Sick

(Steve POV)

It's been three weeks since their movie night and since that time Steve and Iris has started a new routine, he will pick her up from work Thursday nights (well only if they go to his place which they've only done once so far), have dinner and then watch a movie together and so far it's been going great and he's always looking forward to now, it's become his favorite day of the week. He thought it was sweet of her that she would agree to do this on a day she worked, she must have been tired but hasn't shown it. The one thing they have not talked about since that first movie night is their almost kiss, they both haven't mentioned it at all. Steve's very reluctant to, he doesn't want to make things awkward or make her uncomfortable but he also can't stop thinking about it, it replays over and over in his head and it's all just very confusing! That was the second time he almost kissed her and he was lucky he hadn't ruined everything, he's trying so hard to prove that she can trust someone, to be her friend and he goes and tries to kiss her twice. He wants to apologize but he doesn't know how to bring it up or how to even explain what caused him to do so because he still doesn't know what came over him! Maybe tonight when he picks her up he will talk to her about it.

He walks in and goes right to the bar, he smiles at Amber as he approaches her. "Hey Amber," he spoke out through the loud music.

"Hey." She repeated.

"Did you change your hair? It looks different." He asked.

"Yeah I did. It's nice to know someone noticed." She gives Renee a hard look.

"I like it."

"Thanks, your too sweet." She smiles at him.

"Hey Steve, what are you trying to do get my girlfriend to become straight again?" Renee complains before all three laugh.

"Sorry." He replied through his chuckles. "Is Iris almost ready?" He looks around for her.

"She didn't tell you?" Renee asked confused, Steve looked at her just as confused. "She called in sick."

"Yeah the poor thing sounded awful on the phone." Amber mentioned.

"Oh, you think she's okay?" He asked a little worried.

"I'm sure she's fine, we were going to check on her in he morning." Amber told him.

"You know, I'll go now and check on her, just to make sure she's okay." He informed them.

"Okay." They both said at the same time.

"Okay, I'll see you later then." He smiled before walking out of the bar.

"Oh boy, Iris is going to have a REALLY hard time with this one." Renee had to point out.

"I know, he's too damn charming." Amber sighed.

"You would know." Renee glared before giving her a smirk. Amber didn't say anything she just smirked right back, she liked seeing her girlfriend jealous every once in a while but it had been quite some time that she was jealous of a man but really who wouldn't fall for Steve's charm? Iris really didn't stand a chance! They could already tell she was going to fall hard.

Steve didn't go right to Iris' place, he had to make a couple of stops first.

(Iris POV)

I feel like absolute shit! My head is killing me, I'm nauseous, my nose is stuffed up and I've been coughing all day. I just woke up like this, I was fine yesterday. "Oh shit!" I whine as I used the last tissue in the box, I hate using toilet paper! As I'm going into the bathroom to grab a roll I hear my buzzer ring, I groan in frustration.

"Whoever it is leave me alone." I coldly spoke into it.

"Iris, it's Steve."

"I'm not feeling good, can you come back later."

"I know, that's why I'm here, I have something for you." He informs me.

"What is it?" I curiously ask.

"In order to find out you need to let me in."

"...Fine." I reluctantly agree before buzzing him in.

I wait at the door until I hear him softly knock, "are you going to open the door?" I hear his voice.

"No, you can just leave the stuff and I'll grab it after you leave."

"Open the door." He demands.

"No, I don't want you to see me like this, I look like shit."

"I don't care what you look like, I want to make sure your okay." He sweetly replied, damn how can I say no to that?

"...Fine." I slowly open the door.

"Wow you do look awful." I glare and try to close the door but he stops it and laughs. "I'm joking...I'm sorry, you don't look awful but your white as a ghost." He presses the back of his hand on my forehead. "Your burning up, have you gone to the doctor?"

"No, I hate hospitals, I avoid it as much as possible...you said you had something for me?" I remind him.

"Yes, can I come in?"

"No, it's probably not a good idea, I don't want to infect you."

"I'll be fine, I have a very strong immune system."

"Oh, okay." I accept before letting him in, he has a big bag in his hand. "How did you know I was sick anyways?" I ask him.

"Amber and Renee told me when I came to pick you up." He told me.

"Oh shit, tonight is movie night, I completely forgot! I'm so sorry!" I feel terrible!

"It's okay. They said you didn't sound good so I just wanted to check on you, how are you feeling?"

"Again I feel like shit." I complain as I cover my mouth to cough.

He goes into the kitchen and puts the bag on the counter. "Well I've got the perfect things to make you better...I got you 7UP, you gotta have that when your sick, saltine crackers, extra-strength Tylenol, cough drops and my mom's famous get well soup."

"You didn't have to do that." I grin.

"I know I didn't have to but I wanted to. My mom use to make it for me when I was sick and it always made me feel better." He sweetly told me. "Oh, I almost forgot something..."

"Oh thank God tissues! You are a life-saver!" I sighed as I snatch the box from him. "I ran out." I quickly wipe my nose after opening it.

"I can grab you some more tomorrow." He offered.

"That would be great, thanks...it won't take long to use this up."

"Well, I better get out of your hair so you can get some rest."

"Oh that won't happen." I blurt out.

"Iris you need to rest."

"I know but for some reason when I get sick I get insomnia, it's been that way since I was a kid, it's probably going to be an all nighter this time." I informed him.

"Well in that case you better pick out a movie because we're in for a long night." He began to take off his leather jacket, I quickly notice his biceps flex as he hangs it up and damn his arms are huge! I can see his arm veins popping out, how do they even do that?

"...What? Your going to stay all night?" I ask as I'm trying to advert my eyes, hopefully he didn't notice me lurking at him.

"Yeah, you shouldn't be alone and plus I don't sleep very well either so why not stay up together?" He proposed.

