Old Soul (Captain America/Steve Rogers)

5

Later that day, around nine o'clock, I heard a small knock on the door, barely audible. Then the door opened slowly, and Steve creeped in. Despite his large figure, he was able to move soundlessly. The sight of him sneaking in made me giggle. Then he saw that I was awake, and made no effort to continue his tip-toeing.

"You're awake," he says, surprise in his voice.

I shrug. "I can't sleep." Which wasn't true. Right then, I was exhausted, but I wouldn't let myself fall asleep. I was refusing to acknowledge the truth.

"Oh," he says, coming forward. That's when I noticed a bag in his hand. "Since your door was already down"-he shoots me a quick sheepish look-"I went to your apartment and grabbed this for you," he says, fishing a copy of Little Woman out of the sack and handing it to me.

"Thank you," I say, a smile on my face. I didn't expect him to actually go get it for me, but of course, he was went out of his way to fulfill my request. It was just in his nature to be nice, I guess, and it warmed my heart.

"No problem," he says. "And I found this on your coat rack," he says, handing me my favorite navy blue hoodie. "Encase you get cold." He shrugged, trying to play it off as nonchalant, but I knew better. I knew that he actually cared, and actually was concerned about me getting cold. I blushed as I took it from him.

Nobody has ever been this generous to me. Ever. Not even when I was sick. My mom would write me instructions on how to make soup and then she would leave the house. "Thank you, again. That's very thoughtful of you."

Steve shrugs again, modest as ever. "Well, I just thought, because I remember you wearing it the day you moved in."

"I can't believe this," I say. "You've been so incredibly kind to me."

As I say this, a small, teasing smile creeps onto Steve's face. "I'm Captain America. It's what I do."

I can't help but laugh a little, slightly weirded out that I can laugh at this without freaking out. I mean, Captain America just brought me a book and hoodie. Captain America saved my life. Here I was, with Captain America. He said it aloud just now, confirming it himself.

"I have to go," Steve says suddenly, making me frown.

That moment of fluttery-ness in my heart was gone as he said this, and I realized why. I just wanted him to stay, to talk all night intelligently about the things that we have in common. I never have conversations like this with anyone else.

"Oh," I say, the sadness evident in my voice. Though I hope it came off heartless and teasing, because I just met him two days ago. And already he's done so much for me. I didn't want to ask anything more of him.

Steve sheds a small smile. "You want me to stay?"

"You're the only one here I know," I say, then making a sour face, "Everyone else here freaks me out." It was a lame excuse to make him stay, but it was the only thing I could think of that wouldn't reveal the real reason I wanted him to.

Steve chuckles. "Don't worry," he says. "I'll be back tomorrow."

"Okay," I say with a sigh. "I'll see you tomorrow, then."

"Tomorrow," he says, sending me a wave as he opens the door. "And get some sleep," he calls behind him, and the door shuts.

I sigh, falling back against my pillows. After a moment of just taking deep breaths and replaying our conversation in my head, I shed a satisfied smile, and move on to my book. But before I started reading, I tugged on my hoodie, and let the tears fall.

I think this whole time I've wanted to cry and let all of my emotions out, but I tried to keep it bottled up. I've tried to ignore the fact that I was attacked and shot. The fact that my dreams do make me different, despite what I've always told myself. And the fact that Steve, almost a complete stranger, ran an errand for me and brought me my favorite sweater so I wouldn't get cold.