Longing (Steve Rogers x reader)

Sleepover

"I was so worried" you started as soon as he closed the door behind him. He saw Roxy was in your bedroom on the bed with Tom, and he took in your appearance. Your face looked full of concern while you looked him over. "Let me see it" you finally demanded, gesturing to his chest.
"It's just a few bruised ribs" he obediently started taking off his shirt to let you see the wrapping he had done haphazardly as soon as he had gotten out of the shower.
"You didn't do it tight enough" you glared at him, and he felt like a lost puppy. He was usually the man in charge, but your hands went to his wrapping and nimbly started taking it off of him. He groaned as he felt the elastic band being released. You gave a slight intake of breath as you saw the two bruises forming on his chest. "Sit" you gestured to the well stuffed black leather chair. He obediently went and sat down on the edge of his seat. "What happened?" you demanded as you started rewrapping his ribs.
"I was distracted, and took two in the chest. The Kevlar vest needs to be replaced, but otherwise I swear I'm fine" he started to defend himself. He had never seen you this worried or upset before, with the exception of the day you had lost your temper. He didn't mean to upset you.
"All week, not a word from you and you come back like this" you grumbled under your breath, your hands breezing across his hairy chest. You were lost in your task, and he just watched you silently.
"I wanted to reach out, but it was too much of a risk" Steve said as soon as you were done rewrapping his chest. "It doesn't even hurt that bad" he lied.
"My ass it doesn't hurt" you grumbled. "I should have been on that mission with you" you stood back and looked at your work. You had half a mind not to hand him back his shirt, but you knew he would likely be more comfortable with it on. You never imagined the first time you would finally get to touch his chest would be because he was wounded. It was as firm as you had imagined it to be, and just as well groomed as you remembered. You chastised yourself for having those kinds of thoughts right now. He looked at you worriedly, and you felt something in you break. A few tears were dangerously at your waterline before a single tear fell down your cheek.
"You needed to be here with Roxy and Tom. It was their first week in their new home" Steve spoke softly, realizing you had looked at the mission dockets and had seen it was revised.
"It would have been quicker if I was there" you sniffed. "You wouldn't have gotten hurt," you added.
"Hey, come here" he spread his legs and took your hand and pulled you towards him. You timidly sat on his lap, and leaned against his uninjured side. He forced himself not to wince as you leaned your head on his shoulder. The pain was shooting through his whole body, but he would be damned if he would let you see that. "I'm okay" he rubbed his hand up and down your back in a soothing motion. You sniffled again, and it broke his heart. He didn't mean to upset you.
"You're always so focused on missions" you pointed out.
"My heart just wasn't into this one. I was talking to Nat, and I didn't hear them coming. It's my own fault" Steve whispered. "I'm really okay," he promised.
"I don't like lies. I can tell you aren't okay" you sniffed and started to pull away from him, but he pulled you in even tighter to his body.
"Don't move, I need you close" he whispered to you. You felt a shiver go down your back, and Steve took a moment to really take in your appearance. You were just wearing a white tank top and a pair of red satin pajama pants. Your hair was up in a messy bun, and a few tendrils were falling forward onto your face. You were barefooted, just like he was. He reached up and brushed some of your hair out of your face for a moment, he thought about it, and then pulled at your bun until your hair fell down your back. He ran his fingers through your hair and hummed to himself as he pulled slightly. It broke his heart that there were still tears falling down your face. It was slow, but it was happening. You closed your eyes as he put his hand through your hair. You seemed to be enjoying what he was doing. He smiled softly to himself, and leaned in forward kissing your tear streaked face.
"I don't know if I can do this. I was so scared for you" you shook your head.
"No, we can do this" Steve felt anxiety clutching his heart as he looked at you worriedly. "Please, don't stop this before it's barely even started"
"I don't know if I have the heart to stop this" you sighed heavily and gazed into his baby blue eyes.
"Good, because we can do this. I believe in us" Steve kissed your cheeks again. "I swear it's just bruising"
"I don't like seeing you hurt" you whimpered and nuzzled your head into the side of his neck. He could never tell you how much he loved that small bit of affection. He continued to pepper kisses on your dampened cheeks.
"Baby doll, it's the nature of the job. I don't like seeing you hurt either" he finally found the words he was searching for. He didn't want you to give up the relationship, and was glad that you admitted that you didn't have the heart to stop it. He stopped carding his fingers through your hair, and just pulled you close again.
"Can you stay the night?" you whispered to him.
"Of course I'll stay the night" he felt like his heart was pounding in his chest. It was like he had struck gold all of the sudden. You slipped off of his lap and took his hand, and he could practically hear your heart beating as well. You led him into your bedroom, turning off the lights as you went, and pulled back the covers. He waited for you to slip in first then got in beside you, wondering if this was too good to be true. At first you laid more in the center of the bed, and away from him with Roxy and Tom snuggling into your side. Steve couldn't handle the distance, and reached out his arm to you. You slowly took his hand and he pulled gently on your hand, pulling you closer.
"No, I'm going to hurt you" you started to pull away when you saw he wanted you to lay on his chest.
"You're hurting me by not..." Steve whispered. "Stay closer to me"
You nodded, and he saw the hesitation in your face, but you snuggled up to him, feeling the elastic banding that was covering his ribs was all that was separating you from his bare chest. He wrapped his arm around you and he pulled you as close as he could. You rested your head on his pectoral muscles, and he suppressed a groan. You started to pull your head away, but Steve quickly put his hand up behind your head and pulled you in more. Steve closed his eyes, feeling like he was in Heaven, the smell of cherry blossoms filling the air around him. For the first time in days, he started to fall into a restful sleep regardless of the pain he was currently in.