Chapter Text
“Estimated time to reach your location, one hour. Visibility low, weather conditions getting worse, wind speeds unsafe to fly in,” said the crackling voice over your comm. “I’m sorry, we won’t be able to pick you two up on time.” It was hard to hear the voice over the wind whipping through the trees, blowing tiny snowflakes into your face.
“We can’t exactly wait this storm out in the open,” said Steve sharply. “What’s our next course of action?”
“There’s a safe house less than half an hour away, freshly stocked. Sending coordinates to your tech now.”
You pull out your tablet, pulling up the location of the safehouse relative to where you and Steve were currently. “Received,” you say into your comm.
“Excellent,” came the faint response. “The storm… last about six days… retrieve… as possible.”
“You’re cutting out,” Steve said loudly into the comm.
“... weather… signal… no contact,” came the staticky response.
“You won’t be able to reach us for six days? Repeat, no retrieval for six days?”
“We will not… reach you for… days… likely longer. Repeat.. able to reach you… six days, most likely longer.”
“Confirm,” Steve barked. “Stay at the safe house until retrieval, possibly in six days. Captain Rogers signing off.”
Steve Rogers turned to where you were standing under a tree, shivering. The two of you had just completed a mission in the Alps, with you serving as the tech and engineering specialist. The mission was supposed to have been quick in and out, but apparently the weather had other plans. It had started snowing half an hour ago, and didn’t seem to be stopping.
“We need to get going,” Steve says as he swings a leg over his Harley. “This snow isn’t letting up, and I’d rather not have to ditch my bike.”
You hurry over and hop up behind Steve, wrapping your arms tight around him, relishing in the warmth of his back pressed against you, burying your face against him to shield yourself from the swirling snow.
“Ready?” Steve shouted over the wind that was quickly picking up speed.
“Ready, Captain,” you call over the sound of the wind, squeezing your arms tighter. Then you were off. You didn’t move your face from where it was pressed against Steve, not particularly in the mood for a fac efull of ice crystals.
At first you were consumed with the adrenaline rush that came with riding a motorcycle, combined with the helpless feeling of riding a motorcycle someone else was driving and not being able to see anything. Then you were distracted by the feeling of literally being pressed up against Captain America. He was warm, and had a nice woodsy scent to him. You luxuriated in his warmth, how he felt compared to the cold of the air around you. He definitely ran hotter than normal. In looks and temperature. You felt a little guilty to be enjoying this so much when the two of you were trying to make it to safety in time to escape being frozen to death in a snowstorm, but really, what else were you supposed to do?
However, you were only able to focus on the breathtaking man sitting in front of you on the motorcycle for a few minutes before your body decided that now was a great time to tell you that it was cold outside.
You were dressed for cold weather, of course, but no one had expected temperatures to drop this low, and really there were only so many layers you could put on while still retaining enough mobility to perform your role in the mission. Long story short, you were freezing.
You started shivering, and your teeth started chattering. You tried to stop the relentless shaking, but your body had other plans. You sat behind Steve, shivering for what was probably only five minutes but felt like an eternity when Steve stopped without warning.
“What?” you asked, not sure why you were stopping.
“You’re cold, you’ll catch hypothermia, '' Steve said as he peeled off his leather jacket, leaving him in only his uniform.
“You n-n-n-need it,” you protested weakly.
“Not as much as you do. Take it,” he commanded, turning around in his seat to pull the jacket around your shoulders.
You shouldn’t take the jacket, but it was fur lined and looked so warm… you pushed your arms through the sleeves, giving in.
“Th-th-tha, th-th-thanks,” you said, your teeth chattering as you spoke.
You zip up the leather jacket. It was still warm from Steve’s body heat. You settled back against Steve, much warmer now. Luckily, he didn’t seem to be suffering from the cold as much as you had been. Thank goodness for super soldier serum.
***
The snow had only been a few inches thick when you started out for the safehouse. But when you reached it, there was over half a foot of snow. Any more snow, and you doubted the bike would have been able to handle it. The snow covering combined with the gathering darkness made you glad that you had reached the safehouse when you did.
The aforementioned safehouse turned out to be a hunting lodge, two stories high with a balcony overhanging the front porch. It looked surprisingly nice for a simple place for agents to hunker down for a day or two when things got rough.
You slipped off the bike, hurrying up the steps to the front porch where you turned to watch Steve haul his bike up the steps. You admired the way his muscles rippled under his uniform as he carried the heavy motorcycle and leaned it against the wall to the house.
