The Empty Space Next to Me

Chapter 6

Another week has gone by and the guesthouse welcomed three European youngsters who, reunited after the Second Snap, decided to enjoy life to the fullest and hitchhike across the country, westward. They only stayed for 2 nights to explore the area before going on to resume the "biggest adventure of their life" right after breakfast.

The regular viewing of YouTube tutorials and other videos have begun to pay off. He has officially finished replacing the porch railings and has hung the new swing to the ceiling.

He is now giving the wooden flooring a makeover, room after room.

But the mansion is not the only thing that has been getting a glow up. His relationship with Katherine has improved quite significantly and it seems their bumpy start is forgotten, and remote memory. Katherine likes banters — unsurprisingly— and, like riding a bike, it comes back effortlessly to him.

He has an early night as Katherine went on a date just before dessert. He has a video call with Bucky and Sam for a light report of the situation in the compound — pretty quiet, so far. Just a few incidents that only required the intervention of a few members at a time. They always end up asking about Natasha and his new lifestyle. He answers it's going well. He has already introduced Riley to them. Sam snorts and says he might grow fond of Louisiana; Bucky's grin is barely perceptible, however.

By 11 pm he eventually sends Riley out of the room and turns off the light, before drifting off to sleep. He is woken up by muffled sounds from the lower floor. His old reflexes make him immediately alert. He glances over at the clock: almost 1 am.

He gets on his feet, cracks the door open and peers through. Down the dark hallway, he sees Katherine's silhouette emerge up the stairway. She is giddy and upbeat, her arm stretched up behind her. She twirls around and pulls someone — Jake is climbing up the last steps. He leans in to kiss her and she giggles against his lips. Steve feels his chest tighten.

Jake is about to say something but she presses her finger against his mouth and chuckles quietly. She bends over and takes off her heels to avoid making any noises while Jake wraps his arms around her waist and begins to plant a trail of heated kisses under her lobe, then down her neck. She slightly arches her back against his body, letting out a silent moan. His heart is pounding so loud inside his chest it begins to hurt while watching the scene. She tiptoes to her bedroom door and opens it, Jake clung to her like a leech that needs to be squished. His hands come down to her waist and flip around, pinning her tight against him. Katherine smiles, allowing him to deepen the kiss.

He closes his door before he can see them disappear inside her bedroom. His hand remained long clenched around the knob.

It has been several minutes now. Steve is sitting sullenly on the parquet, leaning against his bedframe, his back crouched over. Music is playing loudly through his headphones but he is not listening. After hearing the first few masculine moans, it took away any chance he had to find sleep again; so he grabbed his headphones and quickly put them on his ear to block any parasite sound out. To block the painful reality. His elbows are propped against his bent knees, hands clasped tightly together while he is looking down at the rug under him. But although his ears can only pick up the music, he can hear them. And along with it, a torrent of painful thoughts come bursting through, clouding his mind, haunting him.

After a few minutes of a relentless mental battle, he gets up and leaves the room, rushing outside for a clear environment. The front yard is plunged in the light of the full moon hanging in the cloudless sky.

The air becomes more breathable, the atmosphere less heavy. He slumps into the porch swing and stares into space. It is silent all around, the scenery anxious to quiet down the emotional turmoil inside him.