Lessons in Rule Breaking and Other Reader-Inserts*Steve Rogers*Reader*

The Line between Respectful and Stupid - Pt.3/5

"Oh. Great. Thanks. Did they... do you have any information about the rest of the team?"

This time, Steve's smile was more genuine, his shoulders slightly losing their tension.

"They caught four different signals. Hopefully some of the agents are in pairs as well."

"Yeah..." you mused, thanking heavens you were stuck in pair with Steve of all people. "So what do we do in the meantime? I mean, besides hoping and changing the sheets, and scraping the couch clean, obviously."

"Not much, I guess," he replied and you couldn't help but smile when he dropped his professional persona completely, opening up again. He gave you a pointed look. "And there are people to change the sheets too, you know? You can write a report if you want. You can have the laptop, I'm finished anyway—if- if you want to."

He blurted the last part in a hurry as he must have seen the horrified expression on your face. Mission reports. You hated writing mission reports – well, missions you weren't to, only trying out as a part of the training so far. Guess it was time to grow up and do it for real.

An unpleasant knot tightened your stomach at the idea of someone reading it after you – like someone potentially important, real – but you couldn't help but feel excited about your first report as well. Though it would be very short, given how the mission went, i.e. very quickly to shit.

One glance at Steve told you he felt the same about it. He also seemed to be worn to a bone.

"Sounds like a good way of passing time – for me. About you... I hope I'm not overstepping... but you look like you could use at least a nap, Steve. I promise to be as quiet as a mouse..." He was looking at you with that strange look you had caught before, though not unkindly. You were totally overstepping, weren't you? You needed to do something like—heh. "...and not to kill you in your sleep."

Success! The corners of his lips twitched up.

"Because that would look really bad, to be found in a safe house with a corpse, huh?"

"Corpse of Captain America no less," you added, your mouth unwittingly curling up in a playful smile.

"With no defensive wounds."

"High treason."

"So cold-blooded."

"If you weren't so heavy I would just drag you into the shower, telling them you slipped, you know. But you're all muscles, so I guess I wouldn't handle that. So, no killing you in your sleep."

That earned you a raised eyebrow and a chuckle. "Lucky me."

"So... sleep? The sheets aren't too bad, but I'll change them for you... if you tell me where the fresh ones are stocked."

His smile turned kind when he noticed your hesitation and he rose to his feet.

"I think I'll handle. Thanks for holding the fort for a while."

"Nah. What kind of an agent would leave their Captain sleep-deprived?" you joked and waved it off jovially, following his footsteps with your gaze.

"Not you, clearly."

"What kind of a person would deny sleep to someone who needs it, especially when they were so amiable?"

You didn't mean to say that part out loud, not wanting to admit that this was more of a friendly gesture than being a good inferior. You did though and Steve heard you; he gave you a gorgeous smile.

"Goodnight."

You pretended that the way he whispered your name before leaving the room didn't make you shiver.