“So it will be sheltered,” Steve explained when he noticed you watching.
You poked your head under the porch by the stairs as per the instructions that went with the coordinates. You found a little box with a code lock on it. You punched in 82798, and the box opened. You handed the key to Steve, who gestured for you to stay where you were as he unlocked the front door, then silently eased it open before slipping inside.
You waited outside for a few minutes while Steve checked for any threats that had somehow made it inside the safehouse. By the time Steve returned, you were already shivering again and missing his body heat.
“We’re all clear,” said Steve as he held the door open for you. “No intruders, and no bugs.”
You slipped past Steve and into the dark safehouse.
“Here, let me just find the lightswitch,” Steve mutters, and you hear his light footsteps before the lights switch on.
You blink your eyes rapidly, adjusting to the sudden brightness, then feel your breath catch in your throat. Safehouse indeed.
The huge sitting room was brightly lit via antler light fixtures hanging from the ceiling. There was a huge stone fireplace against one wall, with a stack of firewood sitting next to it and a flatscreen tv above it. Large leather couches had been placed in ideal locations around the room, and to your tired body they looked as comfortable as feather mattresses. The floors were hardwood, except for tile right inside the door, probably to prevent water stains from melting snow tracked in by boots. The decorations were immaculate, complimenting the spacious room well. The room was two stories high, with a balcony from another part of the second story overlooking the front room. You saw a kitchen through a doorway on the opposite side of the room, and you assumed that bedrooms would be on the second story, which could be accessed by a large staircase.
“This is…definitely something,” you said finally.
“Of course,” Steve muttered to himself. “Stark said he had a hunting lodge in the Alps. This must be it.”
“It’s gorgeous,” you said, continuing to take in the room with wide eyes.
“It’s cold,” Steve replied, and he was right. You had forgotten how cold you were in your excitement at seeing the sumptuous room, but the inside of the house wasn’t any warmer than the outside.
“I’ll look for a heating system, Captain. There should be one around here somewhere,” you said with a frown. “That fireplace can’t heat this whole place.”
“Good thinking, I’ll get a fire started. We need all the warmth we can get.”
A quick search later revealed the control panel to the house’s heater system located on the wall near the door, and you started the house heating up.
“We need dry clothes,” called Steve from over where he was stoking the fire. “From what we’ve already seen of this place, I refuse to believe that Stark doesn’t have at least seven closets full of silk robes alone.”
You giggle, and then dart off to search for a change of clothes. You find a large stash of clothes organized by size in a hallway closet. Jeans and t-shirts for the most part. However, it just so happens that all of the shirts are avengers themed.
“I’ve got the fire started, did you… what is that?”
You hold up the shirt you’re holding for Steve’s inspection. “It appears to be Thor’s face drawn in a comic book style, Captain.”
“But why?” asks Steve, seeming genuinely confused.
“The avengers have a lot of merchandise.”
“I knew that,” Steve said with a dismissive wave, “But what’s it doing here?”
“I’m not sure, apparently Stark does his clothing shopping at Hot Topic.”
“Why do they have Spider-Man shirts?”
“Don’t be mean, he’s a superhero too,” you said with mock sternness.
“I just didn’t think he was that popular.”
“He’s cool.”
“Fine, he’s cool. How could he not be? He has a shirt with his face on it.”
“Here’s a shirt with your shield on it, Captain,” you said, holding it up for Steve to see. The t-shirt had a dark bluish grayish background with the design of Captain America’s shield on the forefront.
“It’s nice I guess,” Steve said noncommittally.
“Well I think it’s wonderful,” you said, checking the tag. “It’s my size too. I think I’ll wear it.”
“You do that,” Steve called after you as you went to find a place to change.
The bedrooms were as nice as the great room downstairs, the decorations sticking with the general theme of rustic mountain lodge but in the nicest, most expensive way possible. You slipped into a bedroom with a forest green color scheme. There was a queen size bed in the middle of the room, and on one wall there was a collage of framed, and drawn sketches of various plants and animals.
You had grabbed a pair of Lucky Brand jeans in your size earlier, so you paired the Captain America t-shirt with the jeans. The jeans were a little tight, but they would do. The house hadn’t warmed up yet, and you were still cold. You glanced over at Steve’s jacket where you had tossed it over the back of a chair. You really should return the jacket, but it was warm. It was warm and it smelled like Steve. Steve was a gentleman. Even though he had only met you a few days earlier for the mission, he wouldn’t want you to be cold. If he wanted his jacket back, he would ask. It was as simple as that. Your choice made, you shrugged the jacket on, leaving it unzipped to show off your newly acquired graphic t-shirt.
