Work Text:
Steve skidded his motorcycle to a stop on the gravel. He turned off the engine and dropped the kickstand.
The quiet in the wake of his bike’s roar felt oppressive.
The silence was accusatory.
Steve practically leapt off the bike and then bounded up the porch steps. The setting sun had told him that he was running late, and he still didn’t dare look at his watch to figure out exactly how late.
He threw open the door to the house.
Pepper was there.
Steve started with his apologies, already wincing. “I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I’m late, very late and -”
Pepper started toward him, alarm on her face. “Steve, is everything alright? Are you okay?” She cupped Steve’s face in her hands, searching his eyes for answers. “Is someone hurt?”
Steve winced. The thought to lie, to create some emergency, flitted through his head. He had a reason for being late - it just wasn’t a good one.
“I’m sorry,” Steve repeated, hands circling Pepper’s thin wrists. She felt fragile under his touch, though Steve knew she wasn’t. “No, it wasn’t - everything is fine. I just lost track of time with Sam. I’m sorry.”
Pepper sighed in relief. “Oh, honey, that’s okay. We know your friends want to spend time with you.”
She smiled at him, and Steve’s heart eased.
“I know,” he said softly. “I just - am I too late?”
Pepper’s hands were still warm, her fingertips wrinkled. That meant bathtime wasn’t too long ago so maybe -
“Relax,” Pepper ordered, patting his cheek before dropping her hands. “We aren’t going to toss you out over missing one bedtime.”
Steve swallowed. “I know,” he said, which was mostly the truth. They were far enough along in their arrangement that he wasn’t walking on eggshells.
He just wanted to be sure to make the least amount of mistakes possible. He’d already made so many before they’d ever started this, and sometimes Steve didn’t know if he’d ever make them up.
“But I didn’t want to miss it,” Steve said.
Pepper leaned forward and kissed him, her lips soft and still carrying a hint of her smile.
“Go on up. I’m sure they’re still awake.”
Steve returned the kiss with a quick peck on the corner of Pepper’s lips, and then darted up the stairs.
He’d meant to leave the Compound earlier, but his conversation with Sam had taken a turn and he’d gotten caught up. Sam had so many questions and concerns since Steve had passed on the shield - all good, fantastic questions that Steve wished that he’d had someone to ask when he’d first taken up the role of Captain America - that once Sam opened up and started sharing, Steve couldn’t have stopped him.
Steve hadn’t wanted to either, it was just - the timing hadn’t worked out tonight so that he could support Sam how Sam needed it and be back home in time for bedtime. Hopefully there was still time and he could have both.
Steve had every confidence in Sam, with the shield, with the title of Captain America, with the responsibility. Eventually Sam would have that confidence in himself, too, and Steve was excited for Sam to have that moment. But Steve - Steve was so relieved to not carry that weight anymore. Sam had everything under control, and if not Sam then Bucky and Sharon certainly did. Steve caught enough stories during their weekly lunches that they all have together to know that.
Steve wished them all well, and he rarely felt the need to go out in the field alongside them anymore. Handing over the shield to Sam and stepping down had given him plenty of time for other things, and he was grateful for that.
The second door on the left was cracked open, lights still on. Steve knocked softly and pushed the door open.
“Steve!”
Steve’s heart melted at the excited smile on Morgan’s face. She clapped her hands together and beamed, her damp hair clinging to her face.
“There he is,” Tony said from where he was kneeling next to Morgan’s bed. He levered himself to his feet with a smile. “Told you there was hope. Steve is simply too fast.”
“Did you run the whole way?” Morgan asked, her eyes wide.
Morgan, like the little scientist she was, loved testing out Steve’s limits. Afternoons in the backyard had her putting Steve through a whole manner of tricks. How high could Steve climb? How high could he jump? How high could he jump with Morgan on his back? How many stuffed animals could he hold at one time? How many toys could he juggle?
The important questions of how the serum affected Steve.
“I did not run the whole way,” Steve gently denied. “I used the motorcycle your Dad built for me, so I was much faster.”
“Did you use your helmet?” Tony asked with a knowing look.
Steve didn’t want to lie, so he didn’t answer. Instead, he pulled Tony close and kissed Tony’s temple.
“That’s what I thought,” Tony grumbled.
“Genius,” Steve teased.
Tony squeezed Steve’s arm, his look both admonishing and fond. “Okay, then, I guess this means it’s story time for munchkins. Do we have any munchkins here?”
“Me, I’m a munchkin!” Morgan said. She grabbed The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe from her nightstand, where Steve had set it down after last night’s chapter. “Story time, Steve!”
She wiggled to make space on the bed.
