Chapter 37
Steve
Steve woke up and took a moment to remember where he was. Steve looked at the ceiling of the hotel room and remembered that he was in Washington D.C. Steve looked over and found Mark still sleeping next to him. Steve hoped he would be able to finally wake up and see Mark sleeping next to him. Steve leaned over to see Mark more clearly.
"Morning," Steve heard. Mark had woken up when Steve moved.
"Did I wake you up?" Steve asked.
"It's not your fault. I am always on edge even when I am asleep. I can tell when something moves or if there is noise even when I sleep. Usually, I fall right back to sleep without noticing when it is nothing," Mark said as he grabbed the covers around him.
Steve saw Mark dressed in pajamas when he slept, different than Steve, who just wore pajama bottoms and no shirt.
"Are you cold?" Steve asked. Mark looked at Steve from under the blanket. "If you didn't notice I turned the air down. You give off a lot of body heat and are always warm so, yes I am cold, and you probably didn't notice the change in temperature," Mark said.
Steve was surprised Mark noted how Steve did off more body heat than the average person. Steve never felt cold; he figured his faster metabolism was to blame for his higher body temperature. Steve kept his room cold at the Avenger Mansion as well. Mark never said anything to him about the temperature there.
"Are you okay to sleep in this cold? I don't even know what temperature it is in here," Steve said. But mark just hugged him while he spoke. "Warmth," Mark said. Steve laughed at Mark. Steve lied back down and let his body heat keep Mark warm.
"So what had you moving around so much this morning?" Mark asked as he looked at the clock. "Usually, you are mumbling about what you want for breakfast at this time."
Steve looked over at the time; he did wake up earlier than he normally did. Steve felt weird, usually, he would be very exhausted in the morning, but lately, he slept through the night just fine. Steve thought it might because Mark was sleeping next to him. "I wanted to see you when I woke up in the morning. I always woke up, and you would be gone. Today I got to see you next to me in the morning," Steve said.
"Well today, I don't need to cook breakfast for the whole house. That is the only reason I am up that early. I can always sleep in if Natasha takes breakfast duty," Mark said.
"Please don't do that to us," Steve said in a solemn voice. Mark laughed at him. "I think she would say the same thing," Mark said.
Steve just enjoyed the morning next to Mark, but then he asked a question he was curious about. "Do I really talk in my sleep? Bucky never said I did," Steve asked.
Mark nodded; Steve felt the motion against his chest. "Maybe he never listened, but you do talk in your sleep. Sometimes it is just mumbles, but then I hear a few sentences out of you. The sleep talking is most clear when it comes to you talking about breakfast," Mark said.
Steve laughed lightly at that statement. "I would see that being true. So I Never said anything about… you know." Steve asked hinting the other conversation to Mark.
"What do you mean?" Mark asked.
"You are going to make me say it, aren't you?" Steve asked Mark. Mark just smiled at Steve. Steve let out a sigh. "You said I speak about things I want you to do to me in my sleep, is that true?" Steve asked.
"Sometimes you do, not every morning," Mark said. "I don't know if you say it through the night. The one time I stayed up while you slept I didn't hear you say that," Mark said.
Steve pulled Mark away to look at him, "When did you stay up through the night?" Steve asked.
"The night we spent in the cave. I stayed up to keep watch. You were exhausted, cold, and tired. I let you sleep," Mark said.
"We could have traded off," Steve said.
Mark shook his head. "No, it was better you got to rest."
Steve bumped his head against Mark's, "Sometimes you are too stubborn for your own good," Steve said.
"I have been told," Mark said.
"You always put me first," Steve said.
"Well it is because I know what you say in your sleep," Mark said with a laugh.
Steve just rolled his eyes. "I get it. You care, and will look out for me; I told you I will watch out for you too, you know?"
"Well who is keeping me warm right now?" Mark said with a smile. Steve paused for a moment and just smiled. He realized Mark does things without thinking, and so does Steve. Steve didn't even think about how he is keeping Mark warm right now. Mark must do things similarly, without thinking and just does. Mark wouldn't think to switch watch with Steve in the cave; Mark would just stay up so Steve could rest.
"So what is it I say to you in my sleep?" Steve asked.
"Just things you wish for me to do to you," Mark said.
