If this story seems familiar, you may have seen it in my other book of Steve Rogers x Readers stories. If you have already read it, you might want to read it again here because the next chapter is a follow up story to it.

I'm sorry I've been away for so long. The stories are still living in my head and begging to be let out. I've just had a lot of other obligations lately and I've been struggling with depression for a while now. Don't worry, I've gotten help and I'm getting better all the time. Sometimes life just comes at you and you have to call out for help. Thanks for being wonderful and loyal readers - I smile every time I get your fantastic comments and votes. It's truly a joy to be with other people who have the same interests so thank you for your friendship!

I do not own these characters, I just write them as a way to love and care for them. This story gets the good Captain's language warning.

Together (Steve Rogers x Reader)

Though he was nine feet away, the burning stare he was giving her from across the room was evident, even without Y/N lifting her head up to meet his dark, tired eyes.

His gaze followed her body as she paced back and forth, his lips pressed together, nearly in a frown. He knew her well but this stubborn side was unusual for her. Feeling a pang of anxiety in his chest, he shifted in his chair, sitting forward to lean his elbows on his knees.

"I know you're upset with me, I'm sorry," he sighed. "I..." His eyes redirected to the floor and he couldn't make himself continue speaking. He just didn't want to say what he'd stopped himself from saying to her so many times before.

Her body stopped moving immediately and she stared him down with icy eyes. "You're damn right I'm upset with you. You know I don't want to do this."

The words spewed from her curled lips and cut straight through his heart.

But he couldn't blame her or be upset with her. If she needed to be angry with someone right now, he was fine with being the fall guy. He rose out of his chair to walk towards her, taking in a quick, sharp breath before laying his hands on her shoulders. "I'm sorry, I really am. We both know this is what you have to do."

"Tony, I know you think you're smarter than everyone else but this is not how this needs to go down."

His chin fell to his chest quickly. Her sharp tone was tough for him to take.

She huffed angrily. "I'm tired of this conversation, completely tired of it!"

The backup information he was keeping from her finally seemed like the card he needed to play. He had a stinging gulp in his throat as he said, "Barnes agrees with me as well."

A pin dropping to the floor could have been heard just then, in fact, it would have shattered his ear drums. Tony even thought he could hear her heart beating. She turned from him without a word, walking towards the white door nearest to her. His heart in his throat, he watched her go, and she closed the door behind her silently.

Y/N breathed out hard, suddenly realizing she must have been holding her breath.

The familiar short hallway leading to her bedroom was lit dimly, only the color of the dark blue night bled through the curtains to light the way. Around the corner was the bed she shared with the unassuming, covered lump with wide shoulders who was laying in the middle of the mattress. As she stepped up to the bed, she could smell his aftershave mingling with the scent of freshly washed bed sheets.

A faint smile that she was unaware of played on her lips as she pulled the covers back to slip in, revealing his usual white bedtime t-shirt. She gently moved into the middle of the bed, searching out a spot close to him where she could feel his radiating warmth. As she pressed her thighs into the back of his and shimmied her face and arms to his upper back, he stirred quietly, gently rolling over to look at her.

"Hi, sweetheart," he whispered, his velvety voice shrouded in sleep. The tone of his voice made it evident that he was smiling at her already.

She wiggled closer to him, laying her head on the crease in the middle of his pecks. The aftershave scent was even more comforting up close, as her fingers played with the fabric of his shirt.

"You're too quiet," he said softly, rubbing her cheek. "Everything okay?"

A nod was all she could muster, her voice would surely give her away. She chose to happily sink into him more, feeling that hint of stubble from his neck pressed against her forehead. His hand rubbed her back, taking her fear away temporarily.

"Early to bed tonight," she finally commented.

"Yeah," he let out a tiny laugh, "I have to be up earlier than usual tomorrow for the flight to South Africa. What? - No old man jokes?"

"You're my favorite old man," she assured him. "I'll let it go this time."

As if the conversation had played already in her head, she was expecting him to ask and he did: "What are you going to do this weekend?"

"Oh, I don't know..." a lump began in her throat, "maybe catch a movie with Wanda. I hear Pepper's going to be around for a few days."

