The Empty Space Next to Me

Chapter 5

"You're gonna work as a what?" Sam exclaims on their video call with unconcealed bafflement.

Steve rolls his eyes. "She gave me a second chance, Sam. I can't blow it."

"But are you sure you got this?" his friend asks, slightly worried.

He shrugs. "Sure. I mean, I did some housework in my apartment after moving to DC."

Silence follows. "Steve, you assembled a bookcase using the instructions guide. That hardly counts as housework."

"Well, there are still online tutorials," Bucky chimes in behind his shoulder.

Sam turns to shoot him a dark glare.

"Thanks Buck for your input," Wilson answers to him dryly. "It's always useful when you remind me what the modern world I have grown up in has to offer."

Then he turns to face the phone again.

"What about the team?" he asks.

Steve nods. "Since Thanos things have been different. I'm not really needed. You take the lead, Sam — I trust you. And if something comes up just give me a call and of course I'll help."

His eyes glance over to his best friend. "You guys got this," he says assertively. "Let's say I'm on an indefinite break."

Sam frowns while Bucky nods calmly.

"Is that what we should tell the others?" Sam asks.

"For now."

Going downstairs, Steve finds Eliza reading through papers at the dining room table. She smiles and takes her glasses off as he sits down.

"I am no longer used to dealing with those paperworks — Katherine just handles it for me."

"Nothing bad, I hope?" he asks.

Eliza shakes her head and smiles. "Just the usual billing and other mundane admin papers."

She puts them away and looks at him closely.

"I didn't think you would take my advice of fixing things with Katherine so literally," she comments with a little smirk.

He snorts. "Well I'm a very literal person."

She probes him quietly. "No, you're not," she says. "So about the job..."

"He shakes his head "I'm not asking for any money. Your hospitality is more than enough."

Eliza leans back on her chair. "Looks like you've thought it all through. But it wouldn't honest of me to have you do all this housework without paying you."

"I assure you, that it's perfectly fine by me. I'm not here for the money."

"Oh, that I am aware," Eliza comments knowingly.

"If I may ask," he begins. "Why are you helping me?"

The woman eyes him attentively. "I want what's best for Katherine and I feel you sticking around is what she needs. Besides, it's a pretty quiet place — nothing exciting ever happens around here. I could use some entertainment."

Katherine appears at the door, outside on the porch. Jake has just driven her home, he kisses her on the cheek — Steve stiffens slightly— and waves at Eliza who nods back.

"Yeah. I definitely look forward to seeing how this all plays out," the woman whispers.

A cheeky smile comes to her lips then she puts her glasses back on.

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The first housework turns out to be more arduous than he had predicted. Handling tools does not come as naturally as yielding the shield or Mjolnir did.