I awoke to someone shaking me, I looked up and it was Steve that was gently waking me. "Hey," I said quietly as I rubbed my eyes, Steve smiled at me.
"I'm sorry for waking you but I wouldn't think you wanted to sleep in too late," I realised I had a blanket on me from Steve's bed and he must've put it on me this morning. I checked the clock and it was already 9am.
"Thank you, how are you feeling Steve?" I asked him, he gave me a small smile. I stood up and stretched out my stiff muscles. Steve moved back over to his bed, his steps were slow and stiff with pain. He lowered himself slowly to the bed, groaning slightly as he did.
"I'm ok, thanks for the pills," He said looking over and faking a smile at me. We sat there staring at each other before it got uncomfortable and Steve looked away. "He went back to Asgard didn't he?" Despite what Thor did to him Steve still looked sad. I just nodded and Steve sighed resting his face in his hands.
"What happened last night?" I asked him finally. He looked up briefly from his hands, his eyes sad.
"I don't know what I expected, I really thought that he'd change. I told him I had enough I wasn't going to get pushed around anymore and he got so angry," Steve told me, tears gathering his eyes. I put my hand of his shoulder, moving to sit next to him.
"You never fought back, why?"
"I couldn't ever hit him, I tried to defend myself but I could never hit him, it felt so wrong," He admitted quietly. The silence grew as he leaned into me, I've never felt closer to anyone. "I don't think I ever loved him," The shock of his admission kept me from replying for a minute before I put together an answer.
"Did you ever sleep together?" I knew it was personal but I'm sure Steve was struggling to understand himself.
"No," He asked simply, it was blunt.
"Are you even gay Steve?" The amount of time he took to answer sort of told me already what his answer would be.
"I'm not sure," He spoke and I could tell he was done talking about it. We sat there awhile but soon his pills started killing in and he was falling asleep, I laid him back down and covered him with the blankets. I went back to my room, getting change before heading down to the lounge. I felt like I walked into a trap as I found both Stark and Banner getting food and I knew it was going to be a nightmare.
"Hot Doc! How is Mr Independence this morning?" I paused at the question realising Bruce must've already told Tony my lie.
"He is fine, just sleeping a lot," I told them briefly not meeting their eyes, they would see right through me. "When do Nat and Clint get back?" I asked, diverting the conversation from Steve. I smelt burning, I looked over to the toaster, a small puff of smoke was rising from it.
"Shit!" Tony yelled, running over to grabbing the charcoal toast before promptly burning his hands on it. "Fuck!" He yelled as he threw the toast into the sink, steam still flowing from the brunt bread. Bruce was bend over nearly in tears from laughter as he looked at the pouting billionaire. Tony was staring at his hands that were already beginning to red from the burn.
"Come here you idiot," I told Tony, he put his hands in mine. They were minor burned, wasn't going to blister however the skin might peel. I ran it under the sink, turning the water as cold as it goes. "Leave in the water," I told Stark.
"Thanks Doc, I could've died," Banner just rolled his eyes at Tony's words.
"I wish you did," Was all I replied, Banner laughed again.
"I guess I should leave my lab more often. Tony you are an idiot," Banner said smiling at both of us, Tony flicked water back at the biologist.
"The assassin twins will be back tomorrow," Tony finally said, I check my phone. I had a text from Steve asking, very politely might I add, for a sandwich. I made two knowing Steve ate a lot and even if he didn't I would eat it. "Hungry over there Doc?" Tony joked, I rolled my eyes at hime.
"A girl has to eat," I headed back up to Steve's room, knocking on the door before walking in. Steve was facing away from the door but he was only in a towel and when he turned around his face burned red. His body was even better than in pictures and I'd see his stomach and him working out but I'd never seen him take his shirt off. The immense bruises that covered his stomach were beginning to lighten and the cuts scabbing over. His muscles were even more defined than I thought they would be, his hard abs moving down to the V that stopped at the towel. I stopped ogling as he moved into the bathroom grabbing his clothes. He looked beyond embarrassed and I felt a little bad for him.
"Sorry about that," He coughed once he exited the bathroom, I looked him once over and I'd never seen him looking more mundane. He was wearing grey sweatpants and a plain white shirt. I realised even at Stark towers I'd only ever seen him in SHIELD sports gear or his star-spangled suit. His shoulders were still somehow defined even with the plain shirt but he still looked like a normal dude, a very buff normal dude. I handed him the sandwich leaving the other on the table.
