Steve Rogers didn't hate things.
Even Hydra, who'd been the primary reason behind every problem he'd faced in life, had only earned a strong dislike.
But at the end of the day, there was one indomitable truth that could not be denied.
Steve absolutely HATED snow.
The cold, the wetness, the endless void of color...it all made him want to gag at the thought. Not to mention the flashbacks it gave him from being frozen for over 70 years.
So wouldn't you know it, the Avengers current mission had them sent to the middle of Alaska....in the damn snow.
*************
The Doom Bots they were fighting seemed more numerous than usual. Every time Steve whacked one with his shield, ten more came out to replace it.
The blizzard the battle was happening in seemed to be picking up the pace as well. He could just barely make out the bright red dot of Tony flying overhead along with the Hulk's green one below. It was getting so blurry out that he just barely dodged out of the way as a metallic hand shot a blast right by his shoulder.
"Fuck!"
"Language, Cap!"
"Haha, very funny Tony," Steve spat sarcastically," does anyone see an end to these things yet? I'd like to get out of this shit as soon as possible!"
He could hear Clint laughing at him over the comms.
"Woooweee, Cap sure left the Golden boy image behind today."
"Stuff it birdbrain, I got a visual on the main control station. Cap, can you meet me on the south side of the mountain?"
"On my way."
He raced to the location Tony had pointed out, and came upon Doctor Doom himself manipulating some kind of large electrical object.
"Whatever you're plotting is over Doom, stand down!"
"I think not Captain, not until I have what I came for."
He pressed a button, and Steve cursed, not for the first time, his inability to understand technology. The device powered up, and a large beam shot out of the top and headed up into the sky.
Straight at Tony.
"Ironman! Evasive maneuvers, stat!
Without waiting to see if his warning had been heeded, he ran towards the machine, threw his shield, and tackled Doom into it. The resulting explosion sent both men flying several feet.... with Doom landing right into the waiting arms of Thor.
Meanwhile, Steve fell into a six-foot snowbank.
He could already feel the cold seeping into body. He tried to flail his arms but the snow was so thick he couldn't move. Panic began to set in as Steve started to hyperventilate at the possibility of being frozen again.
"Coldcoldcold.....why is it so cold? Oh God I can't move....am I back in the ice? I'm back in the ice....nonono I don't wanna go back in there, I'll lose everything again....all my friends....Tony.....TONY!"
As the walls began closing in, Steve could just barely make out a pair of warm, brown eyes above him before succumbing to the darkness.
**************
When Steve woke up next he was warm, blissfully so. He slowly opened his eyes, thankful that he was no longer surrounded by neverending walls of white. As his vision adjusted to the dim lighting, he noticed three things.
He was in a very lush bedroom.
His uniform had been replaced with thick flannel pajamas.
Tony was holding him.
Steve's face turned bright red, and he attempted to extricate himself from the genius, just to find himself squeezed even tighter.
"Arrgh....don't you dare move,Cap, these abs are the best pillows I've ever had."
"Uhm....yeah sure, I'll stay here....any clue where here is?"
"Oh that's easy,we're at one of my cabins I keep for skiing trips. It was the closest place to take you after you passed out."
Steve groaned in embarrassment. The team was never going to let him live this down.
"I'm sorry Tony, I didn't mean for it to happen, but...."
"Snow and/or cold weather gives you flashbacks from hell?"
"Something like that," He muttered as he stared down at his hands," it sounds dumb doesn't it? Captain America having nightmares."
"I don't think so."
"No?"
"No," Tony said before lacing his fingers through Steve's," just because your a beefy supersoldier doesn't change the fact that your human, and have as much, if not more, trauma to process and try to overcome. Honestly, the fact that you were willing to put your fears aside for the team is pretty damn incredible, and one of the things I love about you."
"Just the one thing?"
"Well there are some other, slightly more x-rated reasons, but that's besides the point."
Steve laughed and cupped the side of Tony's face before leaning in to gently press their lips together.
"Thank you,Tony."
"Anytime, Stevie, anytime."
They laid back down and held onto each other as the snow drifted across the window. Steve still hated the stuff with a passion....but with the man he loved by his side, he just might be able to tolerate it.
