So, this story takes place in between Ironman 3 and Thor: The Dark World. I know there's a lot of ambiguity in the beginning, but it will all make sense as the story progresses.

Boredom had set in days ago. I was so bored that I couldn't read, watch TV, do anything. But I suppose that's to be expected when you're left home alone in an unfamiliar place.

I laid on the couch, my body sprawled across it as I stared up at the blank, white ceiling. Steve had left on a mission three days ago and I feel like I haven't left the spot since. It wasn't uncommon for me to be left alone in his apartment for a few days, but this felt overly oppressing. I didn't know how much longer I could go on like this without doing something… drastic.

He said this would happen, that I'd get bored with this way of living. If you can even call it living. He also said that there was a better life out there for me. I have no idea what he meant. Fucking asshole, always talking in metaphors and riddles. That horned bastard. Who the fuck has horns anyways? Isn't that the sign of a bad guy?

But he hasn't been around in a while. Not that I'm surprised. He probably gave up on me. They always do. They always leave.

I shook my head, dark strands of hair falling over my face. I need to stop thinking about it. I sat up with a groan, my muscles aching from laying there for so long. I stood up and stretched my arms, my eyes scanning the apartment for something to do. They fell upon the kitchen. What does an eighteen year old girl do when she's bored? Eat.

As I made my way over to the kitchen, I heard the door open. "Cas?" Steve called out as he entered the apartment and closed the door behind him. A smile spread across my face at the sound of his voice and I turned around to see him. He wasn't smiling.

"You okay there, Cap?" I asked him with furrowed brows. It didn't seem like he was hurt or angry at me or something.

Steve let out a heavy sigh as he dropped his bag on the floor and took a seat on the couch. "I need to talk to you."

"Okay?" I watched him warily as I sat down on the coffee table in front of him. "What are we talking about?"

He stayed silent for a moment, only making me worry more. "I talked to the rest of the Avengers today…"

I furrowed my brows in confusion. "Okay. What's new? You do that all the time."

"We were talking about you." Steve finally looked up to meet my eyes. "I hate that I always have to leave you here by yourself, especially after your dad died… I just- We don't think that it's healthy for you. You need someone who can look after you and that person isn't me. I'm not around enough to be able to do that."

I stared at him with a blank expression on my face, more confused than ever. "So… What are you saying?"

"I'm saying that we all think that you should go stay with someone else. It's not that I don't want you here because I do. It's nice not being alone all the time. But you are always left here alone. Pretty much everyone is okay with you going to stay with them-"

"Stop!" My voice came out much louder than I had been expecting, scaring both of us. I shook my head at him with a sigh. "I'm not going to let you people pass me around from person to person like I'm in the foster system. I'm eighteen. I can go live on my own if I wanted."

"But you won't," Steve replied. "You've been with SHIELD your whole life. You don't know how to live in the real world."

I looked down at my hands in my lap. I hated it when he said stuff like that, when he was right. "So? You can't do that to me, Steve."

"I know," he nodded. "That's why I'm letting you choose where you want to go. No where's off limits."

I chewed on the inside of my cheek, a bad habit that I really need to get rid of. I understood where Steve was coming from. I wasting away by sitting here everyday, doing nothing with my life. I couldn't even join SHIELD if I wanted to. My dad made sure of that. "I don't know," I said quietly. "I mean… Fury is too busy running SHIELD. Clint and Natasha are rarely even in the country. Bruce is too scared of hulking out on me… I don't know what to do."

Steve let out a quiet sigh and nodded his head. "What about Tony? He's got a place in New York, not too far away. Even when he's gone, you wouldn't be alone."

I nodded as I considered his suggestion and shrugged my shoulders. "I guess that wouldn't be too bad. Tony's pretty cool."

He chuckled softly and nodded. "Yeah, that's one way to put it."

I smirked at him slightly, but it soon faded. "So, what happens next? Call him up and say, 'Hey! I'm moving in!'? Or am I just going to show up at his doorstep?"

"I'll call him," Steve said with a small smile. "It would probably be a good idea for you to go start packing your things."

I stood slowly, chewing my cheek again as I slowly walked over to my small bedroom. I stopped just outside the door and turned back to Steve. "You're not going to just forget about me, right?"

He shook his head at me with a sigh. "I'd never forget about you," he assured me. But I knew it was a lie. They always forgot about me.

I closed the door behind me without another word to him. Grabbing my bag from under the bed, I began packing up the few things I had. Clothes mostly, a couple of books, things I had from my parents. I've never had much, never needed much. Made moving fairly easy for me.

After I finished putting my things in the bag, I reached over and locked the door. I just couldn't deal with Steve at that point, didn't want to risk him pitying me any more than he already did. I laid down on the bed, staring up at the plain ceiling.

Just as suspected, Steve knocked on the door. "Cas? I, um, I made dinner, if you're hungry? I thought, maybe, we could watch a movie or something?"

I stayed quiet, ignoring him. It was his own fault, really. He was abandoning me, just like everyone else. He deserved to be ignored.

I reached over for my phone on the bedside table, deciding to blast some AC/DC until he left me alone. I turned the volume all the way up. Steve had given up without much effort. Not that I was surprised.

I closed my eyes and let the music consume my entire being, clearing my mind. Maybe he'd come visit me again? Hopefully he hadn't given up on me, too.