The next week or so passed quickly as Steve carried out the items on Eleanore's list. Steve traveled with Eleanore to buy sheets, a bath mat, curtains, and some clothing at a local retail store before they went to the flea market and bought various items of furniture, including a sofa, an end table, and a lamp. He was happy to have something to occupy himself as he adjusted to modern life and slowly made his apartment a home. He didn't buy much, only what he thought might be necessary to living. Eleanore advised him on decorations, but she didn't pressure him to buy anything he didn't want. An area rug was the one point they disagreed on, her saying he should have one and him refusing. Steve had his way in the end.
Eleanore spent time each day to specifically teach him new things she thought he should know about like Walmart versus Target, and whether or not to answer an unknown number on his phone.
"You have to be very careful about giving your number out," Eleanore explained as they sat across from each other in a small cafe. "Because telemarketers get ahold of your cell phone and bombard you with stupid calls until you want to pull your hair out."
What followed was a lengthy explanation about telemarketers and why Steve should just say, "No," and hang up on them.
Over the course of the week, Steve got settled into his new home with a lot of help from both Eleanore and Darren. Eleanore cooked a few "leftover meals" for Steve to keep in his freezer to eat when he didn't feel like cooking. She also organized almost his entire apartment, leaving only his bedroom alone. Darren came over and made sure everything was electronically sound, and he introduced Steve to things like surge protectors and remote controls. Steve liked their meddling, as it was always accompanied by laughing banter and amiable conversation.
After Steve got moved in, Eleanore fell into a routine of inviting him over and then leaving him to his own devices as she completed homework and household tasks. The dog was largely inactive, and Steve was impressed with how few times he needed to go outside. Jet only moved when Eleanore was leaving, which was a couple of times each day, or when she was cleaning, which was less often. He didn't eat much either, because Steve had never seen any sort of dog food around the apartment, but he had seen Eleanore giving Jet scraps from her cooking. He supposed that not moving much conserved a lot of energy.
Steve found himself sketching more and more as the days progressed. Memories of the War would surface, and Steve gave them solid lines with his pencil and life with his shading. He drew the Hydra base hallway where he'd found Bucky, all decrepit and empty except for the tools they used on prisoners. He drew the recruitment of the Howling Commandos and spent a long time shading in the background because the pub was so dark. He drew the majesty of the Alps as he had first seen them, before they claimed Bucky in their cold, harsh wilderness.
Eleanore walked into the living room as he put the finishing touches on one of the craggy cliffs Sunday afternoon, April 29th. Steve had begun coming over to her place whenever he worried about a memory's emotions firstly because she could help him calm down, but mostly because he enjoyed having the everyday sounds she made as she went about her day to pull him back to this new reality. Sometimes he closed his eyes and opened them expecting to see the 1940's again. Eleanore didn't pry, usually asking questions only when she caught a glimpse of his work, or when Steve voluntarily showed her. She kept to herself for the most part, reading or doing homework or painting, sometimes humming, singing, or talking to herself and going about her day.
"My homework is done for the weekend," Eleanore announced animatedly, earning an unimpressed look from Jet and a small grin of acknowledgment from Steve. Her expression grew more serious as she focused on Steve. "Can I talk to you about something?"
"Um, sure," Steve moved his supplies over on the couch to giver her room to sit, but left his notebook open on his lap. Is this about something important? My field status? Peggy?
"Those are mountains," Eleanore sat down on the other side of Steve's pencils, pulling her feet up underneath her.
"Yeah, the Alps," Steve replied, going with her change in subject. Is she going to discuss art with me?
"I love the mountains, but I've only ever been to Colorado," Eleanore commented, then shook her head. "Sorry, I'm avoiding the real subject here." She looked into Steve's eyes earnestly for a moment and Steve felt himself grow a little uncomfortable. "Steve, you know I trust you, right?"
What? "Sure…" he replied, not knowing where this was going. He felt a brush of anxiousness from Eleanore, which put him on edge. Whatever this was, it would have to be major to make her feelings affect his. She was usually so conscientious about it.
Eleanore seemed to hesitate and Steve was confused. "Whatever you have to tell me, you can," he reassured her. "I promise not to blow a gasket."
At that, she grinned a little. "Don't promise anything yet. Darren will be here soon, though, so maybe I should wait."
