A walk

Alina smiled, "Yes, it was better. But why does he suddenly want us to come for dinner?"

Steve shrugged, "Beats me. Though mom did say something about wanting to bless the new couple." Alina inhaled a sharp breath. This was so much like the Dawson family, they were always thinking about everyone else. It was no wonder Steve was such a nice and thoughtful person, growing up in a family like that.

"Sure." she replied beaming, "Tell him we'll be happy to come whenever you guys are free." Steve replied with a yeah and the conversation continued on such lighter topics.

The two continued to walk until they reached the riverbank. Steve took off his coat and sat down in the grass, soaking up the sun. "What? I thought you said we were going on a walk, not a sit." Alina spoke with a chuckle, putting her hands on her hips.

Steve let out a smile upon hearing this. "It's not my fault I do not have the physical capacity of a wolf." he said. "You look really good when you smile." he added, after a moment's hesitation. Alina's eyes turned wide and cheeks red upon hearing this. "What? Anything! Where did this even come from?" she exclaimed, and grabbed the back of her neck. Steve only smiled and shrugged.

Not knowing what else to do to hide her embarrassment, Alina began to pace up and down the river. Steve watched her from his position on the ground as she walked around for a few minutes, before going up close to the river and sitting down.

As he stood up and made his way to her, Steve noticed that Alina had taken off her shoes and she had her feet in the river water. "Isn't it cold?" Steve asked, as he too began to take off his shoes. Alina shook her head as she patted a space beside her and said, "It's not that cold. And with the sun, it feels refreshing."

"Oh really?" Steve replied, and the next instant, a shiver went up his spine as he submerged his feet in the cold water. "Holy mother!! You told me it was not that cold!!" he exclaimed and Alina replied with a laugh, "It's not. Give it a second." And sure enough, after a few moments, as his body adjusted to the temperature of the water, Steve relaxed.

The two sat for a few minutes in companionable silence before Steve turned his head to look at Alina. She had her eyes closed and face tilted towards the sun with a smile on her lips, but she also decided at the exact moment to open them and look at them.

They stared at each other for a few seconds, their breaths getting faster for some inexplicable reason, before Steve suddenly tore his eyes away. "So, I actually asked you for a walk because I wanted to tell you something, but we're going to talk about you first." he said, staring into the water.

"Me? What about me?" Alina asked confused, tilting her head to one side. Steve turned to look at her with a disbelieving expression. "Are you being for real right now?" he asked, "The same thing about you that seemed to consume you last night. The thing that I had trouble falling asleep thinking about, wondering what had made you so worried!!"