There's Someone I'm Waiting For (Steve Rogers x Reader)

Chapter 3 - Displacement

Natasha stopped the cart outside your door, waiting for you. You opened the door to darkness. The blinds were drawn since you never went in there anymore. "Thanks for your help, girls... I think I'd like to be alone for a little while."

"Sure," they both said. Wanda returned to her room which was the closest room down the hall to yours and Natasha went the opposite direction.

You sat down on the bed in the eery quiet, taking note of what needed to be done to get the room to your liking. Whatever you were going to do, it needed to be soon because you could already feel the tired starting to take over. Standing straight up, you started pulling at the comforter and sheets on the bed, ready to strip the bed and get everything washed.

Coming back into the room from the laundry area, you decided it was time for music. Standing on a chair, you dusted the blinds and then all around the room. After changing the laundry over to the dryer, you cleaned your bathroom. Things looked pretty good so you focused on putting your clothes away. By the time your things were in order, it was time to take the sheets out of the dryer and make the bed. It was also lunchtime but you didn't care about that. You wanted to be alone, you were tired and... you just didn't want to have to work at anything. Especially conversation.

Changing into Steve's sweatshirt again, you laid down on the bed and covered up. Suddenly, you weren't tired. The room was clean, everything was back in order... but your mind was a raging, jumbled mess.

Reaching to your nightstand for the tv remote, you couldn't help but smile at the picture frame sitting there. The selfie you and Steve had tried to take when you went hiking. With both of your hands on the sides of the phone, you fumbled and the camera fell to the ground and you somehow ended up with an image of you and Steve laughing and reaching for the camera.

His laugh...

There was an ache at the back of your throat and you rested your head on your own shoulder, feeling his sweatshirt on your cheek. You wished it smelled like him but it had been washed.

Turning on the tv, you decided to look at Netflix. It showed that you had left off on the 3rd season of one of your favorite shows, Ghost Whisperer. You and Wanda had bonded over watching that series when you first moved in. You'd watched the whole thing in record time together. Leaving off in the middle of season 3 was from you rewatching it on your own. And when you'd moved to Steve's room, it was forgotten. Something there felt comforting so you turned it on.

It was the first thing since yesterday that stopped you from thinking about Steve every three seconds, so you indulged in two episodes before you turned it off to trade it in for sleep.

***

You woke up in darkness, it had to be past dinner time. There was a knock at the door. "Come in," you called out, sitting up and making sure your bare legs were properly covered.

Bruce sheepishly entered the room. "I didn't realize you were asleep, sorry about that. Feeling better?"

"Yes and no," you said, tilting your head to the side. You patted the bed for him to sit down and he did.

"Before I release Steve, I wanted to ask... if the room is ready...?" he said.

"Yes, it's safe now," you said.

"You're taking this surprisingly well," Bruce said.

"Oh Bruce, I've had plenty of bad moments," you sighed. "I really miss him."

"We're all here for you," he said, looking at you pointedly. "I'm not good with advice but I am a good listener. Except with Tony... I dread listening to him go on..." he laughed softly.