Something was off, that you knew. Since the moment you met, Steve has been comfortable and easy-going around you, but he's been distant the last two weeks. He's been skipping movie night, and he doesn't even join you for late night Scrabble games anymore. You've tried to give him his space, but he still seems upset about something, and you can't help but think the problem is you.

You wake up in the morning to the inviting sound of Natasha screaming at you.

"Y/N! Briefing room in five minutes!" she yelled. You groaned and rolled out of bed, throwing on some sweats and a t-shirt. You didn't even bother with your appearance, other than quickly running a brush through your hair.

When you got to the briefing room you sat across the table from Steve and gave him a small smile, only to have him avert his eyes to the ground. This slightly annoyed you, but yet again you brushed it off. You turned your attention to Natasha, who was pointing to a big screen that displayed a HYDRA base located in Sweden.

"The mission is to get into the control room and shut down the communications system, allowing Y/N to access the main computer. She will retrieve the files and everyone will use the south exit," she states. "We'll all be in pairs. Y/L/N and Rogers, Stark and Thor, Barnes and Barton, Wilson and I. Hill, you're hacking into the security cameras to keep everyone updated. Is that good with everyone?"

Everyone nods, except Steve.

"Could I possibly switch partners?" he asks quietly. You give him an incredulous look.

"Sure, we'll just throw off the entire plan, no big deal," Natasha groans. Steve looks at you through his eyelashes. You simply scoff and roll your eyes at him. He almost looks hurt. Whatever.

"We leave in two hours," Natasha says, and with that everyone files out of the room. Just as you're leaving, you feel a hand on your arm.

"Y/N wait." You whip around and see Steve holding onto your bicep with a sorrowful look in his eyes. "I-"

"Save it," you interrupt coldly.

"But-" he starts. He didn't even get to finish because you yanked your arm from his grasp and continued to the elevator. As you walked away he looked like he was near tears, but you couldn't care less at the moment.

- - - - -

The quinjet landed smoothly in a forest and you walked out with your new partner, Clint. You approached the door slowly.

"How many guards are in there Y/N?" Clint asked. You used a heat radar to scan the room you were about to break into.

"Three," you state. "Ready?"

"You bet," he said. Right then he busted open the door. The guards quickly turned to you, but before they could even lift their guns they were on the ground, taken out by Clint.

"Y/N, how close are you to the control room?" Natasha asks out of breath.

"Down the hall," you answer. "Hill, what's the status on the mainframe?"

"There are five guards, each has a machine gun. Think you can handle them?" Maria asks.

"No need," Tony interrupts. You're just around the corner when you hear several blasts and gunshots echoing off the walls. By the time you reach the control room, Tony is standing there surrounded by unconscious guards.

"Well don't just stand there," he says. This snaps you back into reality, and you quickly rush to plug the hard drive into the mainframe. As the files start downloading, you hear more guards yelling in the distance.

"Rogers, you and the rest of the gang would be greatly appreciated in the south wing," Tony says sarcastically.

"Headed your way," Steve grunts. You start wondering what's going on where he is, but then you remember that you have a mission, and he's being a jerk.

"How far along are the files?" Barnes asks.

"Twenty-five percent," you reply nervously. The voices in the hallway are getting closer. "Would you guys mind picking up the pace?"

Just then, a guard busted into the room and held a gun to your head.

"Destroy the drive, now!" he demanded.

"I would lower the gun right about now if I were you,"Tony warned, an iron hand directed at the guards face.

"What makes you think I'm going to-" the guard starts, but is interrupted by Steve's shield hitting him on the side of the head. A beep sounds from the mainframe, and the screen shows a 100% download. You yank the hard drive out of the port and stand up.

"Let's go," you command. You, Clint, Tony and Steve start headed for the south exit, and as soon as you get outside the bullets start raining down. Steve is running behind you, blocking the bullets with his shield, but he fails to block the one that embeds itself in your thigh. You ignore the pain, though it's nearly impossible, and keep running.

Suddenly a ball of fire starts flying through the air directed right at you.

"Get down!" Steve screams. You roll forward on the ground and the fireball lands in the nearby trees. Despite the now worsening pain, you kept running, but now the rest of the team had made it onto the closing gate of the quinjet, to your dismay, the gate was already starting to close.

"Hurry up!" Natasha screams.

"I'm trying!" you yell back. By now, the gate is already a few feet in the air. With a blood curdling scream you jump, allowing Steve and Sam to grab your arms and pull you up. You're gasping for air when they lay you down on the floor of the air craft.

"Good job, Y/N," Steve smiles. You scoff again, and hurt registers on his face. You want to tell him off, but you're hurried off to the med bay.

"Geez Capsicle," Clint says. "Whatever you did, you'd better apologize now. That girl is practically glowing red."

Steve looks at the ground and sighs, "I know."

- - - - -

When you wake up you can hear a beeping sound, and when you open your eyes you see Steve sitting in a chair next to what you can only presume is a hospital bed. He's hunched forward, staring at your hands like he's looking for a sign of movement. You wanted to be happy that he was waiting for you to wake up, but you were still quite angry with his behavior.

"What do you want?" you demand. He looks shocked.

"I-I wanted to make sure you were ok. You're my best friend and-"

"Are you kidding me Rogers?!" you yell. "You've been ignoring me for weeks and refusing to even look at me!"

"Y/N."

"I tried to give you your space, but no!"

"Y/N..."

"Mr. Ignores-his-friends-for-no-reason decides he wants to switch partners because he's a big fat mmm!" Before you can even finish your sentence, Steve has you locked in a sweet yet passionate kiss. After a few seconds, he pulls away and looks into your eyes.

"Well that was... unexpected," you mumbled.

"Y/N, let me explain. Yes, I've been ignoring you, but not for the reason you may think. Seeing you spend time with all the other guys, having fun, laughing, sitting together... it just makes me feel like I don't have a chance," he admits.

"Steve, what are you talking about?" you inquire, completely confused.

"I like you Y/N, I have for a long time, I just wasn't sure how to say it. I mean, I'm just some old guy who can't even use a phone, so I figured you'd much rather be with someone like Clint. If I had let you finish, you would have called me an idiot, a jerk, maybe even a child, and you would have been right. I'm sorry Y/N," he explained, hanging his head.

"Was that so hard to say?" you grinned.

"What?" he asked incredulously.

"Come here," you giggled. He leaned back into you, and you reached up, bringing his face back down to yours.

"I like you too," you smile, connecting your lips with his again, this time with more desire.

"I should confess my love more often," Steve laughed.

"That you should," you agreed.

- - - - -

Clint's POV

"Pay up, Tony," I said. Tony grumbles as he places a twenty in my hand.

"Whatever, Cupid," Tony mumbles.

"He who holds the arrows holds the wisdom, tin man," I smirked.

"Shut up."