Sam is still half asleep when he hears the front door open and close. He listens to the sound of shuffling from the other room and the sound of the sink running, a familiar voice humming quietly. Sam’s mostly asleep during the process, head too foggy to focus in fully but just awake enough to know right when the bedroom door creaks open a bit at first and then all the way so Steve can creep in and take off his stupid Captain America get-up and get into some real clothes, or sleepwear in this case.
Sam doesn’t say anything for a while, just lays comfortably under the covers and watches the silhouette of Steve’s body as he undressed and then redresses into a tank top and pajama bottoms. Steve seems tired, his broad shoulders drawn up tight with tension from his long day of meetings and being America’s favorite hero. That’s all it is most days, just putting on a show.
It isn’t until Steve’s tucked away the suit and plugging his phone into the wall that Sam speaks up, his voice gravely and low from being in and out of sleep while waiting for Steve. Just another late night. “Hey there.”
He sees Steve turn to look at him, though it’s too dark in the room to make out any details, he can hear Steve’s kind, gentle smile in his voice. “Hey, did I wake you up?”
Sam shakes his head around a yawn. “Nah, ‘was waiting for you,” he hums.
“I told you I’d be late,” Steve says apologetically. “You shouldn’t have waited.”
“But I did,” Sam shrugs. “-and besides, don’t like sleeping without you.”
Sam can see the smile this time, even in the dark, and Steve leans over the bed to give him a kiss, gentle and quick. He can taste expensive wine on his lips and breathe from the big conference he’d been at. “I missed you.”
“yeah, I missed you too, man, now get in bed, you big teddy bear,” Sam teased, pulling at the neck of Steve’s tank top until he gave and slid into bed beside him, nuzzling into his neck.
“You smell good,” Steve says into his skin, still nuzzling and kissing lazily as Sam sinks back into the bed, already prepared to fall back asleep again.
“Yeah, it’s called showering,” Sam says back and Steve punches his arm before cozying in more and pulling Sam’s lean body against his.
“Shut up,” Steve laughs and Sam grins.
“Make me,” Sam teases back and Steve does, pressing a kiss to his mouth in an awkward click of teeth.
“Your face is all warm, you sleepy?” Steve asks after a few seconds of kissing and petting. He drags his knuckles gently over the side of Sam’s cheek, feeling the warmth radiate from him like he always gets when he’s tired or first wakes up.
“Yeah-kinda,” Sam yawns again. “Been tired. Waitin’ on you.”
“Sorry.”
“Breakfast tomorrow?”
“Huh?”
Sam shifts so he can prop himself up enough to look at Steve. “Pancakes?”
“Tomorrow?”
“Yeah. I like your pancakes.”
Steve lets out a breathy laugh and nods. “Yeah? Alright. Pancakes for breakfast.”
“Then all is forgiven,” Sam grins and they share another kiss, this one a little slower and a bit longer.
When they pull apart, Sam feels heavy and content and Steve snuggles in close so he can press his face into the crook of Sam’s neck like he enjoys. Sam thinks it must be the scent, maybe. His aftershave.
Steve must be deadbeat tired too, because it isn’t long before Sam feels Steve go lax, curled around him, and his breath becomes softer and deeper, tickling at his neck.
“Night, Cap,” Sam hums around another big yawn he can’t seem to shake. He lays there running the pads of his fingers along Steve’s arm, feeling the soft skin and firm lines of muscle there until it eventually pulls him into sleep, surrounded by Steve’s strong and gentle limbs and soft breathing. Sam would wait all night every night if it meant he got to have this.