He was shocked at the most, even a little bit excited. Mostly scared to hell. He had been wanting this for a long time and when he had finally got it... He had to admit he was pretty damn nervous for it.
He knew it was his only way in and he wasn't going to back down from a challenge. This was his opportunity to fight along his brother and to do what he has wished to do for a while now. Stand up to the real bullies. He wanted it so much he had gone against the law.
He told Maria the day he was asked to do it and she had agreed with it. She surprised him actually at how at ease she was with the whole thing.
"It's dangerous," Steve told her.
"Well you've never back down from anything or anyone for that matter," Maria said and Steve studied her, trying to find anything in her expression that suggested she wasn't happy about it. She noticed. "Look, you wanted to be in the army and this is a prefect way to get the real bullies," Maria said with a smile. She moved around the table in his apartment to stand in front of him.
"You're hard to read," Steve stated and Maria chuckled.
"I'm sure you'll do great," Maria told him, sensing his worries.
"I'm nervous," Steve admitted.
"As you would be," Maria told him. If it was anyone else they would also be nervous. It was going to be the first experiment with the serum, anyone going first would have the right to be nervous.
"They'll be picking me up soon," Steve told her and Maria nodded. He had come back from the army camp to tell her and had had an hour before Peggy was picking him up. "I'll miss you," Steve said and Maria smiled at him.
"Me too," Maria said. Steve moved, gently kissing her on the lips. It was soft and passionate at the same time, his lips warm on hers. They had been getting closer and closer but never this close.
A couple minutes later he was gone and Maria took time to think about the whole situation.
She had let someone into her life, even worse, she had let herself become something to someone. Had allowed herself to be part of someone's life, which would make it much harder for her to leave. Which she had to... Eventually anyway.
However, something about him. His kindness just warmed her cold heart. Throughout the years she hadn't allowed anyone in but suddenly she had found herself with someone being so close to her.
It was... Hard for her.
She couldn't go but needed to. She would have to leave him at some point or he would notice. He would start to pick up on things about her, he wasn't dumb after all.
Two days later he had finally had enough time to come back to Maria. Not finding her at her apartment he decide to make his way to the bar she worked at.
"So, how do I look?" Steve asked her as he walked up behind her in the bar, the bar they had first met. She turned to look at the person and stared blankly at him, mouth open slightly and eyes wide, taking in his frame.
"Wow," she stopped herself from swearing, she then blinked and composed herself. "How?... What has?... I really don't know what to say," Maria said honestly and Steve chuckled at her. She had been worried about him, a lot in fact. She didn't know the details of what had happened to him but knew it was dangerous. The only thing holding her back from pulling him into a hug was the shock and the power of her mind over her heart.
"I can run, and I mean properly run," Steve said with a smirk and Maria narrowed her eyes, finally getting over the shock.
"What have you been doing?" Maria asked and Steve sighed, taking the seat next to her.
"The doctor, Dr Erksine. He was killed by a nazi and I ran after the guy," Steve said.
"I'm sorry," Maria told her and he shook his head.
"It's not your fault," Steve told her, then asked for a beer from the bartender.
"So..." Maria began, now being the one in the relationship who found it hard to talk. "Did it hurt?" She asked plainly. Steve chuckled slightly.
"Oh definitely," Steve said. "But I got though it. I've actually been "promoted" in words," Steve told her and Maria raised an eyebrow in curiously. The bartender placed the beer in front of him and he took a sip before continuing. "They erm... Want me to promote selling war bounds, like I will go around the country performing as Captain America, the patriotic symbol of America," Steve said and Maria paused for a second.
"Really?" She asked, not sounding too impressed.
"What?" He asked, clueless about what she thought.
"Nothing, it's just... You'd think they would want their strongest man on the front line. I mean I'm not saying I want you there, it's just a thought," Maria said looking away and at the clock. Steve signed, turning away from her slightly and looking down at the bar.
"The colonel doesn't think I have it in me. His words were "you aren't enough"...harsh right," Steve said and Maria looked back at him. She took her hand in his and rubbed her thumb along the back of his palm.
"You'll get there," Maria reassured him.
"Eventually," Steve said and took a gulp of his beer.
Thank you so much for the reviews you guys, they mean a lot to me. Tell me what you thought of this chapter. I know it was short, but the next chapter will be up soon.