"...Okay." I accept his request.

"Why don't you go lay down, pick out something to watch and I'll pour you a bowl."

"Okay." I nod before going into my room.

I can't believe he's really going to stay here all night with me! Not even Amber or Renee has done that. It doesn't take him long to come into my room with the soup, he sets a food tray over my lap and I start to eat it.

"Mmm, this is delicious!"

"Yeah, she always made the best soups."

"What's in it?"

"Sorry, can't give away my secrets." He grins with a raised eyebrow. "So why isn't any family taking care of you?"

"...I don't have any family." I slowly tell him.

"Oh...sorry."

"It's okay...it's always just been me and mom...and she died so...it's just been me ever since."

He nods his head, "me too..." He quietly replied.

I have to change the subject, I don't want to talk about this anymore! "...So how were you lucky to get such a strong immune system?" I half joke as I continue to eat the soup, he giggles.

"The serum."

"Oh, was that a lucky side-effect or was it deliberately put in there?"

"It was deliberate."

"Let me guess, so your always ready for action?"

"Pretty much." He quickly response.

"Is that also why you can't get drunk?"

"There's a little more to with that one but yeah pretty much."

"...So, that's all they saw you as?" I honestly ask.

"...Yeah..." I feel so bad for him, to always have that expectation of being the perfect soldier, to always have to be ready for a battle...it was like they were expecting him to never have a life outside of the war.

"...Why don't you sleep at night?"

"...I get bad dreams." He confessed, he was reluctant at first, I think he felt embarrassed.

"About the war?" I asked.

"Yeah but not only that...coming out of the ice, alien and robot invasions..." I can tell he's reflecting it all. I'm getting now that the man has serious PTSD that he surprisingly hides very well.

"Have you seen a doctor about it?"

"No but that's what running is for." He simply answered.

"But you should...it could help you, I mean running and working out can't only help you in the long run." I advise.

"Don't worry I'm fine...in fact I've discovered new ways that's starting to help me..." He only says with a smile, I nod my head. I don't want to press him any further, if something is working for him then that's great. I know he's not talking about me...but I do wonder what is helping him.

"...Were you scared at all? Crashing that plane?" I gently asked him.

"...No...there was a lot of emotions at that moment but scared wasn't one of them."

"What about the attack on New York?"

"No, you don't have time to be afraid...I mean it was difficult to watch all the destruction but not scared."

"Have you ever been afraid out there?"

"...No, not really, your adrenaline is going so much that fear isn't there, it's the last thing on your mind." He honestly responded. "Your just too focused on saving all the people." I smile and give him a understandingly nod.

"Well...I picked a movie." I change the subject.

We watch a few movies, he does indeed stay up with me the whole time, my new box of tissues is almost empty and every once in a while he'll put a wet, cold washcloth on my forehead, he'll keep re-wetting it for me. He won't let me get up, I haven't been out of the bed since he's been here. It's nice, I can't even remember the last time someone took care of me while I was sick, none of my asshole exes that's for sure.

We're watching Big and of course I'm laughing, I suddenly flinch when I feel shooting pain.

"You okay?" He asked me worriedly.

"Yeah, my head is killing me, it's been doing this all day." I told him as I'm rubbing my temples.

"Come here." He pats his thigh, indicating for me to lay my head on it. I hesitate. "Will you come here." He repeats with more authority.

I agree and lay my head on his lap while he's sitting up against the headboard. He starts rubbing my head, his fingers are running through my hair. "Aw! That feels good!" I sigh and close my eyes, he rubs the back of my neck and behind my ears then goes to the back of my head using quite a bit of pressure but not too hard either. "Let me guess your mom use to do this too?"

"Yep." He simply said, I giggle. "And after she got sick I would do it to her." He moves his hands to my temples and rubs them, God it feels good. My headache is quickly going away.

"You know...I wasn't sure about this but...it's nice."

"What?" He asked confused not knowing what I'm talking about.

"...Having a friend...I don't make friends easy and don't have many." I confess as I look up at him.

He smiles, "me too." I feel him sooth my hair back. "...Listen Iris...about the night...you know our first movie night...I..." I know what he's trying to get at.

"Let's not talk about it...let's just move on and forget it." I quickly respond.

"...Okay." He quietly replies as he continues rubbing my head and we go back to watching the movie. There was no way I was going to talk about that night, I still can't stop thinking about it and I just want to move past it and never think of it again.

About 6 am I finally fall asleep and when I wake up I actually feel so much better, not completely better but nowhere near as bad as yesterday. Steve is not in the bed, I walk into the living room and he's sleeping on the couch. I have to close my mouth from snickering because he is so much bigger then my couch but then it changes to being touched that he would since I'm sure it's not very comfortable for him. I see his eyes flicker.

"Hey." He sleeplessly spoke with a grin.

"Hey." I repeat quietly. "You could have slept in the bed, I mean we're both grown adults."

"I know but...I didn't want to crowd your bed, you needed the room more then I did." I don't say anything, I just nod.

"You were comfortable on the couch?" I question.

"Yeah, it's not so bad, remember I use to sleep on the ground." He reminds me. "Using rocks as pillows...I'm still getting use to a bed."

I giggle, "I guess that's true."

"Oh, I've got to go." He blurts out after looking at his watch, he quickly sat up.

"Okay...thanks for staying with me."

"...Your welcome...that's what friends are for." He smiled and I just smile back. "Oh, I'll get you some more tissues." He informs me.

"...Thanks, I appreciate that." I softly responded.

"Well, see you later then." He grinned before walking out the door.

You know at first I was just playing along until he gave up but now it's real and...I'm really liking this new friendship!


I hope you liked this one, I wanted this chapter to be about her finally acknowledging that he is becoming a real friend to her and of course them getting closer.