Work Text:
NOT A BAD THING
Cause you might fuck around and find your dreams come true, with me
Spend all your time and your money just to find out that my love was free
So don't act like it’s a bad thing to fall in love with me
- J.T.
The time ran lazily, the noise of the clock filling up the room as the two waited anxiously side by side to their cue.
“It’s time.” Someone announced over the line, the female voice sounding in both their earphones. They give each other a final glance. None of them are hesitating, but this has become a ritual for them, they exchange a long gaze that's followed by a slight curve on their lips. Hers is always small and more sided, to the right. While his is shamelessly broad. “Now, lovebirds.” The voice called out impatiently, aware of the routine.
Steve gave her coverage, following Peggy’s lead as she so fiercely held her gun up and advanced through the facility. A noise made her freeze suddenly and Steve almost to stumble on her with the precise and quick movement. She just gave him a look as intense as before, but this time didn't seem sweet at all. Steve didn’t second guess on moving a step back.
They strolled in perfect sync though the place, taking down targets on their way. Once in a while, when a surprise came up, they'd shot it together, Steve always moving protectively over her. Which pissed her off a little, as charming as it felt sometimes. It did get them into some trouble at end.
A guy emerged out of nowhere, pointing at Peggy, and Steve moved in front of her quickly, pointing his gun up. But before he could pull the trigger, he did.
The lights came up in the training facility as Peggy was removing her jacket, cursing under her breath, "I had him, Steve."
"Messed up again, Rogers." Natasha called on the earphone, the minute Peggy took it out and tossed it away.
She was pissed, clearly, her competitive self kicked came out too strongly during those trainings, but not just that. They had been evaluated all week, ever since Steve got hurt and she got shot a couple of months back, in a situation very much like that one. Trying to cover up for Peggy in the wrong way, putting himself into danger to protect her. She didn't need protection, she needed him to follow the plan and not get himself hurt. It was maddening how he could compromise himself like this, but she had a clue why he was doing it.
Chasing after her, Steve took off the earplug and placed it neatly on a tray at the training room door. "Peggy, wait up." He's well aware how badly he messed up, but he though she'd be thankful he protected her.
"You need to stop putting yourself into danger, Steve." She said between teeth, not looking at him.
"A thank you would have been nicer." He shrugged, walking fast to catch up her pace. She stopped quickly, looking at him. She saw in his eyes the expectation. It wasn't about the thank you. with them, the real words never mean what they really were. His action was implied how much he cared for her and the damn thank you would be her acknowledge of that. But she couldn't encourage that kind of behaviour on him, not in a professional matter. And there was also the fact she didn't feel ready to jump into his arms, as much as she wanted to.
"I'm not here to be nice to you. I admire you altruism, but you have to think about protecting yourself on the field." She tried to he though, putting her feelings for him aside. "As your Director, I--"
"Is that what you did when you took those two shots on the shoulder in the mission?"
"Excuse me?" They never talked about the incident in Belize, when they both got hurt while in a mission together. "That was a completely different situation, Steven."
"I was unconscious, you didn't call for back up, when he came to finish me, you put yourself in front of the gun and almost got yourself killed."
She had no argument against that, the two small holes on her right shoulder told the story themselves. Yet, Peggy was the one who set the rules there. A leader since birth, it was no wonder she ended up as Director of SHIELD. "The mission called for extreme matter and we couldn't afford to lose you." Or rather she couldn't. But those words were never said. "We protect one another." She quickly corrected herself, seeing the hope in his eyes, "We don't leave our colleagues behind."
"Right..." It crushed her how his eyes sparkle faded away with his smile. He nodded, more seriously. "It won't happen again, Director Carter."
"I know it won't." Peggy held her breath, taking a moment to make sure she was making the right decision there. "Because I'm assigning you with a new partner. It'll be better for you."
She couldn't bare to stay there and look at his crushed expression. It was like she had told him she didn't love him, which wasn't true. Peggy did it for the very opposite reason and the fact she could never admit it. They were dangerous together, caring so much for one another, taking the risks. It wasn't wise to have them together. But that was their thing, when they connected most. Steve was a wallflower and being on the field got out the best of him. It was when she fell in love with him for the first time honestly, seeing him in action. And she knew that was why it felt like a break up, even if they never had any emotional involvement. At least not out loud.
Peggy walked away crushed too, especially when she looked over her shoulder to see him staring sadly at her. Like a puppy left outside with no home.
"Wow, killing him would probably have hurt him less." Tony's voice sounded too annoying the minute she left the training area. Of course he was watching it all.
"He'll come around." She marched, not facing him. "What you want?"
"Are you putting me as his partner? As the person who provides a great amount of resources to SHIELD, I'd like to get a saying on that."
