Work Text:
The speedster was just another part of your life, but he was something you couldn’t pin down in a schedule. The Sokovian was erratic, and even though he and his sister aren’t fully US citizens, you thought it nice of Tony to let them live with you at the training or living center. You weren’t even an Avenger, just a computer science geek who helped with the systems in the house, as Tony was often to busy to deal with the micromanagement of the facility. Pietro was wild, pranking and partying, as if the world was going to end the next day. He seemed to pretend you didn’t exist, which was a strong contrast to the other new Avengers, whom spoke to you on a daily. Vision and you had bonded over equal discomfort of adjusting to life with new people, and Sam would watch your favourite Netflix binge with you, and would chat with you about his days in the armed forces. The others would talk to you about tech things which was about all the attention you got. You were relatively left to yourself, just going about checking on certain things certain days.
When Tony was at the facility, Pietro seemed less completely crazy, and once even held a conversation with you about the air conditioner in his room. The silver haired man only told his tech problems to his sister, or to whoever, who would then relay the information to you. Which, had been frustrating for you as they never knew the full extent of whatever happened to be going on, and you could never get him to sit down and talk with you past a few seconds.
You were too passive to actually ever have an issue with the eccentric behaviours by Pietro, and you were lucky to even have the job, you thought, and didn’t want problems with the very people you lived with. He bewildered you at times, just wondering just what went on inside his head; you wished he would express himself as much the others, tell you why exactly he had such a difficult time talking to you. But, that would be too easy.
You were currently checking the holographic systems within the hand to hand combat simulation room (quite wordy, you thought). You hadn’t heard the heavy door open, as you were preoccupied and had your earbuds in, on full blast so you could zone out and focus on the replacements and check ups you regularly did. The other project you’d had for the day wouldn’t be long, so this was your first priority. You were so into your work that you didn’t stop to think to lock the door for prevention of anyone coming in. Busy with wiring, you hadn't heard the machine start, and with exposed wires in your hands, you realized too late and received a shock. Jumping back, you tore out the earbuds, launching back, adrenaline soaring. Looking around the room, you saw a startled Pietro looking down at you. Frustrated, you pushed past him and shut it off. You ran out of the room to treat the burn that was left. You heard footsteps behind you, but ignored them in favour of getting to a first aid kit faster.
You were pissed, as you looked around for Steve or Natasha, who knew better than you how to treat burns. The steps behind you continued, but you paid them no mind. You looked in Steve’s room, to find him leisurely drawing in a notebook. You knocked with your elbow, and his eyes snapped forward. His relaxed expression turned concerned when he saw you cradling your hands. He stood up, and within seconds he was at your side.
“What happened?” Steve asked, then signaled to your hands in silent permission. You nodded and he looked over your braised fingertips and gently examined.
“I had a panel out in the hologram room, looking at and touching exposed wires, to replace coating and be sure they were properly functioning. At some point that idiot Pietro came in and started the machine, causing the electricity to shock and burn my fingers.” You winced as Steve brushed over the burn, a sympathetic look on his face. He let go of your hands and walked to his night table by his bed. You entered his room a little bit more and stood awkwardly as he fished something out. He shuffled through the drawer, bending over slightly, and you admired his physique; anyone could find him attractive, yet you didn’t peg him as your type. He was just too old fashion and wouldn’t be able to keep up with your fast paced technological life. You’d thought about him a lot like that, but couldn’t find yourself attracted to him. That’s how you had felt about most men or women, with the exception of Tony, but he was your mentor, nothing more.
While in your thoughts, Steve retrieved the necessary supplies he grabbed and turned back to you, setting the supplies upon his bed. He gestured for you to come forward and fiddled what appeared to be medical tape. The supplies he had left out were gauze, ointment, and a few cleansing pads. You winced, already thinking of the sting the cleansing wipes would bring.
“Put out your hand.”
You obeyed, and Steve, as gently as possible, wiped each finger of your left hand, and then spread an ointment on them. You were patient s he made small bandages on each tip, and the firm but soft grip he held on your hand. After the first hand, he repeated the same set of actions on the other hand, although a bit more confident as he was doing the action more. He tenderly looked back over each finger to feel if the gauze was too loose, and if they were secure. He handed you all of the supplies.
