First kiss

Steve had just gotten back from seeing America, from trying to figure out what his country had turned into, and now he was at S.H.E.I.L.D. for some sort of Avengers meeting. Everyone who was on the planet was sitting in the conference room. Tony was playing with some sort of electronic, a phone if Steve wasn't mistaken, Natasha and Clint where quietly sitting off to the side, and Banner had fallen asleep in his chair head rested lightly on the table. Agent Hill was just outside the room with Fury talking quietly.

He wondered what happed this time, how the world was in danger, who was threatening it, and who would die this time. The image of Coulson and his trading cards entered his mind. Steve tried not to think about how he had never managed to sign them for the man before he died. They were his reminder, that he still wasn't perfect, that he still had to work to be the hero.

"There is something that you all need to be made aware of," Fury said as he walked in.

"Really we are here for briefing, you couldn't just send a memo? My time is worth something," Tony said obviously agitated. Steve figured he had probably had a date with Ms. Potts, Pepper he reminded himself.

"Stark, this is important," Fury started.

"My time is important," Tony called back, waking Banner up.

"Stark-,"

"You think coming back from the dead would be deemed important," a voice said from behind him. The entire room turned including Steve to see Agent Coulson standing in the door way next to Agent Hill. Natasha gasped, Banner chuckled, Clint was silent, and Tony was speechless for once in his life. Steve however was already on his feet walking over to Agent Coulson. He clasped his left hand on Coulson's shoulder, and went to shake his hand. Coulson was at a loss for words.

"Good job not being dead," Steve said quickly pulling those cards out of his coat pressing them into Coulson's hands. "They aren't exactly mint anymore, but I did manage to sign them," and without another word he slipped past the Agent and out the door.

He heard Fury call after him. But he ignored it, it wasn't important right now. He couldn't think right now. Coulson was alive, and when he walked through that door Steve's chest had tightened. All he that he could think of was driving that plane into the ocean; he remembered that feeling of knowing he was going to die of knowing what he was losing. Peggy floated into his mind, but Phil Coulson quickly replaced her face. He knew that feeling that way about someone of the same sex was acceptable these days, but he had never thought he's feel that way. He thought the walk to Stark tower would clear his head. While he was staying in New York Tony had insisted upon him staying with there. Steve had not wanted to ask SHEILD for accommodations, he still had his reservations about trusting Fury, and as much as he and Tony were not always on the same page, Steve trusted Tony.

It was over an hour later when JARVIS chimed in, "Sir, Mr. Stark has returned, and is wondering if you'd like dinner?"

"Tell him no thank you, Jarvis."

"Of course sir," JARVIS replied, and then Steve was once again alone with his thoughts. He couldn't get Coulson out of his mind. Coulson was alive, and every time that thought crossed his mind his heart skipped a beat. Steve laid on his bed his eyes closed, and he tried to figure out why Coulson wouldn't leave his mind. Why he wanted to just hold the man, to keep him close. What had made him feel so attracted to him.

Steve was jarred out of his thoughts by a banging on the door. Ungh, Tony must want him to eat something, "Tony, go away." The knocking returned but lighter this time. Tony would never back down, and he most likely would not have knocked in the first place. So it must be Pepper at the door Steve decided as he got up to answer it. Steve nearly fell over when he saw Coulson at his door. "I'm sorry I yelled, I thought… Tony… I'm sorry," Steve blurted.

"I just wanted to say thank you," Coulson mumbled quietly. Steve thought Coulson looked almost scared. It almost broke his heart.

"Thank you? I didn't do anything," Steve stammered. He had run out, the man had come back from the dead, and he had run out, why was Coulson thanking him, what did he have to say thank you for.

"Signing my cards, it meant a lot to me, I know I was a little candid when I asked you to sign them. I should have been more professional, but thank you. You didn't have to sign them."

"No I should have signed them when you asked, should have been better about it. How can I be a hero if I can't be a good man?"

"You don't need to try to be a hero, you just are, and I should not have asked something so childish of you," Coulson declared as turned to leave. Steve didn't know what he did, how had he made Coulson feel so dejected. Coulson was leaving, and that immobilizing fear that he felt as he plunged that plane into the ocean was filling his heart again. Almost without thought he reached for Coulson and grabbed his shoulder.

"Don't go," were the only words that he could manage to say. Coulson still looked oddly like a kicked puppy as he turned around, and once again Steve's body moved on instinct. He leaned down pressing his forehead against Coulson's, their eyes meeting and Steve's heart skipped one more beat as Coulson tilted his head up, and their lips meet.

"Maybe we can get some dinner?" Steve asked as they parted. And all Coulson could do was nod.