"Oh…kay?" Steve was completely confused. "Do you want me to leave so you can be alone, or…"
"No! Nothing about that. Fine. Here." She drew in a deep breath and sighed before continuing. "First off: What do you know about aliens?"
Steve blinked. "What?" He had grown used to Eleanore's quick subject changes, but nothing could have prepared him for this.
"Aliens. Like from other planets."
"I don't know anything about them." Steve wracked his memory, but he had nothing. "I mean, they were a theory, but… Are you saying they're out there?"
"Um, more like in here. In this apartment." Eleanore shifted nervously, her eyes still locked on Steve to gauge his reaction.
"I thought you were a mutant." Steve was just processing what she had said and staring at her, waiting for the punch line to this joke.
"I am. A mutant from Earth." Eleanore sighed again and finished in a rush, "Darren and Jet are aliens."
Steve looked at Jet, who was watching him with interest, then back to Eleanore. "I think I need more information."
"Well, the first thing you should know is that I didn't tell you right away because SHIELD doesn't know." Eleanore went into information-sharing mode, leaning forward, watching Steve to make sure he got everything, eyes alight. "And please don't get mad that I'm only telling you now."
"Wait, why are you telling me now if you didn't before?" Steve wasn't angry. At all. But he was very confused.
"Because Darren's dad Tony (who is a human, by the way) kind of hacked a little into SHIELD's files and found out that they found out about an alien visit that wasn't Darren or Jet, and so we're going to tell them soon, but not yet. And Darren is only half alien bec—" a knock at the door interrupted her monologue and Darren poked his head inside.
"You told him?" he asked, taking in Steve's blank expression.
"I'm telling him now," Eleanore said. "Come say your part of the story."
"Okay," Darren walked comfortably into the room and Eleanore scooted closer to Steve on the couch so he could sit down. Both of them were still far enough away to watch Steve's reaction.
"So," Darren started. "Here's the interesting part. Apparently Earth is a part of a cosmic system (like the Solar System, but on a much larger scale) which has nine other inhabited planets. And one of those isn't a planet at all, more like a big, flat piece of land with a giant castle on it that defies Earth's laws of physics—"
"Dear," Eleanore interrupted. "Just tell him about you."
"Oh yeah," Darren put an arm around her shoulder and continued. "So I'm halfway from a realm— planet— called Vanaheim, which has people pretty much like humans, only they're stronger, they live longer, and they can do magic. My mom is really from there. She came to Earth to see how society has progressed here since the Ice War, and she fell in love with my dad for a while and they had me. Then she went back to her planet, and here we are," Darren looked at Eleanore. "Did I leave anything out?"
"No," she responded. "Steve, questions?"
Steve's mind reeled a bit, but he focused on the main points Darren had made, and the ones he wanted to know more about. "Magic?"
"Yeah, do you want a demonstration?" Darren seemed eager, raising his hand so that his palm was flat in the air near Eleanore's head.
"Maybe not!" Eleanore quickly interjected, placing her hand over Darren's. "This is all probably overwhelming."
"No," Steve said, trying to sound reasonable while his mind kept repeating not real, not real. "Seeing is believing and all that."
"Great," Darren put his hand back up and a silvery strand of light wove its way up his hand and into the air. It spread once it hit the ceiling, and curved into tiny, beautiful vines with white flowers. Soon the room was covered with the glistening leaves and shining blossoms. Steve watched as Darren closed his hand into a fist and the vines turned to stardust, ghosting through the air with the leftover petals riding in their wake. It all vanished as soon as it hit the floor.
The entire room was silent for a moment, the only sound the breathing of the four creatures inside.
"That was beautiful," Eleanore said reverently, hugging Darren then tickling him. "So how come when you told me about your magic, you blew a computer up with it instead of that lovely display?"
"You're special," Darren told her, kissing her forehead lightly. "So are you a believer now, Steve?"
"Definitely," Steve smiled fully. "That was amazing." And it's nice to be in the loop ahead of SHIELD for once.
Jet snorted, and Steve's attention was turned back to him. "So… what can he do?"
Eleanore and Darren looked at each other, and Darren smiled.
"Well, if you're in the mood for another demonstration," Eleanore said, "then come with us and we'll show you."