"Can I get a hint?" Steve asked. Then Mark bit Steve on the chest. "Ow!" Steve said.
"There is your hint," Mark said laughing. Steve felt the pain but enjoyed some of it as well. "You aren't subtle with hints."
"Nope," Mark said.
Steve just rubbed his chest where Mark bit him. Steve thought about his history with having sex with men. He didn't lie to Mark; he had only ever been with Bucky. Steve did not have much experience and Bucky never really wanted much from Steve than to lay there or be used. Steve worried about being with Mark and how Mark would react to Steve.
"You know, I am scared to disappoint you," Steve said.
Mark shifted to hold Steve tighter, "Disappoint me how?"
"I told you my experience with men. I think I am taking it slow with you because I don't want to disappoint you. I just don't have experience with others, and I don't know how it really should be," Steve said.
Mark sat up on the bed looking at Steve. Steve sat up too looking at Mark. Mark just looked into Steve's eyes and thought for a long moment. Steve didn't know what to say to Mark right now.
"I don't believe that you can disappoint me that way," Mark said. Then Mark leaned in and kissed Steve. Steve leaned into Mark as they kissed. Steve felt Mark's hand comb through his head then he felt Mark grab Steve's hair and lightly pull on it. Steve let out a small growl at this motion while he kissed Mark. Steve felt like he was melting into the kiss more when Mark did this. Mark pulled from the kiss and just looked at Steve, slowly letting his hand fall when this happened.
"See, you don't disappoint. I think you just need to feel more comfortable and trust yourself more. That's all it is about: knowing the other person, knowing you, enjoying one another, figure one another out, and having fun the whole time. It will happen when you are ready, don't worry about how you will disappoint. I know you won't." Mark said.
Steve then grabbed Mark and pulled him close falling back to the bed. Steve was smiling, and he thought to pay Mark back the earlier gesture and bit Mark's shoulder. "Ow," Mark said. "I didn't figure you as a bitter," Mark said. They were both lying next to each other now.
"Well, I wanted to get you back. From what you said, I want to be the one bitten. I am not sure how it is supposed to feel good when it hurts so much," Steve said. Mark laughed at Steve's comment. "Some people are into the hard biting stuff but no, you are not supposed to bite that hard."
"Well, how hard should you bite? I barely kissed Bucky when we would sleep together," Steve asked.
"I hate Bucky more and more as you speak about him," Mark said.
"Sorry," Steve said. Then Steve watched as Mark turned and pinned his hands down, "And I will show you," Mark said. Mark kissed Steve, and Steve's hands were held down. Steve felt Mark leave his lips and kiss along his jawline. Steve felt Mark traveling to his neck where Mark bit gently but firmly. Steve gasped in a breath when Mark did this. Steve never felt something like this before. Mark continues to switch between kissing and biting. Steve felt a pulse of energy run through him as Mark continued. Mark moved down Steve's neck and continued near his collar bone. Mark went to the opposite side of where he bit Steve earlier and proceeded to bite gently on Steve. Steve felt the pulse of energy again and breathed in when Steve exhaled he said Mark's name. Mark ended it with a kiss where he bit and returned to Steve's lips to kiss him gently. Steve could not describe what he felt other than pleasure.
"That's what you asked me to do to you in your sleep," Mark said with a mischievous smile to Steve.
"I… I don't know what to say," Steve said. Mark just rested on Steve and used Steve's chest as a pillow.
"Well like I said, just trust yourself more. What do you want to say?" Mark said.
"Why did you stop?" Steve asked. Mark laughed at Steve's honesty and looked up at him. "Well, I don't think you noticed the time fly or your stomach growling," Mark said. Steve looked at the clock and the hours flew without him noticing. When Steve looked over at the clock, he heard his stomach growl. Mark heard it as well and laughed. "Come on, let's get some food. I hope Andrea and Tony are up now," Mark said as he stood up and went to the bathroom. Steve watched as Mark went to brush his teeth. Steve did not know what to think really about what just happened. Then Steve wondered what other things he said in his sleep. He figured after that he should listen to his sleeping-self more if things felt that good.
Steve got up to brush his teeth as Mark finished. Steve hugged Mark in the bathroom. Mark smiled at him, "I will see if Tony and Andrea are up." Steve let Mark go to use the phone. Steve heard Mark Talk while he brushed his teeth.
