Steve understood that sometimes, you needed to lie, to protect yourself, or the ones you loved. He'd done it a time or two himself, and not always for entirely altruistic reasons. He would have forgiven Rogue, if she'd lied to him about her past - but once he found out, he wouldn't have been able to trust her, not the way he did now. He trusted her with everything, and that was something only a very select few people had ever had the privilege of.
Steve exhaled in relief, his arms tightening around her for just a second, before he made himself loosen his grip. He pulled back so he could cup her cheek, kissing her softly. "Got it," he confirmed. He drew one of her hands up to his, kissing the back of it before lacing their fingers together. He tucked her arm around his again, but kept their fingers together, and started meandering down the path, again.
"I know I've mentioned Bucky several times," he started to explain. He wanted her to know what was going on inside his head, because he had a feeling he was going to be the same big ball of emotions tomorrow that he was today. And maybe for a while after that. "He was my best friend. We met when I was 3. His family moved into our apartment, and my ma babysat sometimes, for extra money. He came over to watch fireworks, and found out it was my birthday." Steve swallowed, squeezing her hand in his. "We celebrated every birthday after that, together. Until now. That's... I've got a handle on it, mostly; I still miss him, but it doesn't hurt as much as when he first... But, every now and then, it's like I realize all over again, that he hasn't just gone out for a quick job, or something. He's actually gone."
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Steve exhaled in relief, his arms tightening around her for just a second, before he made himself loosen his grip. He pulled back so he could cup her cheek, kissing her softly. "Got it," he confirmed. He drew one of her hands up to his, kissing the back of it before lacing their fingers together. He tucked her arm around his again, but kept their fingers together, and started meandering down the path, again.
"I know I've mentioned Bucky several times," he started to explain. He wanted her to know what was going on inside his head, because he had a feeling he was going to be the same big ball of emotions tomorrow that he was today. And maybe for a while after that. "He was my best friend. We met when I was 3. His family moved into our apartment, and my ma babysat sometimes, for extra money. He came over to watch fireworks, and found out it was my birthday." Steve swallowed, squeezing her hand in his. "We celebrated every birthday after that, together. Until now. That's... I've got a handle on it, mostly; I still miss him, but it doesn't hurt as much as when he first... But, every now and then, it's like I realize all over again, that he hasn't just gone out for a quick job, or something. He's actually gone."