I Thought You Were Different

Fault

She was standing next to him. She was touching him. But she was looking at you.

"(Y/N), I think you should come with me," Bruce said quietly, grabbing your arm and pulling against your resistance as you fought to maintain your position. "(Y/N)..."

You pulled your arm from his grip with a quick motion, swinging it through and across your body with your fist tightly clenched. "What is she doing here?" Even in your own head, your voice didn't sound like yours, full of venom and a coldness that brought Steve to attention. He had never heard this before, and though he may never admit it openly, it terrified him.

"I know you're angry..." Wanda began, but you didn't really want an answer from her.

"Angry doesn't begin to cover it," Bruce interjected. "We're way past that. I could choke the life out of you and never change a shade. Well, whatever life she leaves for me, that is."

"Banner, you're only making this worse. This doesn't involve you," Steve snapped, "so please, and I say this as politely as I can, stay the fuck out of it."

Tony's head shot up from behind his workstation, his mouth agape at the Captain's words. It had only been a matter of days since the 'language' transgression, and for this to happen was completely out of character. Always one to push boundaries, Tony took the bait.

"Language."

An audible groan came from Bruce, a repressed snort from Clint as he came up the stairs, and a low growl from Steve through his clenched teeth. "Do you think this is funny?"

"I think it is, yes." From the safer spot behind a tall computer, Tony tested the limits of Steve's temper. "We're in the middle of what could be global destruction, and you're having a childish fit because the witch messed with your head and (Y/N) has the nerve to want to help you. Man, how dare she?"

"Tony," you interrupted, raising your hand to stop him, "this has nothing to do with you. Just let it go."

"Well we wouldn't be in this position at all if you hadn't played with something that you don't understand." Steve took a few steps towards Tony, looking around the room at what he and Bruce had been doing with the cradle. When you saw him move, you hurried towards him reflexively, not sure what you would even do to stop him if you had to. "Shut it down."

"Nope."

"Steve," you barked out, jumping in front of him when he began to charge towards Tony again. "Stand down." You pressed your hands against his chest, pushing back against him but struggling to plant your feet firmly enough to hold any ground. "Rogers, if you touch him, I will shoot you."

You couldn't help but sigh with relief when that got his attention, but your relief was short-lived. When Steve looked down at you his eyes were full of fire and anger; there was none of the gentle Steve in the eyes that you looked into the first thing every morning and the last thing every night. This Steve was ready to see you try it.

"What did you just say?"

Your mouth opened to reply, but nothing happened. You had just threatened your Captain, beyond even considering your relationship. His eyes were boring into you, waiting for your answer, and just when you were about to relent and step away, the words came tumbling out. "I said, I will shoot you. If you touch Tony, or anyone else in this room other than 'resting witch face' over there..." you sneered towards Wanda, "...in a way that I deem as a threat, you'll hit the floor before you even see my hand move. Understood?"

"Yes, ma'am."

Everyone in the room was silent, looking at each other in confusion to confirm that they had all heard the same thing. Everyone except you and Steve. Your eyes were locked on each other in a challenge, waiting for someone to break. So many words were said between you without a sound; the emotions flooding over you were almost too much and all you wanted was to tell him that it would be okay. That you would do anything just to make this be done; to go back to the way things used to be.

"But you understand something, (Y/N)," he said very quietly, only making his anger feel more powerful and more in control. "What's going on here," he pointed between the two of you, "ends right now."

~~~

The door to your quarters flew open so forcefully that you thought for sure it would break, but Tony's building held. Steve entered first, throwing the shield on the ground without a care to where it landed, ripping his gloves off and throwing them to a table across the room. He stood at the foot of your shared bed, resting his hands on his hips and waiting for someone to begin. The silence hung over the room like lead, pressing down on you until you couldn't take it anymore and finally gave in.

"Nothing about us feels right anymore. Even before all of this and that damn girl."

"And that's my fault?" he scoffed

"I didn't say that, did I?"

"Well it kinda sounds like that's what you meant." Steve let out a long and defeated sigh, heavily dropping back to sit on the edge of the bed, resting forward on his legs and watching you to make a move. "So what do we do now, (Y/N)?"

You looked at his face to try to read what he was maybe thinking, but he wasn't giving you any clues. Did he really want you to make this decision? Was he really handing the power over to you so easily? Why didn't he have any fight in him?

"I think we need to take some time," you said quietly with a small nod for your decision. "I think we need to focus on this job, and take some time apart."

Steve sat up straight with a surprised reaction that quickly shifted to resolve. It pissed you off that he wasn't putting up an argument for you or your relationship, and that he seemed to be rolling over so easily. "How long?" he asked, watching you for an answer. When none came, you just looked at each other, holding your gaze for only a moment, but realizing that you both already knew the answer.

Slowly, he stood and walked towards you, pausing for a moment at your side before shifting and moving past. He stopped at the door, resting his hand against the frame and only glancing back at you over his shoulder before exiting to leave you there alone.

"I'm getting really tired of losing people, (Y/N). I never thought that you would be one of them."