You slipped back into the hallway to find Steve, he was just emerging from a different room. He had changed out of his Captain America uniform and was now wearing jeans and a t- shirt with the avengers logo on it. The big letter A in the circle was in gray and set against a black background. It was probably the simplest shirt he had been able to find. When Steve saw you, he stopped in his tracks and stared.
You shifted from foot to foot, suddenly uncomfortable under the stare of those intense blue eyes, unable to read his expression and tell if he was unhappy or not.
“Sorry, I was cold,” you say awkwardly. “Do you want the jacket back, Captain?”
“No no, keep it,” said Steve with a quick wave of his hand. “We need to keep you warm till the whole house warms up, which won’t be for a while.”
“I can try to find something else,” you offer, “I’m sure that there will be plenty of coats. After all, we’re in the middle of the Alps.”
“Don’t worry about it,” said Steve casually. “Let’s just look around the rest of the house.”
You hurried to follow Steve when he spun on his heel and headed back down the stairs. The two of you went back through the main room and into the kitchen you had noticed earlier. The kitchen was large, with state of the art appliances. There was a lot of cabinet space and a large walk in pantry. There was also an island in the middle of the kitchen, and a breakfast nook off to the side. While it was obviously incredibly fancy, the kitchen had the feel of a space that was actually designed to be used, which you appreciated.
Upon further investigation, you found the pantry to be fully stocked with a variety of non-perishables. There was lots of canned food like beans, lots of grains, and a few different types of jerky. You also found some microwaveable popcorn, which you thought would probably still be good, and a lone bag of doritos, which you decided was long expired.
“There’s a swimming pool here!” you heard Steve hollar from another part of the house.
“Wait, seriously?” you ask.
“Yeah, come look.”
You follow the sound of Steve’s voice and come to an indoor swimming pool at the back of the house. One wall was made from floor to ceiling glass windows, and you could see the snow swirling outside. The swimming pool was good sized, with a hot tub set a little higher than the pool. There was a cascade of water going from the hot tub to the pool that seemed to be intended to mimic a natural waterfall.
“This is officially my favorite safehouse,” you say reverently.
“I guess being a billionaire pays off,” Steve says with a shrug. “Apparently Tony’s doing something right.”
You walk over and dip your hand in the water. “It’s cold.”
“I’m sure we can figure out how to heat it up if you really want.”
“That would be great,” you say with a smile. “If we gotta stay in Tony’s luxury hunting lodge, then we may as well take full advantage of it.”
“True that,” said Steve with a smile. “But right now, what I want to take advantage of is that kitchen.”
***
You and Steve settle on things that don’t require much preparation, canned peaches, beef jerky, and microwaveable popcorn. You’re ravenous after the mission and your impromptu motorcycle ride through the alps, so you both set to the food with relish. Once you’re done eating, you’re suddenly struck with how tired you are, and fight to hold back a yawn.
“I should probably head to bed Captain,” you say as you push your chair out of the small breakfast nook.
“Good idea, we should both probably be getting to bed,” Steve replied. “We’ve had a long day.”
You just nod sleepily, turning away to go find a bedroom to sleep in.
“You can call me Steve,” Steve calls after you.
You turn to look at him curiously. “But Captain is your title,” you say weakly. “We’re still on a mission.”
“For all intents and purposes, the mission was completed this morning. We’re just awaiting pick up. This is most definitely outside of the mission parameters.”
“But Captain, I–”
“Steve,” he says firmly. “You will call me Steve. Do I need to make it an order?”
“No, Steve.” That makes Steve smile, which in turn makes your cheeks flush. You really enjoy his smile.
“Now that that’s settled,” Steve says formally. “I wish you a good night.”
“Good night,” you toss over your shoulder as you leave.
You decide to sleep in the same bedroom you changed in earlier, just to make things simple. One shower later, you collapse, exhausted onto the bed. As you lie there, you think back on the events of the day. You can’t say you’re exactly happy to be stuck in the middle of the Alps in a snowstorm, but you could be in much worse shape. You could have been injured coming here, the storm could have hit before you made it to the lodge, you could have had worse housing arrangements, and you could have had much worse company. Even though you don’t know Steve that well, he’s kind, handsome, and makes you feel safe when he’s around. You decide that of all the people to get stuck in a snowstorm with, life could have thrown you someone a whole lot worse.