedly looked around, "Who else?"

Shrugging, Steve accepted the phone and tucked it into his jeans, "Thanks. Why bobby pins? I mean, we're --"

"I prefer not to rely on them too much," Natasha clarified.

A knowing glint was in her eyes, causing Steve's brows to furrow. After all, he didn't know very many enhanced people who would rather pick a lock the mortal way rather than just teleport into the room or make the door open. Hugging himself, his suspicions only grew, "Wh--"

"Alveus," Natasha cursed under breath while shaking her head, "They sure did a number on you."

Self-consciously, Steve redirected his attention to his feet. Not sure what to say to that. Sure, Natasha had released him from the cell twice, but that didn't automatically mean that he should trust her. Even though she did return his cellphone...

"Just an observation," Natasha shrugged. She tucked her shoulder length red hair behind her ear and glanced down the entry end of the hallway.

Since Natasha looked, Steve did too. Out of his own paranoia, Steve leaned out of his room to see more. However, it did little to relieve him as new anxieties flared. What if someone's on the other side? What if this is a trap? What if she's a distraction? What if --

"Have you eaten?"

Blinking Steve ducked back into his doorway, and stared at Natasha. Wondering why she would ask him. Trying to see if there was something hidden beneath her calm exterior. Steve was sure that the only reason why Natasha was asking was because she was in cahoots with his roommates and the other students at the academy.

Natasha's eyebrow quirked in question, but she didn't try to regain his attention or call him out for his spiral. Instead, she took a step back from the doorway and gestured for Steve to join her in the hallway. When Steve hesitated, Natasha waved him over again, and stated, "We're going to the cafeteria. You need to eat. I was gonna head there after I dropped your phone off anyway. Might be nice to have someone to sit with me for once."

Worrying his lower lip with his teeth, his stomach betrayed him. A loud, obnoxious rumble came from his abdomen and he realized just how hungry he was from not eating at all the previous day. So, with his key tucked into his pocket, Steve closed the door behind himself and fell into step beside Natasha. Glad to find Natasha smiling at him, and not fighting his own grin. Allowing himself to hope that maybe they could be friends.

The Chilling Adventures of Steve Rogers: Book One (Magical Hydra Horror AU)Where stories live. Discover now