"It's all good, I've seen worse," I went to sit back on his couch, laying back on the soft pillows. He sat on the bed cross-legged, honestly I was surprised he was that flexible considering his height.
"What did you tell the others?" He asked as he chowed into the sandwich.
"That you had nightmares, which isn't hard to believe, and that Thor had an 'emergency'" I said, gesturing the speak marks in the air. Steve just nodded at the new information. "Did he say he was coming back?" I asked him, his eyes flicked up but refuse to meet my eye.
"He'll be back," It was a threat and I could see the tension in Steve's body. I sighed, rubbing my face. What the hell we were going to do? "It'll be fine Lizzy,"
"Will it Steve?" I asked him, anger flooding my voice. "I can't stand by and watch him beat the shit out of you." Steve looked at me his eyes sad. "Not again," I added quietly.
"I can't tell anyone, and you can't tell anyone," He told me again his voice sounds broken and scared.
"I won't Steve but you'll have to, eventually," He looked at me and I looked at him but nothing was said for a few minutes. His blond hair was flat after his shower, not spiked up at the front like it usually did. I studied his face, the bruises on his face weren't as deep due to the lack of fat. His facial features were both perfect and kind at the same time. "Tomorrow Clint and Nat are getting back from their mission," I said breaking the silence, he just nodded in response then we lulled back into quietness. I could tell he was thinking, his eyebrows furrowed in thought.
"I was so dumb," He said finally, looking up at me I saw how pained his expression was. "I was so afraid of him. He led me to believe that he loved me, he never loved me," I didn't know what to say to comfort him while his eyes watered.
"It wasn't your fault Steve. You were afraid," I reminded him.
"I let him push me around, I let him beat me. I'm a superhero and I can't even take care of myself," I know he needed to let out his pain but it was so hard to see anyone this distraught. "Oh god, why did I let him do that?" He looked to me for the answer but he knew I didn't have one.
The next day Steve joined me down in the lounge room in the morning, we hadn't seen Tony or Bruce yet. We sat on the couch, him leaning with his back on one arm rest while I was on the other, our legs bent at the knee to make space for each other. I was reading while he was engrossed with his drawing book. He was so immersed with each line his pencil made, occasionally switching to a darker pencil then switching back. Adding line by line to his sketch, I didn't have to see it to know it was good. I didn't ask him what he was drawing and he didn't ask me what I was reading, it was comfortable and uncomplicated. I was so concentrated I didn't hear the elevator open or the two assassins enter. They waited a few seconds eyes shifting to each other at the sight of Steve and I before speaking.
"Has my favourite doctor made herself at home?" Clint called to me, both Clint and I looked up and I just smiled, getting up to greet my friends.
"Oh you came back in one piece Barton? How unfortunate," I said as I gave him a hug as he chuckled at my comment. I moved over to give my red head friend a hug as well. "How was the mission Nat?"
"Boring and useless, I was basically just there to keep that loser company," She said rolling her eyes at Clint who gave Steve a handshake from his spot on the couch. They hadn't seen each other in awhile. Nat leaned forward to me before whispering. "I thought you two didn't get along?" She asked me her eyes filled with confusion.
"We didn't, we worked pass our difference plus he has been training me while you were gone," I told her, she just nodded looking over at the two men laughing with each other. Steve looked happy and I couldn't have been more glad but that was quickly crushed by Clint's next comment.
"Where did the boyfriend go?" Clint asked Steve, his face fell quickly as he struggled to come up with something to say.
"He had an emergency and had to run back to Asgard but he sends his regards to you two," Steve gave me look of thanks as I covered for him.
"We can start training today if you want Liz," Romanov called back to me as she grabbed a granola from the pantry reading the label carefully before opening it.
"Didn't you just get back from a mission?" I asked her amazed that she didn't just want to sleep.
"Yeah but it was boring and I didn't do anything so I would love to get some sparing done," Nat told me, I groaned as she just laughed at me. "Get your ass change and meet me in the gym," She commanded me and I just nodded heading up to my room. I gave Steve a small smile as I left and he returned it. I slip on some clothes and in 5 minutes was in the gym were I found the redhead stretching. "So what has Rogers taught you in my absence?" She didn't even have to look up to know I was there.
"Just simple boxing moves with a punching bag," I told her, she just nodded at me. She let me stretch before bringing me to the mats. We didn't wrap our hands, which honestly made me more worried.
