You, the tiny shoeless doctor, sighed and sat up when the van stopped and the door slid open. It was just the shield agents telling you that you'd arrived. You huffed grumpily; you'd been comfortable and warm with your head pillowed on the soldier and now you had to give up you cuddle. And put you shoes back on. You sighed and slipped the rainboots on and climbed out of the van after Steve. You gathered your bags from the other van and started back to their rooms. "I know you mentioned that you don't want to live on shield property forever and I don't blame you. The offer stands that you can stay in my apartment, I have an extra bedroom..." You reminded Steve. You'd kept your apartment even after you'd been drafted by shield. "No pressure, though," you added quickly. You wouldn't force him to move in with you.

Steve looked down at you and saw you shift nervously as you waited for his answer."You're sure?" He asked.

You grinned in delight "Of course!" You exclaimed.

"Then if you really don't mind, I'd love too," Steve said and your grin grew larger than your face should have allowed. Steve smiled. Maybe he would get to see you smile a lot more. Maybe he could even be the reason.

You arrived at their rooms and split off into your separate rooms. You changed into soft pajama pants and a tank top, glad to be dry and unpacked from your trip. That done, you settled down on the bunk issued to you and began leafing through you book. It was one of your all-time favorites but something was off and you couldn't quite get into the story.

You finally realized why.

Steve wasn't there.

You were so used to Steve sitting next to you in the evenings, sketching or reading or just sitting while you read. The large super soldiers presence was reassuring. And now you didn't feel the comfortable weight of his arm on your knees, his warm presence at the other end of the sofa. And it was a lonely feeling

So you padded barefoot out of your room to Steve's room. You knocked quietly and waited for him to let you in. Steve came to the door with a hard expression but it melted when he saw you clutching you worn and obviously well-loved book. "Could I read in here?" You asked in a small voice.

"Of course." Steve replied warmly and stepped away from the door to let you in. You saw his automatic scanning of the hallway behind you as you slipped in, always alert of potential danger.

His room was more furnished than your was. You had neglected to move anything from your apartment into your shield room, since you weren't planning on living here forever. Steve had a bedspread other than standard regulation, a dark navy blue that fit him. A bookshelf with some books and various odds and ends, a record collection and player. He also had some draft posters hung on the walls. Mixed in with the 40's memorabilia was some modern additions. A starwars movie poster (you had watched it together and Steve had fallen in love) as well as a coffee maker and mini fridge.

Steve moved over to the record player and put on some soft jazz. You didn't know the artist as jazz wasn't something you usually listened to, but it was relaxing. You settled on the couch as usual and Steve sat at the other end by her feet. He smiled when you tucked your freezing toes under his warm leg and his arm rested across your knees. You laid her head back and began reading, content in your quiet activity with the soldier.

You read together in Steve's room for a long while. It was a nice relaxing way to end the evening, even if you didn't speak while you were both enjoying your own quiet activities. Plus your toes didn't get cold when they were under the very warm super soldier. The music from the record player was soothing. You didn't know exactly when your eyes closed so you could focus on the music. You really didn't know when you couldn't reopen them again to return to your book. It was just so safe and comfortable around the super soldier and you'd had a hard day being stressed out from the fight. You weren't used to fighting or being in that much danger and you were more worn out than you'd like to admit. As noticed by the fact that you fell asleep on Steve's couch, you book falling to her lap as you did.

Steve peered down at the sleeping girl. His girl. No, not yet. He reminded himself but soon. He really truly loved everything about you though. You kind, didn't move too fast for him despite being clearly smarter. You knew how to calm him down, even when he didn't realize he needed calming. And, you had stepped out in front of men with guns, to help a stranger.

He lifted you up effortlessly in his arms and walked carefully to you room. You stirred a little and he made a soft shhing noise to soothe you back to sleep. Your head rested on the perfect place on his shoulder as he cradled you in his warm safe arms. You were safe in the soldier's arms and safe with him. He wouldn't do anything to hurt you. He'd accepted the strangeness of having a girl with magic as friends... or more if that kiss was any indication. There was a soft relaxed smile on you face when he laid you in bed and tucked the blanket around you, brushing your hair back from your face when you were safely in your now bed.

And he may or may not have snuck a kiss on you forehead.

"Steve," you breathed, you whispered voice a soft caress and a gentle smile on your peacefully sleeping face.

Every fiber of his being screamed to stay. To hold you. To keep you safe while you slept, but he didn't. It would break your trust in him if he stayed uninvited. "Yes, it's me. Goodnight, doll," he bid you softly, his voice a whisper. He left the room, though it took all of his willpower. Even as he went to bed, as he lay there in the dark, his whole being pleaded to return to his best girl. Grudgingly he fell asleep.

*

The next morning you looked up from your breakfast in the mess to smile up at Steve as he approached the table. "Amazing how no matter where I fall asleep in the house, I wind up in my own bed," you commented, by way of greeting as you had a few mornings while you were staying in the cabin. Especially after you'd fallen asleep on the couch and ended up waking in you bed inexplicably.

"Funny how that works," Steve chuckled in reply as he took across from you at your table. "You're welcome to read with me any time," Steve blurted out. He'd leaned to do that with more suave. Then you looked up at him with your big beaming smile and Steve's insides were gone. Just gone. Like he thought he might have died and gone to heaven if it weren't for the pungent aroma of steamed vegetable glop filling the room. "I mean, only if you want to, you don't have to um..." He stuttered.You gave him a bright smile and leans across the table to kiss his cheek.

