Captain's Vigilante • Steve Rogers

Chapter 30

It might have been only minutes, perhaps an hour or even more. Steve brought her to his room, making sure to lock the door and order Jarvis to not let anyone in absolutely any circumstance unless he says so.

Steve was still clutching [Y/N] to his chest while she just held a hand around her neck, calming herself that nothing was around it anymore.

"I'm here, I'm here," Steve kept whispering to her ear, it being the only thing he can do for her at the moment. "I'm not going anywhere."

"You're safe now." He smoothed her hair with his hand as she straddled him, her forehead resting on his shoulder. She was finally calm, her sobs were reduced to labored breaths. 

"That's it, breathe," he cooed, easing her with his words. Steve knew she still held her damaged throat, her hand most likely painted with drops of blood. But it wasn't what mattered, all that's important now is that nothing is wrapped around her neck. "It's not there anymore," he added.

"Steve," she croaked out after what felt like hours.

"Yes, sweetheart?" Steve warily asked as she pulled away from him. She glanced at him with recovering bloodshot eyes. Steve had his hand on her hip for support just in case her body give out.

[Y/N] stared at him, looking him in the eye with a little quirk on the edge of her lips. "Thank you for coming back," she muttered.

Steve felt his chest tightened at her words. He reached forward and wrapped his arms around her waist and she melted into his touch. He doesn't deserve her.

"I should've never left you," he whispered, arms unconsciously tightening around her waist. "Letting you go was the hardest thing I ever had to do."

"So why did you?" [Y/N] asked, it being the million dollar question. Steve glanced up, disappointed in himself to the sight of her, eyes red and scarlet streaks decorating her neck, and it destroyed him to know that it was all because of him.

"It was the only way," he breathed out, "the only thing I could do."

"Looking back now-" he shook his head, laughing lightly at how stupid he was- "its not as good as a plan as I thought it would be."

[Y/N] tilted her head to the side, half observing him to know what he meant. "What do you mean?"

"I thought I could protect you if I could get you to leave," he confessed, smiling before he glanced up at her. Now that he said it out loud, he can't believe he ever though it would work.

[Y/N] stared at him for the longest time. She had her expression neutral, almost seemed like she was buffering on her own. Steve waited patiently for her, opening her mouth but then closing it, trying hard to find the right words. Steve listened intently until she opened her mouth.

"Are you fucking thick, Steven?"

"That's one of the most cliche strategy in the whole world, like what the hell," she complained, slapping his chest.

[Y/N] ran a hand down her face. She just couldn't believe that that was the reason for all of this. Steve cannot have done anything more idiotic than this to date. She actually got tortured for that nonsense.

"The only way to surely keep something safe is to keep it close," she scolded, flicking his forehead, emitting a low groan from him. "You should know that."