Her reaction seemed perfectly normal, and Steve tried to smile at the playfulness in her gesture, but... Now that he was really watching, really paying attention, he couldn't stop his mind from questioning every minute move and change in her voice.
He tried telling himself that fine, so what? Either she knew, and for whatever reason she was keeping quiet about it - or she didn't know, and now he was acting weird and it was going to send her completely the wrong signals.
The fact was, though, that now he was in combat mode, and he couldn't just flip it on and off like a light switch. He couldn't go back to being carefree Steve Rogers who'd been flirting with a great girl, not right away. He had to settle his nerves, and that wasn't going to happen with a room full of strangers potentially watching his every move.
He paused by the wall, pretending to adjust the table so it was sturdy leaning there, and murmured so only Marie would hear. "Maybe I should go. I-- think it's best I go, now. I'd stay and help finish, but--" he glanced around again. "At this point, I'm not sure I'd be doing more harm than good."
The smile he gave her this time really was genuine, and fond. "I'll call you, in a couple days, we can finish making plans for the 4th, okay?"
He had the strongest urge to lean over and kiss her goodbye - just a simple brush of mouths, the kind of kiss you saw long-time couples give each other without a second thought, and it was completely absurd, but he still caught himself swaying slightly in her direction. Yeah, maybe it was definitely time to leave. Before he made an even bigger fool of himself.
Why must you create drama, Steve? WHY
He tried telling himself that fine, so what? Either she knew, and for whatever reason she was keeping quiet about it - or she didn't know, and now he was acting weird and it was going to send her completely the wrong signals.
The fact was, though, that now he was in combat mode, and he couldn't just flip it on and off like a light switch. He couldn't go back to being carefree Steve Rogers who'd been flirting with a great girl, not right away. He had to settle his nerves, and that wasn't going to happen with a room full of strangers potentially watching his every move.
He paused by the wall, pretending to adjust the table so it was sturdy leaning there, and murmured so only Marie would hear. "Maybe I should go. I-- think it's best I go, now. I'd stay and help finish, but--" he glanced around again. "At this point, I'm not sure I'd be doing more harm than good."
The smile he gave her this time really was genuine, and fond. "I'll call you, in a couple days, we can finish making plans for the 4th, okay?"
He had the strongest urge to lean over and kiss her goodbye - just a simple brush of mouths, the kind of kiss you saw long-time couples give each other without a second thought, and it was completely absurd, but he still caught himself swaying slightly in her direction. Yeah, maybe it was definitely time to leave. Before he made an even bigger fool of himself.