Little Star // a Steve Rogers, Captain America, Avengers story

Snow

Ellie surfaced from the internet hours later, just before midnight, knowing much more about the man on her living room floor. Tragic was the word that came to mind as she considered the life he had led. Also valiant, decent, honest, and selfless. And yet tragic was what stayed with her. The pain he had endured, physical and psychological, would have killed anyone else long, long ago. She wondered if the powers of healing that kept his body in its state of perfection also affected his mental health. He was fascinating.

She went upstairs to brush her teeth and change into pajamas, and brought the comforter from her bed down to the sofa. Having made herself comfortable, she was beginning to drift off when a loud 'crack' from Steve's body jolted her awake. Turning on a light to see him better, she noticed one leg, that had looked slightly bowed earlier, no longer was. Before her eyes, the other leg snapped straight with a 'pop!' that made her cringe.

Still unconscious, he began to breathe with short, strained gasps. Ellie almost pressed her thumbs to the phone, but hesitated, realizing that this was most likely another sign of healing.

Less than a minute later, this time in silence, Steve's back arched, then relaxed to lay normally on the floor. His breathing became even and deep, his entire body seeming to rest comfortably. As he began to snore softly, she knew he was no longer unconscious, but sleeping soundly.

Ellie moved to sit next to him, shamelessly examining his features. His eyes moved under their lids and the thick and straight lashes, dark golden brown like his gently curved eyebrows, brushed against his cheeks. A bit of a bump at the bridge of his long, straight nose gave it character. And his mouth... that bottom lip... firm and full and very smooth. It gave her the best kind of shivers.

As the clock on her mantel struck one, Ellie knew she needed to rest. Turning off the light, she made a cocoon of her comforter and within minutes her own quiet snores joined those of the healed man on the floor.

*****

Ellie opened her eyes as the sun, breaking through the trees across the street and in through the picture window of the living room, hit her face. Steve was an arm's length from her, sitting cross-legged, smiling.

"You look so beautiful in the morning light."

Embarrassed, as well as flattered, she replied, "Thank you. How do you feel?"

"Great. That was a bad one, but my body did exactly what it's meant to do."

"It was interesting. And horrible. I saw your legs mend. And heard them. Your back too, but that didn't make any noise. You snore."

"So the team tells me. I'm pretty sure you were humming earlier this morning."

"I probably was. I've done it since I was little. My mother said I was such a happy child that I even hummed in my sleep. I didn't talk, did I?"

"No. Do you do that as well?"

"Rarely, but when I do there's a reason. Usually confessions. When things were really bad ten years ago I did it a lot. Brains are amazing."

"You're amazing." He was absentmindedly twining a lock of her hair around his fingers. "It wasn't fair of me to arrive in that condition. I can't thank you enough for taking care of me. I hope someday I'll be able to repay you."

"Please don't say that. You're not in my debt. Taking care of people is what I do – what I love."

"No debt then, only gratitude." As he spoke, Steve noticed that his phone was on the table.

"Did you take this out of my pocket, or did I drop it?"

"I took it out, and I made a new friend. I might have been a little concerned when it became evident that you were unconscious, not just sleeping. More like I might have panicked. So I thought your fancy phone might help somehow, and it did. Happy's my pal now."