Everly || Steve Rogers

9. See You Later

"How many of you are ready to help me sock old Adolf on the jaw?" Steve recited proudly from where he stood alone on stage in front of an audience of soldiers. None of them spoke a word. "Okay." His smile faded and he continued. "Uh, I need a volunteer." 

"I already volunteered! How do you think I got here?" A man yelled from the crowd. The rest of the soldiers broke into laughter.

"Bring back the girls!" Another shouted. Everly let out a frustrated sigh as they all cheered in agreement. Steve peeked over at her off stage, a lost look in his anxious eyes.

"I think they only know the one song. But um, let me- I'm- I'll see what I can do." He stumbled over his words nervously and shifted uncomfortably beneath the glares of all the soldiers.

"You do that sweetheart."

"Nice boots, Tinkerbell." A soldier yelled. Everly bit her lip and tapped her fingers against her arm angrily. It took everything in her to keep from going out there herself. But her better judgement told her not to intervene.

"Come on guys, we're all on the same team here." Steve said sadly as he dropped him arms to his sides. Everly's heart sunk to her stomach. He had wanted to be a soldier for as long as she could remember and here he was, standing before the men he looked up to most as they trashed him. It was infuriating.

"Hey Captain, sign this!" A man stooped over, dropping his pants and mooning Steve. Everly slipped a hand over her eyes, turning slightly away. The crowd cheered and another stood up, launching a tomato at the stage. Steve held up his shield just on time to block his face, the tomatoes splattered across the ground. The dancers were all pushed on stage and Everly paused as Steve brushed past her. Shaking her head, she let out a puff of air and followed behind him.

"Don't worry, pal, they'll warm up to ya, don't worry." A stage director patted him on the back and latched onto Everly's arm as she tried to follow him. "And where are you going?" He hissed. She pried her arm from his hand and threw her hat to the ground, stomping it into the mud.

"I quit."

By now, the sky had opened up to shower the ground in a downpour. Everly groaned in annoyance and a chill ran down her spine as the cold wind blew through her curled hair. Her eyes darted from tent to tent searching for Steve. It took her a while to find him and when she did, she found him sketching in his journal. For the first time, she was able to see beyond its leather cover. She frowned at what she saw. He drew a monkey dressed in his suit, even holding his shield as it wheeled around on a unicycle. It was obvious that was how he felt on stage.

"There you are." She slowly walked over, he looked up at her in surprise.

"Hi." He watched as she sat down beside him.

"Hi." She wrapped herself in a hug as the freezing air nipped at her exposed skin.

"What are you doing here?" He turned to look back at the stage where the rest of the dancers had been performing.

"I'm talking to you." She grinned. A silence settled between them and Everly pushed a piece of hair behind her ear with a shaky hand. Steve's gaze raked down his friend and his eyes widened as if just now realizing how cold she must be. Without hesitation, he shrugged the jacket from his shoulders and slipped it over hers.

"Oh that's okay-" She tried to take it off but he wouldn't let her.

"You're freezing, would you just let me help you for once?" He joked. She smiled at her hands and relished in the warmth the jacket provided. Her face fell to a frown when her eyes flickered back to his sketchbook.

"Do you really feel that way?" Everly asked quietly, gesturing to his drawing.

He sighed inwardly. "Well, Phillips would've had me stuck in a lab. So I guess it could be worse."