The Quinjet slowed to a halt on top of the Avenger’s compound landing pad and the pressurized door released and opened, making them squint against the early morning light pouring into the cabin. Silently, the Avengers filed out down the steps to the landing pad as the Quinjet’s engines powered off, the noise lowering in pitch until it quit, leaving them with nothing but the sound of their boots on the tarmac. Everyone was lost in thought as they headed to the door leading inside, each member going their own way or to deposit their gear in the armory.
This supposedly simple mission they’d come back from had been anything but simple. Their Intel stated that there was a bomb set to detonate during a meeting to discuss peace negotiations between two warring countries in South America. They already had all the intel on the terrorist group and had located their nest before even entering within a hundred miles of the countries airspace.
Tony had detected the bomb hidden in a briefcase in the conference room so they were sent in to dismantle the terrorist’s posing as guards throughout the building. Tony swooped in, grabbed the briefcase and disarmed it within minutes. As Sam, Steve, Natasha and Bucky tried to calm everyone in the room down, a man ran in clutching a second briefcase to his chest. Steve’s face went pale as he realized it was a second bomb. He reacted instinctively, grabbing the briefcase and throwing it with all his strength through the window sending it flying through the air away from the building. Just as his fist connected with the terrorists chin, knocking him out cold before he could run, the briefcase he’d thrown out of the window exploded next to a truck carrying fuel. The truck exploded into flames, severely injuring several civilians on the surrounding street. Steve watched in horror as the aftermath of the explosion unfolded on the street a few stories below. Tony flew down and uncapped a fire hydrant and began dousing the flames as surrounding people called for emergency services.
Steve stood, mouth agape, eyes wide, feet rooted to the spot as people screamed and cried out below. Bucky walked up next to him and put a tentative hand on his shoulder.
“It’s not your fault Steve. You didn’t know that truck was there.” He stared at Steve, trying to read him as he looked out. Steve didn’t respond, just tensed his jaw and forced himself to blink at his dry eyes. There was nothing they could do after the fire was out except make sure any injured were seen to by the ambulance that showed up. Miraculously, no one had died, but many had third degree burns and extensive injuries.
Steve didn’t say a word to anyone after it happened. No matter what each of them said to try to comfort him, he just stared out into nothing or at the floor until he finally drifted off in the darkness as they flew back home through the night.
Steve stepped through the door leading inside with an exhausted sigh as he veered to the right to follow Bucky to the armory, but stopped after a couple steps as Bucky continued walking. He knew he’d have some answering to do to Fury later but there was only one thing he needed to do right now. He turned on his heels and headed towards his room. Bucky turned after he heard his footsteps retreating and saw him walking away, but let him go.
Steve got to the door to his room, placed his hand on the knob and twisted it slowly all the way before he gently pushed it open. He saw the figure of you asleep on the bed, your hair in silky waves fanning out on your pillow as you faced his side of the bed. He stepped quietly to the far side of the room where the window was and stood in front of the sheer curtains, looking through the small opening. The sun had just risen about the trees, its golden rays illuminating the field around the compound. Graceful, calm, tranquil. Nothing like the scene he just left. He let out a deep breath just as he heard Bucky’s voice in his earpiece.
“Steve, you alright?”
“yeah,” he said, pressing the button on his earpiece, “just… im just gonna lay down with Y/N for a while. I’ll bring my gear to the armory later.” Steve whispered quietly as he pulled the curtains together.
“Gotcha. Let me know if you need anything.” Bucky’s voice was small and tentative in his ear.
Steve didn’t respond as he pulled at the fingers of his gloves and slipped them off. Then he placed his ear piece on his bedside table. Methodically, piece by piece, he shrugged out of his uniform and set it across a chair until he was down to just his boxers. He eased himself down into the bed, feeling every bump, scrape, bruise and sore muscle as he slid under the covers. The sunrise glow in the room softly illuminated your face, perfectly calm and serene as you slept. He smiled softly, thanking God that he was somehow lucky enough to be able to come back to you, even though he didn’t deserve it. He slipped an arm around your waist and pressed a soft kiss to your forehead, his lips lingering against your skin and his eyes closing.
You stirred slightly, breathing in as a sleepy smile turned your lips up at the corners. With your eyes still close, you barely tilted your face up with semi-puckered lips. His smile was sad as he leaned in to kiss you. Your soft lips barely moved, just a ghost of a kiss really, as you already felt yourself being pulled back under by sleep, satisfied that he was back in your arms. He pulled you closer to his chest as he let out a shaky sigh and pushed everything out of his mind for just a little while.