"As the Director, I'll tell you now so you know, there's no saying." Peggy rolled her eyes, sighing annoyedly. "You're not his new partner. Natasha will be."
"Uh-oh. I'd be worried if I were you... Lover boy might fall for a new foreign girl."
Three weeks later, when Steve and Natasha kissed at a mission, in the middle of a shopping mall, Peggy just went ballistic. Of course she wasn't raging in front of everyone, or him, but some heard her curse under her breath and pace through her room, and from that the word just spread. She didn't realize her snapping at him constantly after that only increased the rumours. At this point, it was clear enough how she felt about him. And then, they had to be put together again in a mission.
"Are you gonna talk to me at some point?" Steve broke the awkward silence as they sat side by side on the plane that was going to drop them off on the set place.
"I've been talking to you since we left the headquarters." She cleared, avoiding his gaze.
"About the mission, maybe." Peggy frowned her eyebrows at that.
"Wha else is there to talk?"
"The fact you've been kicking me aside like I was helpless dog." He could be so dramatic.
"I'd never kick an animal." She shot quickly, making him shake his head.
"You know what I mean."
"I do not."
Steve grunted in clear bother, his lips curling as he grumpily muted, "The kiss."
"I have no business on whoever you choose to kiss, Rogers."
"Will you stop acting like this?"
"Acting like what?" Finally, Peggy faced him, her face split in anger and embarrassment. "I have no interest and whoever you kiss, Steven, but if you must know, I was annoyed with your lack of professionalism in the mission."
"She kiss me so we'd not be noticed." Peggy scoffed, rolling her eyes annoyedly, chuckling. "She did!"
"Will you lower your tone?" She said under her breath looking straight to the pilot and co-pilot seating in an awkward silence in front of them.
That huge space between them seemed to be growing even bigger. But still, when they landed, they were so connected, it was impressive. As if nothing between them had happened, until something way worse did.
"Steve, I need backup. I'm trapped." Peggy called in their communicators, her voice seeming exasperated. Peggy always handled herself, so for her to be calling backup, things were truly bad.
He served for her location, and approached the main control room. He knew they shouldn't have split paths a couple of minute before, but he expected just a couple of punches more, here and there. Instead, she was surrounded by armed men the minute he got there. Approaching in silence, Steve didn't have time to signal her, but Peggy knew it the moment the first men went there.
Punches, gun shots, kicks and soon enough there was only one men standing. That was when Steve came to himself.
"Peggy!"
She had a huge bruise on her jaw and her waist was bleeding like crazy. She had been shot.
He hurried to her as if his life depended on it, because in a way it did, as he called for their rescue.
"You have to get-"
"Natasha will handle it. Come on." He took his helmet off, kicking his shield aside, as he placed his hand on her wound, dragging her onto his lap
"Cricket O'Riley, man!" Whining painfully, Peggy tried to pull back, but Steve held her firmly.
"Stop being so stubborn and let me take care of you once." Steve complained, holding her against him as his other hand tried to keep the bleeding.
Slowly, her eyes started to shut. "You are so bloody annoying..."
"Hey, hey. Open your eyes, Peg." He shook her softly, trying to keep her awake. "Don't you dare do this to me."
"I just need to close--"
"No. Keep your eyes open, Carter." Steve kept trying to stir her awake, shaking her carefully. "Look at me. Tell me how bloody stupid I am."
"Oh, darling... You are the most bloody stupidly beautiful thing I have ever seen." She grinned, feeling her mind drift away. "I feel funny."
"Stay with me, okay? They're coming for us."
"My darling, my angel... I'm seeing the light, Steve." The minute she fainted, the helicopter came behind Steve, with bright lights to find them. But even then he couldn't breath calmly.
The minute Peggy woke up, Steve was standing right there, in front of her, and he hurried to her, holding her hand. Careless that they were probably being watched. But he hadn't left her side, so he wasn't about to go away now.
"Hey..."
"Hi..." She said weakly. But she smiled.
"How do you feel?"
"Dizzy." She tugged onto his hand, as the other reached for her stomach.
"They did a surgery, you got shot."
"How was it?" Peggy sighed, clearly bothered. Whining as she tried to seat up but the pain made her stop.
"You're a tough girl." She gave him a smug smile which made him chuckle. "But keep lying down, please."
She grunted, but didn't move, losing her eyes then. When Steve tried to move away, she held him there and he couldn't help but flush.
"Steve."
"Yes?"
"Thank you..."
Silence.
But he was smiling too now, caressing her hand with his thumb.
"Took you long enough, huh."
"I can still kick you." She opened one eye, raising a brow at him.
"I love you, too."
And she did too.
So they sealed it with a kiss.