Swan Song ✧ STEVE ROGERS [✓]

70 - Home Is Where You Are

"HEY, MAN. YOU OKAY?" 

Steve perked up at the sound of Sam's voice, snapping out of his deep thoughts. Looking at Sam and Natasha as they sat before him, he could see the concern in their features, and he knew that he wasn't doing a very good job hiding his true feelings. 

"Yeah," Steve said, nodding quickly as he tried to mask his sadness. "I'm alright, thanks." 

Natasha exchanged glances with Sam before looking at Steve and giving him a small smile. "After all this time, you're still a terrible liar." Steve smiled back, and Natasha leaned forward before continuing, "But it's obvious that you're not alright. What's going on?" 

Steve shook his head. "It's fine, don't worry about it." 

Sam tilted his head, regarding Steve as he said knowingly, "You miss her, don't you." 

It was a statement, not a question, and Steve knew without even having to ask that his friend was referring to Raevanna. Sighing softly, Steve nodded, his shoulders slumping. "Yeah. It's been almost six months and I still haven't heard from her. And I haven't been away from her this long since I got out of the ice. I'm just worried that something's happened to her."

"Cap, Raven's one of the toughest people I know," Sam said. "She's been through hell and still came out on top. If anything happened to her, I'm sure she handled it." 

"Yeah, I know," Steve said, letting out another sigh. "It's probably just that I miss her." 

Natasha crossed her arms. "It's more than that, though, isn't it?" 

Steve glanced at his now blonde friend and teammate. She knew him almost as well as Raevanna did, and she knew when there was something on his mind. So he glanced down, nodding slowly. "I'm just afraid... that she's never going to come back." 

Natasha's eyes went wide, and Sam huffed in surprise. 

"Now why the hell would you think that?" Sam asked. 

"Steve, Raven loves you," Natasha told Steve. "She loves you more than life itself, and you know it. Sam and I have seen it, we've all seen it." She put her hand on his knee. "She will come back. I can promise you that." 

Steve managed a small smile, slightly reassured by her words. "Yeah. Thanks, guys." 

"Of course." Natasha squeezed his knee, then stood up along with Sam. "We're gonna turn in. Call us if you need anything." 

His friends smiled at him before leaving. Once they were gone, Steve sighed again, his face falling into his hands as his worry began to eat away at him once more. He was scared for Raevanna's safety, but he was more scared that she wouldn't return from Elyon. He knew that she loved him, but he also knew that lately, she had been homesick. He saw what the split of the Avengers and them being forced into hiding had done to her, and Elyon was a paradise that she could escape to. He would understand completely if she didn't come back because of all the stress she had been under. But if she didn't, his heart would be broken. 

Steve didn't just love Raevanna, he loved everything about her. He loved how she would crinkle her nose and stick out her tongue whenever she was feeling playful. He loved how passionate she got when she was talking about something she cared about. He loved how she could be absolutely ruthless in battle, but then turn around and give the utmost care to something as trivial as a flower. He loved her accent and how it thickened when she was fired up or excited. He loved how she genuinely cared about everyone in her life, and would do anything to protect them. He loved how her voice would be slightly raspy in the mornings. He loved how she would sing to herself while she was cooking and how beautiful her voice was, and he loved her innocence when it came to certain human customs and traditions.