After Tony had left to go run some errands, I walked myself up to the labs where I'd hoped to find Dr. Banner. I need a new charge for the arc reactor and right now, he's the only person I can trust to get the job done.
I reached the labs and came walking into Dr. Banner's section, only to find Mr. Rogers tending to a wound on his right upper arm. He was struggling to wrap it and by the looks of it, he really needed help.
"Need any help?" I asked calmly
Mr. Rogers looked over to me, surprised, and smiled gently. He then looked down to his arm and shook his head hesitantly, unsure whether he needed my help or not.
"Nah, I'm alright. Just gonna wrap this up," he answered.
I smiled and shook my head, walking over to him. I took a hold of the wrappings and could feel him get tense. He retracted himself away from me as if startled.
"Mr. Rogers," I said as I placed a hand on his arm. "It's okay. There's nothing to worry about."
Mr. Rogers looked at me and the second I could feel my hand heating up, he loosened under my grip and breathed out heavily. He really was just a big teddy bear that need to be fluffed up and cuddled. I really can't see him getting much of that if he becomes a rock near women.
I wrapped his arm with the bandages gently, but not too gentle for fear the bandages may get loose and come off. As I wrapped his arm, I thought of how my mother took care of me whenever I scraped my elbow or cut my hands. She would always run her fingers over the bandages as she wrapped them, so I did so to Mr. Rogers. He seemed to have calmed down quite a bit as I did so.
"You're very gentle with your hands, (Y/N)," Mr. Rogers commented as I finished up the wrapping.
I shrugged and tightly fastened the adhesive wrap to his arm. "I get my care from my mother. She always helped me when I was hurt so I took that and used it to help other people."
Mr. Rogers looked down and sighed. "About your mother," he started.
"It's fine, really. You kind of get used to losing everything eventually and soon enough it doesn't hurt as much anymore. Sure you cry, it's all part of life, but really, the pain will go away and get better. I know I have nothing, but that's just fine, because the worst that could happen is that I don't die soon and I won't see my mom ever again."
Mr. Rogers gave me a sympathetic look and then embraced me in his arms. His arms fit around my body perfectly. I hesitantly hugged back, wondering why he had really cared. Mr. Rogers then let go of me and pulled me close, keeping contact with my eyes.
"I swear, on your mother's grave, that I will protect you and help you live to your fullest. Nothing will stand in your way while I'm there with you, okay?" Mr. Rogers promised.
"Mr. Rogers, please, there's no need. I can take care of myself," I answered.
Mr. Rogers then lifted his hand to rest on my right cheek. His hand was warm and I could feel how loose and relaxed he was. Mr. Rogers looked me dead in the eyes and smiled. His smile was so beautiful, it fit him so well it was hard to ever imagine him not smiling.
"I feel like I've known you for years," Mr. Rogers whispered. "I haven't felt like this in a long time."
Dude. This guy is almost 100 years old. What the hell. Don't do it. God, please don't it.
I stared at Mr. Rogers and watched as his eyes scanned my face. His beautiful blue eyes became brighter the more I looked into them.
"I'll always protect you, (Y/N)."
Don't do it. I swear I'll vomit in your mouth.
Mr. Rogers lowered himself down to me and kissed my lips ever so gently. He was soft and slow and I could feel myself melting in his arms. My chest began to get hot as he placed his hand on my back pulling me up close to his body.
Oh god, he's better than Tony! Oh god, oh god, oh god.
Mr. Rogers pulled away gently having me lift myself up on my toes wanting more. Kissing me one last time, Mr. Rogers embraced me warmly before letting me go. He looked down at me and placed his hands on my hips.
"Mr. Rogers," I started.
"Steve. Call me Steve," he winked at me and smirked.
Oh god he's hot.
I blushed and nodded. I fought for words but before I could say a word, I felt the arc reactor burn up.
"Hey, I need to change the chip in the arc reactor. Care to help?" I asked.
Steve looked down at my chest, raised an eyebrow, then looked back up at me. "You mean you want me, someone who can't even wrap their arm by himself, to help you replace something that if I mess up, could kill you?"
I nodded and walked over to the large desk with a set of various chips that Tony had supplied me with. They were all placed neatly in their own sockets. I touched my chest only to realize I still had clothes on. I looked down at the clothes Loki had given me realizing, too, that it was a one piece and pursed my lips, thinking to how they were supposed to come off.
"How are those even supposed to come off?" Steve asked.
"Exactly what I was thinking."
I thought hard and then it clicked. Loki gave me this suit and told me I could call it to be on or off whenever I wish. So I could simply just have the top half of my suit to just disappear.
"Steve."
"Yes?"
"Can I trust you?"
"Um. Yes?" Steve replied, unsure of his answer.
I nodded and looked down at my body, imagining my top half of my suit disappearing. It took a few seconds, but the second I closed my eyes, I could feel the suit flaking off and disintegrating into the air. I opened my eyes and I stood there in nothing but the lower half of my suit and my bra. Looking over to Steve, I noticed he was blushing and he was staring right at my face, as if he was trying to focus on my eyes. His chest was puffed up and he looked like he was about to break a sweat.
"Steve, it's okay. You can breathe," I laughed.
Steve sighed heavily and walked over to me taking a look at my arc reactor. He traced the lines that escaped the center of it. "Did it hurt?" He asked, looking up to my eyes.
I shook my head and picked out a new chip. "I felt like I had a part of me ripped out. I could feel Tony and Natasha play with my heart as I laid on the bed. It wasn't all that bad but you know, it's not everyday you run into someone and they cause your heart to break, legitimately."
Steve shrugged and then rubbed his finger on my hand, for what felt like reassurance. I looked down at him and gave him the reassuring smile he was looking for.
I then placed my hand over the arc reactor and pulled it out. A cord was attached to the back of it and the small compartment where the chip went was right above it. I detached the cord causing my whole body to quiver and get heavy, and popped open the chip; it was fried and darkened.
"Amazing," Steve commented.
I nodded and my eye lids began to fall. I was getting tired fast and I really thanked myself for having Steve help because the second I was reaching to put the new chip in, I stumbled and Steve caught me.
"Woah there," Steve said as he lifted me up and put me on a bed.
I felt Steve grab the arc reactor and the chip out of my hands and heard him click the new chip in. I opened my eyes slightly and saw him pull the cord out of the hole in my chest and connect it to the arc reactor. He slowly put the reactor into its place and the second it came back to life, I breathed in heavily.
"Thanks Steve," I smiled.
Steve saluted to me in an unfashionably lazy way with two fingers. "Anytime."
"I'll be here for a while, so you can go ahead and return to your business. I'll come talk to you when I'm recovered."
"Are you sure?" Steve asked.
I nodded. "Yep. Soon I'll be as used to this as Tony is and I'll be able to do this myself."
Steve smiled and lowered down to kiss me on the forehead gently. He raised himself up and softened his expression before turning around and heading out of the lab.