Work Text:
Steve leans in the doorway, watching Nancy type only to pause and check something in her notebook and start typing again. She types faster than he does, but he thinks Jonathan has the both of them beat. It can be mesmerizing. The click clack of the typewriter, the shuffling of papers. He enjoys watching her work. Even from behind, he knows that she's biting her lip as she hits the keys. Her nose scrunches up when she double checks her notes or has to read from one of the books she has piled around her desk.
"Hey," he says quietly when she pauses long enough that he doesn't think he's interrupting. Over the years, Steve has learned better than to interrupt her when she's in the middle of a sentence. Besides hating the frustration on her face when she does, he doesn't like being the reason she loses focus. Unless she's been a little too focused on her work. Then he is more than happy to drag her out of her little office and into the world. Or the bedroom. He's not picky.
Nancy turns around with a confused blink of her eyes. Realizing just how dark it's gotten outside the windows, Steve thinks. "Hi." She shakes her head and smiles. "What time is it?"
"Late," he says, pushing off the door frame. He stands behind her, hands resting on her shoulders. She stretches to meet him when he leans in to kiss her. He'll never get over how natural all of it is, how easy. There were a couple of years there where Steve had been sure he'd never have this with anyone. Now here he is, in the apartment he shares with Nancy and Jonathan. Where he gets to watch Jonathan shuffle through stacks of photographs for whichever one is just right or experiment with a new recipe he's never had the chance to try before.
Where he gets to watch Nancy work, first on her classwork and now getting to actually write her own articles, however small they may be to start. He's so proud of her, of the both of them, that his chest feels like it will burst with it sometimes.
"Think you'll be wrapping up soon?"
She hums, skimming over what she's typed. Looking over the rest of the stuff on her desk, Nancy tilts her head back and forth. "Not just yet?" Leaning her head back against his stomach, she pouts at him upside down. "Is that okay?"
Steve smiles and squeezes her shoulders. The answer doesn't surprise him. She likes to get at least the bones of whatever she's working on finished before putting it down for the night. Considering how bad his memory can be, Steve understands wanting to make sure she can pick up wherever it is she's left off. He'd rather her finish it up now than lose sleep over it later if she leaves it as is. This way when she does join them, she'll be able to put it aside for the night.
"Of course," he says and she stops sticking her bottom lip out and grins up at him instead. It does things to him, getting to see her so playful and happy even when she's working. "Try not to stay up too late, alright?"
"Promise," she says, rubbing her head against him and messing up her hair before she straightens back up. "I just want to finish this up."
Steve combs his fingers through her hair where it's standing up. He scratches his nails gently over her scalp, careful not to tug on any tangles.
"Don't distract me," she says when he doesn't move, but peeks up at him again with a quick, "Thank you."
"Good luck," he tells her, kissing the back of her head once her hair is smoothed down. "Not too late."
"I won't be!" she says waving at him over her shoulder. Steve gives them one more squeeze before he backs up. He pats the door frame on the way out of the room, looking forward to getting to bed. Jonathan should already be there waiting for him and Nancy will, hopefully, be joining them soon. All in all, Steve is the luckiest person in the world.