Imagine If You Assembled the Avengers: Volume 1

Great Intentions (Steve Rogers x reader)

"Hey, (Y/N), you wanna throw me the-"

Steve stopped and leaned back just in time to miss the flash of red, white and blue as it passed in front of his face, raising his arm up just in time to connect with it.

"-shield." He turned and looked at you with exasperation and sighed loudly, jogging to catch up with you. "You're lucky that I have lightning fast reflexes, you know. That was the closest throw yet."

"Maybe you're lucky that I'm too slow to connect," you replied with a smirk, "it's all a matter of perspective, Cap."

"Either way, you and I have some work to do. But first, take a couple laps around the track."

"Hold on," you stopped, turning to hold up a hand at him in protest, "I just took three laps. Where were you? How many have you taken, Rogers?"

"None. But I really don't need to run, you know. I can do ten laps for every five that you do, even with your enhanced speed." He sat down on one of the benches next to the indoor track, waiting for you to take one of the lanes. "Well, go on. Unless you want to make it more?"

Rather than argue, you gave him a complacent smile, bowing to his orders. "Yes, Captain. Right away." You tightened the laces of your shoes, bending in front of him suggestively, but not with any real intent other than to see him flustered. "I just need to do a few warm up stretches first, if that's okay?"

Sitting on the floor in front of him, you leaned forward and pulled your torso down slowly to rest on your leg, knowing that your shirt was loose enough for him to almost see what was beneath it. It really wasn't fair, the game you were playing, and you didn't think anything would come of it, but he had been frustrating you for weeks with his training regimen and his persistence to work you harder than anyone else.

After stretching forward long enough to be sure he tried to sneak a peek, you laid down on your back, extending your legs to pull one up and over your head, then the other. "Okay," you sighed, "I feel pretty flexible. I think I'm ready. You care to join me?"

"Yeah, Steve, care to join her?" Tony laughed as he entered the gym, throwing a towel and an ice pack to the Captain. "You might need that," he whispered, moving to sit next to him, "it feels a bit hot in here."

"Shut it, Stark," Steve whispered harshly, standing to take his place next to you on the track. "Alright, you're on. I should do no less than what I expect of you, right?"

Tony stayed in place along the sidelines, smiling to himself as you actually kept a descent pace with Steve, much to his surprise. You knew he was watching, only giving you more determination to hold your own and to push yourself to try to beat your overly confident leader. When the last lap came you pushed as hard as you could in the final stretch, pulling out front to cross the finish line two steps ahead.

"Don't need to run, huh?" you laughed, grabbing a bottle of water as you left, turning back to Steve with a wink as you left the two men alone to watch you walk away.

"So," Tony began, resting a hand on Steve's shoulder, "still insist that you two aren't more than friends? No late night hook-ups? One-on-one workouts?"

"Stop it."

"Rogers, come on. Did you see what just happened? If you don't make a move, I sure as hell will."

Steve's spine straightened and his expression turned serious. He could feel the heat rising as his cheeks began to flush. "You'll do no such thing," he said with a low tone, "understood? Not one move, Stark."

~~~

Steve's arm raised into the air, the shield connecting effortlessly and perfectly on target. He swung and knocked out two enemy agents, blocked another, then tossed it back to you. "See? Practice pays off!"

"Is now really the time for the Captain America lecture on hard work and perseverance?" You held the shield in front of you to block enemy fire, peeking around it to shoot back. "I'm not interested!"

"I'm just pointing out that you didn't connect with my face this time!"

"That was one time, Steve! One time!" Spinning around, you threw the shield back and moved to a position behind the corner of a nearby building. "You really need to let that-"

"Ow, dammit!" you yelled, falling to your knees and feeling the piercing pain of a gunshot wound to your leg. "That's just perfect!" Turning towards the direction that the bullet appeared from, you met the eyes of your assailant just as you shot him, trying to feel some satisfaction through the pain.

Steve was at your side almost immediately, joined quickly by Tony and Thor. Steve began tearing away a section of your pants so that he could assess your injury, cursing under his breath at the amount of blood that soaked the material. "You didn't check your position before returning the shield to me, (Y/N). We've talked about this a thousand times."

"Didn't I just say that I wasn't interested in lectures, Steve?" You sucked in a harsh breath and grimaced as he held pressure to stop the bleeding. With his other hand he pulled a small kit of supplies from his belt to remove the bullet from your leg. "I think I can wait to get back for that," you said with hesitation, "you know, where they can numb me up first?"

"Too bad. Maybe you shouldn't have gotten yourself shot, and then you wouldn't have to worry about it." He angrily ripped open the supplies and looked up at you sternly as he spoke to his teammate, "Tony, hold her still."

~~~

Steve stood by the door of the infirmary, watching Bruce bandage your leg, not noticing that you had been staring at him for several minutes. He was a difficult man to read and definitely not the most open with how he was feeling. You knew he was mad that you hadn't followed his protocol, but there was more going on than just that.

"Hey," you quietly called to him, "what's going on?"

"I'm mad," he said flatly, still not meeting your gaze. "I thought I got that point across pretty clearly."

"You're mad at me because I got shot? It wasn't like I jumped out into open fire and asked for someone to hit me, Rogers. I didn't watch my back, I admit that."

"It's not just that. You have me beyond flustered, (Y/N), you know that? You challenge me constantly, you call me out on my behavior, and that thing in the gym the other day? What was that about? Are you trying to ruin me?"

"Hold on," you paused, looking at him slightly confused, "what thing in the gym..." Your eyes widened as the memory replayed in your head, realizing that maybe he was more affected than you thought. "Oh, that. Sorry."

"Okay, you're done," Bruce said quietly, looking between the two of you as he gathered his supplies to leave. "Just go slow, try to stay off that leg for the rest of the day." He sheepishly left the room, looking back for just a moment to smile to himself at the sight of Steve gently helping you sit up.

"We're best friends, (Y/N)."

"Yes we are."

"Is that enough?" His voice was quiet, almost a whisper, and he wasn't looking at you. His gaze was settled on your hands, which were still encompassed by his after helping you up. "I'm not so sure anymore."

"Everyone already thinks that there's more going on, you know. Maybe there is and we don't realize it."

Steve pushed forward so that he was standing against your legs as you faced him; you moved your legs slightly so that he could move even closer. "It's been a while...since...I've kissed anyone," he stammered. "I'm sorry if it's not what you're expecting."

"You sure know what a girl likes to hear," you chuckled, reaching up behind his neck to pull him to you, slowly meeting his lips, quickly building to a kiss full of a passion that had been restrained for far too long. He wrapped his arms around you tightly and pulled you closer, lifting you from the gurney. You moaned quietly at his touch, reassuring him that you were enjoying the moment.

When you finally parted, you had to catch your breath to speak. "You're right, that was nothing like I had expected," you said with a smile, pulling him in for more.