The Chilling Adventures of Steve Rogers: Book 2 (Magical Hydra Horror AU)

Ten

Silently, Steve and Natasha walked back to his house.  The only sound coming from the pair was of snow crunching beneath their feet as it started to freeze.  Well, that was the only sound when Natasha finally spoke.  Assuming, "You're mad."

"I'm not mad," Steve answered too quickly.  He shoved his hands further into his jacket pockets as he tried to focus on the cold weather rather than his breaking heart.  Rather than thinking of Bucky's broken heart.

"Right," Natasha falsely agreed, bringing her hands up to her mouth to breath some warmth into them.

Ten more steps and Steve could see the Nine Realms Antiques sign in his front yard.  There was snow gathering on the top of the thick wooden sign, and Steve wondered if the snow was planning on continuing all night.  It had been so long since they had a good snow storm.  And Bucky always loved --

"I can go back to the academy," Natasha quietly offered.

Interrupting not only his thoughts but his steps too, Steve stopped on the sidewalk.  It took Natasha a couple more steps to realize that Steve wasn't beside her anymore, and she backtracked on the slippery path to Steve.  Steve, who could only stand there staring at her in his incredulousness.

Natasha's brows furrowed in her concern, just about to ask him if he was okay when Steve beat her to it with his own question, "Why would you go back to the academy?"

Pulling her shoulders back to seem more confident, Natasha confirmed, "Because I upset your boyfriend."

"We're on a break," Steve pitifully admitted.  Having kept it to himself after the night of his terrigenesis.

"I still upset him," Natasha repeated, sighing.  For the first time since meeting her, Natasha's nonchalant demeanor broke.  Her expression twisting into one that had Steve's heart clenching.  Sincerely, Natasha apologized, "I'm sorry, Steve.  I've never been to a Christmas party before --"

"That wasn't a Christmas --"

"-- I saw the mistletoe and I remembered the tradition of kissing under them, and so that's what I did," Natasha explained, completely ignoring how Steve interrupted him.  "Only knowing how the enhanced aren't very accustomed to monogamy, I didn't think about upsetting anyone.  I didn't think, period.  And for that, I'm sorry."

Steve studied Natasha for a moment.  Positive that Natasha meant what she said and was truly sorry, Steve decided, "I accept your apology."

Looking all too relieved, Natasha softly smiled up at him, causing butterflies to flutter in his stomach.  Shaking his head, he refused to think about that.  Instead choosing to continue towards his house.  Finding comfort in the way that Natasha easily fell into step beside him without either of them saying another word.

Quietly entering the home to find Hildy wrapped in a wool blanket while drinking a mug of hot cocoa while looking positively cozy.  She smiled at the pair as they took off their jackets and shoes, and informed them, "You're just in time.  We're about to start the burning."

"I better go carve on it then," Natasha declared, following the hallway towards the kitchen.

Steve veered into the family room where Hildy was and he lowered his voice, "Is Bruce still here?"

Hildy nodded, seemingly as surprised as Steve was.  She moved her feet from the cushion beside her, a clear gesture for Steve to sit down next to her.  Which, he did.  Quietly, Hildy said, "We're supposed to act inconspicuously.  Keep the magic talk on the down low."

Bitterly, Steve couldn't help but question, "How does Thor think he's going to keep his lack of aging from a mortal?"

Shrugging at her cousin's reasonable, resentful inquiry.  Taking another sip of her cocoa before setting it down on the table beside her, she relayed, "This is Thor's first attempt at romance since Amora."

Steve couldn't help but roll his eyes at that.  Amora was before his time.  Amora was Thor's lover when Hildy was still a child.  She wasn't the mortal that had broken Thor's heart and made him swear off mortals for centuries.  No, she was the enchantress that made Thor stopping dating altogether.

Until now.

Although Steve was sulking at the seemingly double standard of mortal-relations, he was happy that Thor was finally choosing himself.  He had taken care of everyone else for so long, and it was about time that he took care of himself.  Did what was good for his heart for once.

"I assumed that you wouldn't be back until later," Hildy casually stated.  Steve narrowed his eyes at her.

Hildy had powers of perception, close to telepathy, but leaning more towards amplified empathy, and Steve wondered what she was picking up from him just sitting beside her.  Quickly, he attempted to keep a tight lid on what had happened at Sam's, but by the way Hildy's eyes widened, Steve knew that it was too late.  When Hildy's expression turned to one of fury and she removed her feet from the sofa entirely, Steve knew that he was in for it.

Angrily, Hildy hissed, "I like Natasha, but if she thinks that it's okay to just --"

"She apologized," Steve quickly interrupted, not wanting to go over everything again.  He ducked his head closer to hers as they kept their conversation as private as they could while not drawing attention to themselves.  "I'd rather not think about that tonight."

"If you're planning a séance, you're going to need to cleanse more than just your hands, Steven," Hildy warned.  "You'll need to clear your mind.  Get it all off your chest.  You'll have more protection with the log burning, but you're still risking a lot.  Especially if you don't --" out of words she waved her hands around as she gestured at his body "-- cleanse all the negativity from yourself."

Rolling his eyes, Steve assured, "I know what I'm doing, Hil."

"Sure," Hildy scoffed, leaning back in her seat to grab her cocoa.  With the movement of the mug, the air lifted the sting of hard liquor and Steve was glad he didn't ask for a sip.  Taking a large gulp herself, Hildy mocked, "Go away to the academy for a month --"

"Here we go --"

"-- and now you're a hotshot --"

"That's ridicu--"

"-- you might be hot shit now, Stevie, but you don't know everything."

Another eye roll from Steve, but a smile as well as he affectionately confessed, "I learned more from you than at the academy."

Trying to hold back her grin, she lifted the mug back to her mouth.  Still wanting to be loving towards her cousin, she winked, but didn't speak on the subject.  Not with Carol joining them in the room.  Especially not when Bruce joined them.