Steve's cheek nodded back and forth on her forehead. "I know you're disappointed that I have to go. I promise we'll pick a venue when I am back in a few days. I'm all yours." His tone shifted into more of a whisper. "We'll get in my truck and I'll take you any place you want to go see. I'm looking forward to it."

The thought of being cooped up in his truck for a day, driving to see wedding venues, sneaking her hand closer to his until he smiled down at it and scooped it up to bring it to his lips for a kiss made a smile come over her face.

"You know I want that more than anything," she confessed.

"You'll be the prettiest wife any guy could have - and I'm the lucky guy," he grinned.

Her head dipped back and her eyes focused on his face in the dark, finally seeing the soft smile he wore, along with the kind eyes that wrinkled as part of the smile package.

"Steve..." she whispered. An ache in her chest drove her voice up through her throat. "I love you more than you'll ever know." A tear broke away from her eye, rolling down her cheek, hot and stinging. "I don't want you to go!" her voice burst out of her, slightly panicked and completely honest.

"Aww, sweetheart," he growled into her as he bear hugged her shoulders. "I don't want to go either... but you know I have to."

"I know," she cried softly.

She let him hold her a moment before she gathered up her courage. "I have to say goodbye, Steve. I don't want to... but... I have to."

"I know, doll. I know." His grip on her tightened as his lips pressed into the top of her head. "And I will always, always love you."

"Love you more," she said as she softly broke his grip. She pressed a kiss to his lips before getting out of the bed.

"I'll see you later," she said, through a veil of tears, facing the bed before turning to walk to the door. "I'll always love you," she whispered to herself as her hand grazed the doorknob.

Y/N stepped out the door, the words "Binary Augmented Retro Framing" printed on the door appeared only a teary blur to her as she closed it.

Not but a few seconds later, she saw him coming towards her. "Tony!" she called out, thankful to see him, her sobs wracking her body hard.

Tony's arms encircled her tightly. "Aw, honey, I'm so sorry. I'm so, so sorry." His hot tears flowed against her face as she held to him with a grip like no other. "I love you so much... I didn't want to force you..."

"I know, Tony," she cried.

"It's just... you weren't grieving and you weren't moving on," his breath caught in his throat. "You were just stuck and..."

"Tony, I did it... and I hate myself. I said goodbye to him. I'll never see him again." Her cries were so hard, a light squeal came from her lips.

He squeezed her tighter to try to take some of her pain but there was nothing he could do. "I love you, kid. We all love you. I'd bring him back if I could. I'd move heaven and earth for you."

"I know," she sobbed, burying her face into his shoulder.

Tony became aware of movement just beyond them and he nodded to the large form moving into the room.

"Y/N, come here, honey," Bucky said, reaching for her, knowing he'd be holding her up just as soon as Tony turned her body into him.

She cried harder as she wrapped her arms around his waist, under his dark denim jacket where it was warm. His body swayed back and forth as he held her. She fit under his chin where he was gently pressing her, taking advantage of any grip he could get on her in case the pure grief caused her legs to give out on her. "He loved you so much."

She nodded quietly.

"And he knew how much you loved him, we all did... we all do still. He wouldn't want you to stop living, doll. He loved you too much for that."

"My head knows it... but my hhhh..." she sobbed, not able to finish the thought.

"The heart's trickier, I know." His arms tightened again, "It's okay, Y/N. I'm here for you. We're all here for you. It's been a tough year."

"You probably understand better than anyone," she said, looking up at him with glassy eyes. "How do we do this?"

An ache in his chest made him pause, looking for the right words to encourage his best friend's fiancee, in what was surely the most challenging time of her life. "I wish I knew. But we're together. And I know he wants you to be okay." He reached for her hand and pressed it flat against his chest, looking down at her with red eyes, he whispered, "We're going to do this together."

Laying in her bed a short time later, clutching a pillow to her, the words from years ago rang out in Y/N's head. And though that moment had been so tense at the time, she remembered it fondly. The sureness in his tone, the look on his face. She'd already been in love with him then and she'd never forget the day he'd said those words.

"And if we lose?"

"—Then we'll do that together, too."