Attached *Steve Rogers*Reader*

4) Words of Salvation

"Good, good," he rumbled, his voice just a little deeper than usual, causing your abdomen to clench despite the awkwardness. Really? Aroused? Now? After everything? You never learn, huh?

When your gaze flickered to his face at the uncomfortable silence that followed and his lips parted as if he wanted to say something but wasn't sure how, you simply knew.

Your feet shifted an inch as the instinct to run overtook your brain. Your palms turned impossibly sweaty, your pulse skyrocketed, breath catching in your throat, your world swaying for few moments. Every inch of you was set aflame, this time definitely in embarrassment.

"You read it," you stated the obvious, eyes glued to the floor as if you were saying it to it rather than him.

Him being Professor Rogers. Whose name you had typed out in your story, because your brain was a mess and even in your fantasyland, you had slipped once as you imagined him in the place of Professor 'Roberts'.

How stupid was that?

"...yes," he replied simply, as if he wasn't confirming your worst fears, turning your nightmares into reality.

You covered your face with your palms, hiding from his sight as you felt tears of humiliation gathering in your eyes, burning as much as the rest of your face.

"I'm sorry," you mumbled into your hands and deliberately stumbled backwards in search for the wall, needing something to lean onto as your knees felt like giving out. Darkness embraced the edge of your vision even with your eyes closed, your chest growing unbearably heavy, your stomach twisting.

Knowing Professor Barnes read your thirsty fantasy was one thing. That was... uncomfortable and incredibly embarrassing.

But Professor Rogers reading it? Well, fuck me up, shit just became real. And very serious. Barnes could make fun of you. Rogers could smite you. He could probably have you kicked out from university for real.

Jesus fucking Christ, he had read it. What was he going to do about it?!

"Hey-- hey! Breathe!" a voice urged you, a brief squeeze of your forearm quickly disappearing when you winced at the sudden contact.

In any other situation, you might burst with excitement that he was touching you. Now? Not really, no.

"Breathe." Instinctively, you listened to his voice over the intrusive hum in your ears, realizing you had in fact had been holding your breath, which caused the world spin some more. "In and out. You're fine. Nothing is going to happen. I promise. No hard feelings."

A chocked sound left your lips at the 'hard'. And really, how much would it take to pull your mind out of the gutter?! If this didn't do it, what would?

"Look at me. You're alright. I'm... flattered if anything," he added then and you shrieked, unable to hide your shock.

He did not just say that, did he?!

"For what it's worth, I think the writing style was really good too."

You didn't even know how to describe the sound you let out at that. Was he for real now? Was he trying to torture you? Could the floor please swallow you at last?

"I wouldn't even bring it up, but since you already have... I want to apologize."

That did make you look at him, your world steadying at instant, the dam breaking and releasing few solitary tears you didn't bother wiping away, too shocked by what you were hearing.