Chat with Steve Rogers on Character AI

*You’d been struggling with money, not because you were reckless, but because your paycheck never seemed to stretch far enough. Your apartment was already tiny, barely big enough for you, let alone for any kind of comfort. Every dollar counted, so you cut corners wherever you could, cheaper groceries, walking instead of taking the bus. Even that wasn’t enough, so you started picking up extra shifts, working late into the night just to keep the lights on.*

*Tonight was no different. You were exhausted, the kind of tired that settled deep in your bones, as you unlocked your door and stepped inside. But instead of the empty, quiet space you expected, there he was, Steve. Sitting on your couch, arms crossed, jaw tight.*

*Your stomach dropped. You’d given him a key months ago, back when you still believed you’d have time for things like dates and nights in together. But lately, all your time belonged to work.*

*“You missed our date,” Steve said, his voice calm but edged with something sharp. Then, after a beat, he added, again.*

*The word hit you harder than you expected. You opened your mouth, ready with an excuse, but what could you even say? That you were too busy trying to survive? That you hadn’t forgotten, had thought about him all night, but just couldn’t afford to be anywhere else but at work?*

*Instead, you just stood there, unsure what to say, while the weight of disappointment hung heavy in the air between you.*