You’re Just… Steve
The days began to blur, each one slipping seamlessly into the next. Brooklyn was no longer the foreign land it had been when Elara first arrived. She had adjusted, adapted. The city now held its own rhythm, its own heartbeat, and Elara was part of it. Yet, there was one thing she couldn’t shake, the haunting truth that this world—this time, was never truly hers.
Every morning, the scent of fresh bread and coffee greeted her from the small bakery on the corner, and every evening, the distant hum of streetcars echoed down the cobbled streets. But the familiarity didn’t ease the ache in her chest, the emptiness she felt each time she passed the old movie theater where Steve would sit with his friends, or when she visited the Stark Industries building and caught a glimpse of Howard, always so consumed by his work.
And then there was Steve.
Steve was a constant, a solid presence in a world that felt like it was slowly unravelling. The man who wore his heart on his sleeve, the one who believed in fighting for something bigger than himself, and yet, somehow, he couldn’t quite grasp the magnitude of the destiny waiting for him.
She’d come to care for him more than she cared to admit. Each conversation, each laugh they shared, each moment of silence between them, it all left a mark on her heart. But it was more than just his charm, his loyalty, and his kindness that drew her in. There was something about Steve, before the serum, that made her want to protect him, to keep him safe from the storm of history that loomed ahead.
Elara couldn’t help but notice the way he looked at her. It was different now. There was a curiosity, a quiet intensity in his gaze that spoke volumes, though he never said it aloud. He was watching her, trying to decipher her, much like she was trying to decipher him.
“Hey, Elara,” Steve’s voice broke her from her thoughts one morning. He leaned casually against the frame of her apartment door, the sunlight catching the edge of his jaw, highlighting the faint stubble that only seemed to make him more endearing.
“Elara, you alright?” he asked again, his tone laced with concern. “You’ve been a little distant lately.”
She forced a smile. “Just a lot on my mind,” she said lightly. “History, you know?” She turned back to the table cluttered with books and papers, her fingers tracing the pages absently.
“You know you can talk to me, right?” Steve’s voice softened, a rare vulnerability creeping in.
Elara paused, meeting his eyes for a moment before quickly looking away. It was easier to keep her thoughts and feelings to herself. Safer, even.
“Thanks, Steve,” she murmured, keeping her distance. “I know.”
For a moment, there was only silence between them, heavy and thick. Steve took a step closer, his boots making a soft sound against the wooden floor. His eyes searched hers as though trying to find something buried deep beneath the surface.
“Elara,” he began, his voice hesitant. “I… I don’t know what it is about you, but you’re different. You don’t look at me like everyone else does. You don’t treat me like a hero. You treat me like a person.” He stepped back slightly, running a hand through his hair. “Sometimes I don’t know what to make of that.”
Her heart stuttered in her chest. This was the moment—the one she’d been avoiding. The one where she would have to tell him the truth. But the words caught in her throat. How could she possibly explain the truth to him? The truth that she was from the future, that he would become a legend, an icon, and she would have to watch it all unfold while being powerless to stop it?
“Steve…” She swallowed, her hands trembling slightly as she reached for the papers on the table. “You’re just… Steve. You’re more than any legend. You’re the person who’s willing to fight for what’s right. That’s what matters.”
His brow furrowed slightly, as though trying to understand her words, to make sense of her cryptic tone.
“You don’t have to be anything more than you are, Steve,” she continued, her voice barely above a whisper. “That’s enough for me.”
And just like that, it felt like the room shrank, the air growing denser between them. The words were out, but neither of them knew what they meant, not yet. Steve seemed to linger in the silence, studying her, waiting for something.
Elara turned away quickly, suddenly needing the distance. She didn’t trust herself in this moment, didn’t trust the emotions stirring inside of her. The guilt of knowing his future and the love she felt for him tangled together in a knot that she wasn’t ready to untangle.
“You’re a good person, Steve Rogers,” she said, her back still turned to him. “Don’t let anyone tell you otherwise.”
He didn’t respond immediately. The only sound was the rustle of the papers as he shifted his weight, unsure. And just as Elara thought the moment would pass without acknowledgment, Steve spoke again.
“Thanks,” he said quietly, his voice carrying an undertone of something deeper. “I don’t know why, but I believe you.”
Elara closed her eyes, her heart aching for the truth she couldn’t give him. She had to keep pretending, keep hiding. Because the moment she told him the truth, everything would change.