"Well you are up I see, you sound like you had a rough night. So you and Tony went out after dinner? And he carried you home…lovely. So I guess you need food. OH! How long till you are ready? No, I will judge you this morning to the full effect. Meet you in the lobby in thirty? Okay, we will get you pancakes. And eggs. And bacon. See you soon" Mark hung up the phone.
Steve walked out of the bathroom. "Sounds like they had fun last night."
"Too much fun, but it's good they did. We have time to get ready and meet them," Mark said as he looked through his bag. Mark pulled out a button down shirt and jeans. Mark then pulled out his aqua converse to wear.
"How many pairs of those do you have?" Steve asked.
"I needed to buy more, you kept matching my style," Mark said smiling.
"Ha ha," Steve said as he walked over to his bag and pulled out a basic blue shirt and his jeans. Steve paused for a moment and realized he would be changing in front of Mark. Mark always woke up before Steve, and they never saw each other changing before, and at night, it was too dark to see anything. Steve felt his face go red. He saw Mark already had his jeans and socks on, but did not have his shirt on yet. Steve just looked at Mark, build how he thought he would be as he hugged him. Mark was leaner than Steve but was built broad like him. Steve noticed Mark had chest hair, and Steve just stopped at that. Steve could not draw his attention away. Mark buttoned his shirt and looked over at Steve. Mark laughed, Steve realized he must not have been subtle. Steve quickly changed into his jeans, not paying notice if Mark watched him. Steve put on his shirt and turned around seeing Mark right in front of him. "Still embarrassed?" Mark asked.
Steve didn't know how to reply he just looked down to Mark's chest, where he looked before.
"You are always obvious with your facial expressions; it is okay. I mean I slept in the same bed as you for days. I didn't think it would be a big deal changing in front of you. Sorry if it made you feel embarrassed," Mark said.
"It's okay," Steve said looking back up to Mark's eyes. "I mean you did bite me earlier," Steve said with a smile.
Mark made a half smile, "Are you being cheeky right now?" Mark asked.
"Maybe I have a few surprises you don't know about?" Steve said.
"You are cheeky," Mark said stepping forward to kiss Steve. "Good," Mark said as he pulled away. "Let's head downstairs," Mark said, and Steve followed.
Mark and Steve waited only a few minutes for Tony and Andrea. Both did not look happy to be up this morning.
"You both clean up well," Mark said.
"No judgment!" Andrea said. Mark laughed.
"Come one, let's get food in you two, you will feel better," Mark said.
"I will feel better when I get some coffee," Tony said.
Mark walked ahead with Andrea, both began to bicker right away. Steve could not believe how close these two were with how they acted.
"So how was the restaurant?" Tony asked Steve as they walked.
"It was nice, I got to try some new things, Mark told me about how he learned to cook," Steve answered.
"And no special way to end the night?" Tony asked.
"We had an excellent dessert," Steve replied. Tony laughed at Steve. "You are hopeless you know?"
"I am not," Steve responded. Steve remembered what he spoke with Mark about in the hotel room. "It just is complicated."
"Bucky stuff?" Tony asked.
Steve nodded. They both walked in silence for a little longer before Tony said something, "You know he is different. You are different when you are with him."
"Mark?" Steve asked. Tony nodded. Steve thought about what Tony could mean before he asked, "What do you mean?"
"I see more of how you were before Bucky came into the picture when you are with Mark. I miss that friend. It is good to see him back and not needing a giant ice cube to freeze him for it to happen," Tony said.
"You do?" Steve asked. Tony just nodded.
"But you need to get laid soon, Captain America can't have a red face and blue balls," Tony said. Steve rolled his eyes as Tony laughed at his own joke.
They arrived at a breakfast restaurant. They sat down and Tony quickly ordered coffee. Mark got the same, Andrea got cola, and Steve just got orange juice. Steve looked at the menu but thought more about what Tony said. Had Bucky been that bad to him that it hid who he was? And was it Mark who brought it out of him? Steve put down his menu and saw the others already had their menu down.
"Ready?" Mark asked
"I will just get what you will have," Steve said. And the waiter came so they could place their orders.