"Let's learn a takedown for fun," Nat said smiling at me, I rolled my eyes at her enthusiasm for fighting. She gestured for me to get into the boxing position. "Now lift your leg like you are going to use the back of your foot to kick me here," She gestured to the side of her stomach. I did as she said. She took both hands and quickly grabbed just under my knee and thigh, in no time I was lying flat on my back with the air knocked out of me. I struggled to get my breath back and she offered her hand to help me up. "Sorry about that," She said but I knew she wasn't sincere at all. I took her hand and she hoisted me up to my feet. She slowed me slower how to do it and got me to try on her and soon I could do it relatively quickly and she congratulated. "Not bad Mater, not bad at all," The redhead told me smiling.
"Yeah, yeah," I waved off her compliment at my average fighting skills. We continued on learning a few other takedowns as well as kicking technics before finishing off.
The next days went quickly, I was learning fighting techniques from Nat and Clint gave me a few shooting lessons before he had to leave on another mission. Steve was feeling well enough to workout again. I helped Bruce with a few of his medical experiments and overall it wasn't few days at Stark Towers. That ended quickly.
Nat was working out, Bruce in his lab and Tony was still obsessed with this new suit for himself. Steve and I were back in the lounge, him drawing and I was doing research for Bruce on how to increase shock absorption in Steve's suit to stop him from breaking bones when falling. Jarvis' crisp voice broke the peacefulness.
"I'm sorry to bother you Dr. Mater and Mr Rogers but you asked me to alert you when Mr Odinson returned to the building, he is in the elevator making his way to you two," His voice was calm, well it was always calm, but immediately Steve jumped up from the couch his posture tense. I looked around to the elevator as the numbers rose to our floor. Steve looked at me, his blue eyes large and scared.
"It's ok Steve, take a deep breath," And yet I knew it wasn't ok and this could go so many ways. Both our hearts dropped as the elevator opened revealing the god. He was even bigger than I remember and I moved from next to Steve to slightly in front seeing is muscle tension and nervousness.
"You have obtained a great quantity of nerve to be getting all cozy with my boyfriend," Thor hissed at me as he stepped into the lounge, leaving only meters between us and the norse god.
"He's not your boyfriend," I growled back, knowing Steve was far too scared to respond.
"Come on Steve, you are aware that I care deeply about you, I made a mistake. I allowed my wrath to dictate myself," The god put on a voice and I realised he was trying to charm his way back with Steve.
"Steve, don't" I said as I turned to see Steve's expression of confusion.
"Keep your verbalisation to yourself, whore, Steve can choose for himself," The god hissed at me and even I flinched at his anger but this time it wasn't me who responded to his crude words.
"Don't call her that," Steve spoke from behind me and I looked at him I same his hands clenched at his side and his face filled with determination. "We aren't getting back together Thor, I realised now that you are never going to change. You will always be filled with hate and anger that you took out on me and that's going to stop," Thor's face was twisted with anger that only increased with each word Steve spoke. Thor moved forward clenching his hammer but I still blocked the way between the two men.
"This is all your doing," Thor yelled pointing at me and he raised the hammer, I closed my eyes as I saw him swing the mjolnir and it was coming towards me with incredible speed. It never hit me and when I opened my eyes Steve was in front of me and stopped the swing with the palm of his hand. I'm sure it greatly hurt but the super solider didn't flinch as he stared down the god. Then Thor tried to swing his free fist towards Steve's face but he blocked it again with his forearm. I didn't realise in the mayhem that the rest of them avengers were called by Jarvis and were watching when Thor tried to hit both me and Steve.
"I think you have overstayed your welcome Thor," Tony called from the doorway of the elevator, the god swung around and came to the same conclusion that we did. He didn't speak before he swung the mjolnir and left through the window of Stark Towers. I rushed over to Steve, grabbing his wrist to check over his hand. It was red where he caught the swing from Thor's hammer. I looked up at his dazed expression before he broke out of his and looked down at me.
"Thank you Steve," I said as I gave him a hug, I was beyond proud of him. He wrapped his large arms around and embraced me.
