f o u r t e e n

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GENEVA WAS FREEZING. She could feel the cold deep in her bones as she moved through the darkened tower in search of more blankets. In truth she may have been a little sick, and the tower probably felt perfectly fine for late December but she was cold.

She left her floor and went straight to Steve's despite having barely spoken to him since that day in the training room. His floor was the closest to hers and she was willing to push her pride aside for a blanket.

Surprisingly, he hadn't closed off his floor from visitors for the night. "Steve," she called as soon as the elevator doors slid open. The area was dim and clean. It pretty much mimicked his old apartment in the way that the only truly personal things he had on display were his record player and his shield. He had a few sketches here and there, but otherwise the walls were plain and gray.

"Geneva?" Steve questioned from the hallway. She watched as he pushed a button, fully illuminating the room. His eyes were reddened with sleep and Geneva felt guilty, realizing she'd woken him up.

She wrapped her arms around herself in an attempt to control an oncoming shiver. "Do you have any blankets I can borrow?"

He didn't question her as he pulled open a side door, and handed her a stack of mismatched blankets. Maybe she should use her closet like that for linen instead of weapons. Geneva saw him glance at her shaky hands, causing her to quickly hide them under the covers. "Are you alright?"

"Fine," she let out quickly. "Just cold."

Steve frowned. "You're sweating."

She was. "No need to be rude," Gen said, trying to sound hurt. She began to move toward the elevator and away from Steve, but he seemed to have a different idea. He lightly grabbed her shoulder, pulling her a few inches closer to him. Steve touched the back of his hand to her forehead.

His brow furrowed in concern. "You have a fever."

"Ok Dr. Rogers." She backed away. "I'll be on my way now, thank you—"

Steve sighed, cutting her off. "Geneva. Please sit." When she didn't move, he continued. "You said it yourself. We don't have to handle everything alone. So let me help you."

She had said that and she'd also said they should start taking their own advice and this just so happened to be some advice she'd given him. Geneva sighed, moving to his couch, throwing one of the blankets over her shoulders and setting the others aside. Steve disappeared behind a wall, coming back a second later with two pills and a glass of water.

Steve sat next to her.

Geneva took them gratefully, sitting back. "Since when do super soldiers use medicine?"

He didn't answer as he lifted her legs onto his lap, sliding off her blue slippers. "Gen I'm sorry."

"What are you apologizing for?" She watched him as he stared at her Black Widow socks and black sweats. She leaned back onto the armrest.

"For overstepping. I shouldn't have questioned your motives."

Gen shrugged. "You were right anyway. I struggle sometimes, but I've gotten help and I still do. There are some situations I don't need to put myself in, and seeing Louis is one of them." She'd thought about it and in no time she felt crazy for even considering it.

Steve nodded. "I am not as unaffected as I seem, you know?"

Geneva pulled her legs to her chest. "I know Steve. Trust me, I know."

"I can't even give you—" he stopped himself short, turning away from Geneva's tired, but watchful, eyes.

Gen leaned closer to him, already knowing what he was trying to say. "You can't give me what Steve? Say it," she let out softly.

Their eyes met and for a second she was sure he was going to tell her, but all he did was move closer to her, so close that she could feel his breath on her face. "Gen," he murmured so quietly that she wasn't sure he'd said it all.

Geneva didn't know what made her so bold, maybe it was the fever, but she tilted her head up and their lips brushed fleetingly. Her breath hitched in her throat and heart picked up speed. Stars fell from the heavens and forged a path in her veins, igniting a feeling that she had never felt in such rawness: desire. Then love; a flower in bloom, searching for the light, for freedom, for expression. This wasn't like the first time they'd kissed, not even in the slightest. This kiss was hardly even a peck but it meant something.

He gripped her hand, slowly breaking whatever connection they'd built in that moment and whatever trance she was falling into. Geneva was left trying to calm herself and her heart. Steve didn't seem to be any better, with his head weighing down on her shoulder and his soft hair tickling her neck. She could feel his heart, no longer steady but racing as if it were in competition with her own.

"I can't," he whispered. His hand replaced his head on her shoulder with, his slim fingers griping her heated skin tightly but not painfully.

This is what he couldn't give her.

Geneva swallowed, feeling sorrow, embarrassment, and anger all at once. She wrapped the blanket around herself tightly as she completely pulled away from him. "Of course." She grabbed the other blankets, and moved to the elevator.

Steve rubbed at his face. "Gen don't go—"

"I'm leaving Steve," she said, her voice tired but resolute. "I'll see you tomorrow."

And so she found herself walking away from Steve once again, but this time she felt a potent yearning for the man who was just barely out of reach but out of reach nonetheless. She hoped that by morning her fever would be broken and that this moment would be forgotten.

hi! this is long over due. we've got more steve and geneva but things still aren't right. these last few chapters have had time jumps and the next one will too but only to get us straight into age of ultron. thanks for reading and don't forget to vote and comment.

-syd

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