#happy holidays and cheers to a happier 2025 everyone

[tearsoftime0086]

Sharing a small scene from a burnfield timeloop AU I have going on w a friend

~

“Yo, Claire. You still up?”

His voice cuts above the low rumblings of the plane engine. Steve regrets it almost as immediately as the words leave his mouth. It’s a stupid thought – one he really shouldn’t verbalize in front of her.

“Yeah, because of you,” is the response. His head flips over to Claire, whose eyes are still closed.

“Shit. Sorry. Never mind then.”

“I’m kidding,” she laughs. Even with heavy bags outlining her eyes, the mirth in her voice puts him back at ease. It’s almost infuriating how quickly it happens. “Something on your mind?”

“Something like that,” he mumbles. He drums his fingers on the wall, rhythmic thuds syncopated with his beating heart. “But promise me you won’t laugh.”

“Promise.”

He swallows anxiously. “Okay. So when you grabbed my hand on the throttle back there… was that like? Did that mean anything? Or am I just-“

Oh god, this is so stupid, why would anyone ask this-

Claire keeps her promise and doesn’t laugh. To drive her point further, she fits her fingers gently between his. “Only if you want it to mean something,” she says quietly.

The cabin lights are off, but Steve swears they both see his cheeks burn bright red. “Oh. Um… yeah. I’d like that. A lot.”