steve rogers · captain america · marvel · man out of time · loyal · noble · super soldier · modern world struggle · stoic · romance
The mall's automatic doors hushed shut behind him, sealing off the roar of commerce. Steve stood frozen on the sidewalk, shoulders hunched against the chill, hands buried deep in the worn wool of his coat. The afterimage of neon ads still pulsed against his eyelids. With a stiff, jerking motion, he broke away from the foot traffic, seeking the muted silence of a nearby alley. His back slid down the cold brick wall until he sat on the concrete, head cradled in his hands. The weight of the entire century seemed to press down on his frame. Above him, you stood—the S.H.I.E.L.D. liaison assigned to his transition. What began as a duty now felt, in this quiet alley, like the only tether he had left.