Then you smirked at the very red Steve. Over a simple little cheek kiss at that. What was he going to do if you got up the courage to kiss him for real? "I sure hope I'm allowed to read with you," you teased "seeing as you're moving in to my apartment and we'll be sharing a living room where the reading tends to occur," you glared at the vegetable glop on your tray "I can't wait to move back home. The food is way better even if I have to cook it myself," you grumbled. "At least the coffee here is drinkable"

Steve let out a laugh. Far louder than he intended it to be. A few conversations around you stopped and the agents turned to look at you. Floor, hole, Steve. You looked at him with amusement. "I could do with some drinkable coffee right about now..." he grumbled.

You giggled and pressed his mug of coffee into his hands. "Here, this should help, silly winghead," you teased him. "Dare I ask what has you in such a snit this morning?"

Steve quieted and stared down at the glop on his tray. He shook his head and quickly drank the coffee. You shook her head with a smile and returned to you own seemingly regurgitated breakfast.

You both finished your breakfast quickly and went to the gym. You'd fallen into a routine of sorts at the cottage and when there was nothing better to do it seemed pointless to shake it up. Although as you ran through the drills (barley even drills since you still sucked) a thought chewed on the back of Steve's mind. Would you want to date him? He was damaged, PTSD ridden. An old war vet. Transplanted from a different time. There was no way he could he good enough for you. And yet, something about your smile stood as a little drop of hope. That maybe he could be better with you. That maybe he would be enough for you.

You had to keep most of her attention on the drills. You weren't very good yet, since you'd only had a few weeks of practice. Really, it was a miracle you could even throw a proper punch. While you were working, you wondered if he would ever want to date you either. When you first met him, he'd been so hung up on his lost love. You could never replace the woman he'd lost when he went into the ice. You'd been careful not to pressure him, to try to stick to purely a friendship, unless he wanted more. But he'd kissed you. Didn't that indicate he wanted more? He hadn't made any indication that he wanted to repeat the experience, though. Was he too afraid? Or did he not want you?

Your drills finished and you still hadn't decided what to do. And you had a shift in the medbay. So you did something stupid and reckless. And stupid. You bounced up on your toes and kissed him, extremely lightly, just a chaste peck on the lips. "I'll see you later, soldier," you told him with a grin that lit up your entire face and moved to flee before you had to possibly face seeing the rejection or horror on his face from being kissed

Steve reached out more quickly than you could even see to grab your wrist. You looked down at your feet as he moved to stand in front of you. You were expecting a lecture on how rude it was to just kiss someone without permission. Instead, his fingers went under your chin and he lifted your chin gently, just enough for you to see the look of adoration on his face. You gave him a small tentative smile and he leaned in and kissed you properly and you couldn't help melting into the gentle warmth of your super soldier. He broke the kiss and stepped backwards with a goofy grin slapped on his face. He gave you a mock salute. "Whatever you say!" He laughed.

You giggled at his silly antics afterwards. "We'll go out and get some real food after my shift, winghead. I don't think either of us can stand another meal of vegetable glop," you teased. "Tell Fury you're moving out soon, would'ya?" You continued teasing and rushed off to grab a quick shower before you started your shift

Steve walked up to Fury's office. He was sick of the man so he might just take your. He walked right in. "Captain you know ya gotta knock man?" Fury deadpanned.

"Yes sir, but this will be quick. I'm moving out, sir," Steve said cutting to the chase.

"Where on Earth will you go? " Fury asked.

"I have a feeling that you know. But if it's all the same to you sir, I'm leaving tomorrow." Steve said. Fury nodded curtly and settled back at his desk. Steve turned and walked out. Getting to the infirmary wasn't hard. Getting there without the tiny doctor who ran the place noticing, well that was another story. Though today, Steve made it. He saw his tiny adorable doctor working on replenishing some IV bags. It was a quiet day since one of the agents were doing anything stupid today, so you got to do boring mindless tasks and daydream about kissing Steve. It was a pleasant way to spend the morning. He walked up behind you and kissed the top of your head while you were lost to a daydream. "I told him I'd leave tomorrow." He whispered into your ear.

You turned to face him and grinned up at him after his whisper in your ear sent a shiver down your spine. "That's great news! Fury wasn't too upset with you, was he?" You asked him, always so concerned about him and his well being. "Regardless, we best pack. Just imagine, real food and comfortable beds~" you purred at the idea

"No, he wasn't terribly upset. And I believe that once you get off shift we pack, blow this joint and then take naps in real beds?" He offered. He wrapped his arms around your waist to pull you into a hug. You were small, seemingly fragile, but he knew for a fact that you weren't. He had been sad about Peggy, but somehow you had washed all that away. "How would you feel about coming with me to visit Peggy? I don't know if I could go alone..." He murmured his voice trailing off. "If not that's fine, but I think she might like to meet you." He finished resting his head on yours.

Your arms wrapped automatically around his waist and you laid your head on his chest, comfortable in his arms and in his presence. You seemed small and fragile in comparison to the super soldier, but you had her own strength. "Of course I'll come with you to visit Peggy," you'd heard all about his lost love over your weeks together. "Is that before or after our naps in real beds?" You teased, looking up at him to stick you tongue out at him, determined to keep him in a good mood

"Oh God, naps in real beds sound fantastic. How about I move my things and we go visit her tomorrow?" He suggested. "I wouldn't want to spoil such enticing promises of sleep." He added. You smiled up at your silly super soldier. He grinned down at you in reply. Untangling himself from you he gave you a silly salute. "Back to work, soldier" he mock ordered causing you to double over in a fit of giggles.

You erupted into helpless giggles. "Not a soldier!" You reminded him with a smirk. "Now get out of here before I get bored and decide you need a physical," you teased and turned to get back to work

At the threat of a physical, Steve bolted from the room. He walked up to his room and began putting all of his things in boxes. He wasn't sad to leave. But he was excited to have a tiny adorable doctor to read with all the time.