“Story time for Munchkins, as read by Steve,” Steve narrated. He stepped over to Morgan’s bookshelf and bent over to scan the titles, pretending that he was choosing. “Let’s see, what shall we read today.” He ignored Morgan waving her book at him. “Hm, so many choices!”
“We’re reading this one,” Morgan demanded as she slapped the book on her bed. “We’re on chapter seven.”
“Oh, right!” Steve slapped his forehead. “I totally forgot. We’re in the middle of a story already.”
Morgan harrumphed at him, not amused. Tony hid a smile behind his hand from where he’d faded to the shadows of the doorway.
Steve shrugged out of his leather jacket and tossed it at Tony, since Tony was going to hang around. Steve got comfortable on top of the covers, in the open spot that Morgan had left for him.
Morgan thrust the book into his lap, and Steve smiled as he carefully cracked the book open and removed Morgan’s sparkly blue unicorn bookmark from its place. Unicorns were a new phase, and - since no one could be certain unicorns didn’t actually exist - Steve knew that Nebula was under strict orders from Morgan to keep her eyes peeled during her space travels.
Steve took a breath, gathering his courage for the reading. The character voices were a requirement, and Steve had needed practice at dropping his self-consciousness as well as the voices themselves so that he could give a worthy bedtime story performance. By now, though Steve had gotten plenty of show time. Steve still thought that Tony did the voices better, but he knew that wasn’t why Tony watched.
Steve glanced up so he could catch a glimpse of the warm, fond smile on Tony’s face as Tony watched them.
Yeah, Steve would watch too, if the positions were reversed. For now though, Steve was granted the gift of telling Morgan a bedtime story, and it was one that he didn’t want to give up.
Morgan snuggled into his side, and Steve lifted his arm to help her get comfortable.
“Chapter Seven,” Steve started. “A Day with the Beavers…”
**
When the chapter was done, Steve placed the bookmark in the pages and set the book aside. It would be ready and waiting for tomorrow night.
Steve gently slid an almost-asleep Morgan down until she was properly situated with her head on the pillow. She grumbled, but her eyelids were closed and she only twitched.
Steve eased himself off the bed and turned Morgan’s lamp off. The room wasn’t completely dark - an Iron Man night light glowed softly in the corner. Steve quietly made his way out of the room, shutting Morgan’s door behind himself.
Tony had disappeared sometime after four pages, and Steve hoped Tony hadn’t done anything terrible to Steve’s jacket in return for not wearing a helmet.
Steve found Tony and Pepper on the couch in the living room. No motorcycle jacket was in sight, and Steve eyed Tony. Tony grinned back, and Pepper twisted her lips in amusement. She went back to the book she was reading - probably more composting ideas, Steve guessed, as Pepper’s legs hid the title.
Steve took a seat on the couch with them. They’d left the middle cushion open for him, which he appreciated. He liked having them on either side. When they climbed into their shared bed every night though, they had to take turns. Pepper had drawn up a schedule.
“And how are Peter and Susan and Edmund and Lucy today?” Tony asked.
“They had a wonderful day with Mr. and Mrs. Beaver,” Steve replied with a smile. “Well, Edmund didn’t.” Steve wrinkled his nose. “I think he’s still with the witch right now.”
“Oh no,” Tony gasped.
Steve rolled his eyes.
“Am I the only one who knows how the story ends?” Pepper asked as she flipped a page.
“Please,” Tony scoffed. “Of course I know how it ends. It’s been out since Steve’s been born.”
“No it hasn’t,” Steve protested. “I checked the publication date and I… uh, I meant to read ahead, so I’d know what was coming, but -”
“Ha!” Tony crowed, poking Steve’s shoulder.
“Just because you looked up the children’s names before Steve came down doesn’t mean you know how it ends,” Pepper said, amused.
“Give me two minutes,” Tony said, pulling out his phone.
“Cheating,” Steve said, swiping it away and keeping it out of Tony’s reach.
“I’m not stopping you from looking it up,” Tony said as he climbed over Steve to try to reach the phone.
They fell onto Pepper. Pepper sighed, but Steve could feel her chest move in a silent giggle of laughter. Tony gave up, but stayed on top of Steve and so Steve stayed on top of Pepper.
Pepper carded her nails through Steve’s hair, and Steve closed his eyes in relaxation. Her scratches sent warm, pleasant tingles down his spine.
“How is Sam?” she asked.
“Does he need anything?” Tony asked next.
Steve grinned. He wished the best for Sam, Bucky, Sharon, and all the rest of the Avengers who continued to run missions and save the world. And he would answer the call if they needed him, but for now -
For now, Steve was happy to be home.