“Just- uh, yeah, uh. Switch out the bandages every day, and keep applying ointment, okay?” Steve backed up a bit, and smiled a half smile, glancing down at the bandages. You gave him a hug, which he seemed surprised to receive.
“Thank you thank you!” you exclaimed, before letting go of his broad shoulders. A small red tint had raised in his sharp cheeks, and he looked to his feet instead of your eyes. You picked up the supplies and turned to leave. “Seeya, Steve.” You left, and heard a small ‘seeya’ in response.
You wandered down the halls to the room you’d been in, and set down the supplies, fishing out a pair of gloves from your technician bag. You set to finishing your work, often throughout thinking back to your tender moment with Steve. He was quite sweet, and you could’ve sworn he’d been blushing when you’d hugged him. He was such a shy person when it came to those things. When the panel seemed fit and sufficient, you placed the wires back carefully, and replaced the panel, thankful for getting the tedious project out of the way.
As you walked back to your room for a nap between your next task, which was a bug with the toaster, a sorrowful Pietro was playing with your hamster in its cage in the corner. You were dumbfounded to say in the least. He never ever talked to you, yet now he was in your room, inside your bedroom. You dropped your bag in a nearby chair, and cleared your throat. Pietro stood up straight and he took a deep swallow of air. You looked at him questioningly. He scratched his arm in a nervous bout, shifting from leg to leg. He was silent, even though previously he was always talking and never seemed still. The tension in the air was as thick as soup, and you could feel it only building.
“Um…. Hi Pietro..” You said slowly, taking another step into the room. Pietro chewed his lip.
“Hi (y/n).”
He looked bewildered to see you, even in your own room. You swallowed. “What… um, what are you doing in my room?” He shifted around a bit more, not looking you in the eyes.
“I-I wanted to apologize for earlier. I didn’t mean to hurt you.” His sorrowful expression met the ground. You were surprised at his lack of cocky and sarcastic behaviour, almost like he was being sincere.
“Uh, yeah. Don’t worry about it I guess. Steve got me all patched up.” You held your fingers up, wiggling them for emphasis. “What- uh, what were you even in the room for?”
His eyes lingered on your fingers. “I-uh. I was trying to find you and let you know that the switch hadn’t been working. I didn’t think you’d fixed it, so I didn’t know you’d get hurt.”
“Oh. I uh- thanks I guess for trying to let me know.” You swallowed thickly, still uneasy. “Well, um, if you don’t mind, I have reports to send and-”
“Right, uh, bye!” The man walked out of your room, leaving you bewildered and wondering why today had been so eventful.
“Um, bye?”
**
By the time evening came around, you were done with a few other repairs left on your extended checklist that never seemed to end at the facility. Something was always broken, something was always needing something done to it. You saved the queue for tomorrow, not wanting to be kept working on repairs and such all day. When you had been hired by Stark, you figured you would be doing tests, help with coding, make technological breakthroughs with him. But instead you were fixing the toaster every other day, and doing repairs to the several fight simulation machines throughout the facility.
Around six o’clock, you wandered into the kitchen to find something to eat. You had a tablet (one of Tony’s own design) in your left hand, reading through reports you were going to submit to Tony, and in your right you held open the fridge and looked around for what you could eat. You settled on some fruit, eating casually as to still concentrate on your reports.
You didn’t really pay any attention to whoever walked into the kitchen, as you figured they had their own business as you had yours. When they sat next to you and began speaking however, you stopped reading and turned to face them.
“What?” You asked.
It was Natasha. She laughed. “How is it that you have that boy so wrapped around your finger?”
You cocked a brow. “What boy?”
“Pietro. He never shuts up about you, and stares at you constantly.”
“Really?” You looked at her in shock. She nodded. You stared down at your tablet in shock. “Pietro……. Likes me?” You mumbled to yourself. Natasha just smiled and walked off, patting you on the shoulder as she passed you. You sat on your chair, letting the pretty shocking news roll over you.
Pietro likes me…...