"No thank you Lizzy," The rest of the avengers looked on at us embracing, confused and wanting an explanation as to what they saw. Steve saw the looks of his comrades and looked to me for help, I grabbed his hand squeezing it, It didn't mean anything past just comfort and support. "I broke it off with Thor because," He paused and I looked at him and nodded, knowing how are hard this was for him. "He controlled me and beat me,"
I entered the gym and I smiled at finding Steve practicing his moves with the punching bag. "What did the bag ever do to you?" I spoke as I began wrapping my hands. He stopped and grabbed the bag to stop it swinging. He smiled when he saw me, his entire face lighting up. He'd been so much happier since the incident with Thor, not having to worry about the god. He still had nightmares, at least that's what he told me, and during lightening storms I'd find him staring out the window in deep thought. I'd sometimes see him sketching and he would stop and tense up like he thought Thor was suddenly behind him.
"Would you like to spar?" Steve said, gesturing to the matts. I smiled back at him and nodded. We both got into positions, he made a few jabs which I easily blocked with my forearms but I knew he would take it easy unless I actually tried to fight so I did. So I went at him, pulling all my punches so it ended as only a light tap on his firm chest. But I was fast and he wasn't expecting it. He blocked my punches and I went to kick him and he grabbed it, using the first takedown that Nat ever taught me. As I fell backwards his broad wrapped around my shoulders keeping me suspended and stopping me from hitting the ground. He paused smiling down at me.
"Will you put me down Steve," I growled at him, he laughed pulling me up so I was back on my feet.
"You've gotten better," He said to me, smiling as he began to unwrap his hands. I moved over to the tredmill, planning on just a cardio day.
"You aren't too bad yourself," I joked back, he shook his head smiling. "How are you doing?" I asked him seriously, he noticed to serious tone of my voice and his smile dropped.
"I think I'm ok," He said finally. He grabbed his bag and left the gym leaving me to my workout. After I'd finish, showered and changed I headed up to Steve's room. Knocking on the door he came to answer, leaning his large body against the door. His dark jeans and "Would you like something Dr. Mater?" He asked cheekily, his blue eyes sparkling.
"Yes I would Mr Rogers, would you like to head down to the best pizza in New York with me?" I asked him. He gestured me into his room.
"I need to find my jacket, give me a second," He said, as he went rummaging through his wardrobe. I walked around to the couch before seeing that his sketchbook was wide open, I wouldn't normally pry but it was wide open and I could see the sketch of myself. More accurately it was Steve and I, the night we stood overlooking New York with our tea cups. It was a side view, so mostly you could see me but he drew in himself practically hidden behind me. My face was serious and yet kind at the same time, I'm sure that was exactly how I looked that day, concerned and yet caring. The lights of the city of new york was drawn so accurately and in detail I was sure if I took it upstairs it would be the correct buildings with nothing let out. "Do you like it?" He asked me, and I looked up to see him staring at me. I ran my hands along the pencil lines, the incredible detail that went into the drawing.
"I love it, it's amazing," I went to flip the pages back, I looked up and he didn't protest at me prying into his drawings. There we so many drawings, when I flicked all the way to the beginning there were portraits of Thor, standing proud in his gear or lounging around. There were a few of Thor and Steve, smiling and laughing but quickly you could see the turn around in the relationship. There were then portraits of Thor angry or him in battle instead of calm and collected.
Then there was me, captured in my SHIELD Medic uniform tending to patients. I wasn't sure if that was a specific time or it was made up but either way it was perfect, even to the point of crinkles on my nose in concentration. Then it jumped to various avengers around the tower, Nat sparing with Clint, Clint practice shooting, Bruce looking down his scope, Tony tinkering with his suits. Each, in their own way, perfect drawing capturing the avengers how I knew them.
"Steve they are all amazing," Then I stopped, there was a double page drawing. It captured the scene in the lounge room all those months ago. It had me standing in front of Steve, with my hand out and face determined. Thor raising the mjolnir, towering over me even in the drawing. Steve moved over sitting in the couch next to me to see what I was looking at. Everything was captured perfectly, Thor's anger and my firmness. "This is amazing,"
"That one pales in comparison to how much I like the next one,"He turned the page for me. It was us, in our usual spot on opposite sides of the couch. Him drawing and I reading. My hair was cascading down well my features were engrossed by the novel, he was the same was but with his pencil on the paper. The peacefulness and comfort was captured perfectly.
"This one is my favourite too," I said to him, he smiled and took the book gently from me, putting on the couch and standing up. He offered his hand to me and helped me off the couch.
"Ready for lunch?" He asked me and I nodded. We began walking towards the elevator and as it open on our floor Steve spoke again. "You know this pizza place was here when I was a kid, Bucky and I used to go all the time," He said smiling.