Vices, Valour and Avengers

Chapter Thirteen: Captain Cautious

Steve set Charlotte down as soon as they were in their room.

He'd insisted on carrying her for most of the way back, taking in the exhausted expression on her face and realising exactly how drained she was if her slowed and hesitant movements were anything to go by.

His hand reached up and checked the wound above her eye, and she let out a small whimper as he pressed a little too hard.

"Jesus Charlotte, what did you do?"

She let out a soft laugh, wincing as she moved too quickly toward the bathroom, picking up the spare change of clothes Hill had got delivered to their room on the way. "Some really stupid things."

"Well, it looks like it's healing," Steve said finally, his gaze raking over her appearance.

She looked down at her blood-stained skin and grimaced. "I need to shower," she responded, seeing him nod.

"Yell if you need anything," he said as she closed the door after her.

He stood there for a brief second before he heard a small whimper.

"Steve?" Charlotte called, watching as the super-soldier open the door and poke his head around the door frame to see Charlotte staring hopelessly at him. Her shirt was partially unbuttoned, and she was straining to reach her boots. It was clear the most of her movements caused pain.

"Do you need help?" he murmured.

Charlotte nodded, biting her lip as he gave her a reassuring smile while he stepped into the small bathroom. The bathroom was a standard toilet, vanity, and an open shower stall with a drain set on the bathroom floor. A small towel rail held two towels, a face washer and a small bath mat.

"I'm sorry, I wouldn't ask if I didn't need it. It just hurts too much to reach down, and my head spun at a very weird angle the moment I tried. I'll shower in my underwear, don't worry," she mumbled, seeing him blanch as he fully realised he was helping her undress before red stained his cheeks.

"It's okay," he said quietly, helping unbutton her blouse and noticing the deep purple and blue bruises forming around her ribs and stomach. He lowered a hand to her abdomen, seeing the distinct outline of knuckles on her skin. A much larger bruise spanned along the right side of her back, stretching from her hip to her shoulder. It made him hurt for her, and she let out a sharp breath as he touched it.

He undid her blood-crusted pendant, slowly wiping it off with a damp cloth so as not to accidentally damage the photographs inside.

Steve bent down to undo her boots and immediately spotted the blood splattered across them.

"Who did you make bleed?" he inquired softly, his eyes meeting Charlotte's as she looked down at him.

"I kind of... killed somebody," Charlotte whispered, her voice hoarse as a tear ran down her cheek. "I didn't have much of a choice- he almost killed me."

Steve remained silent as he pulled her boots off before helping her step out of her pants. Bruises covered her legs, his stomach turning as he realised how hurt she was. He hadn't been able to protect her from this.

"Steve," she said softly, reaching down to tilt his chin up with her fingers. She saw the pain in his expression as she stared down at him. "It wasn't your fault. I ran into the danger- it's on me."

"Yes, but you weren't supposed to be in that much danger to begin with, Charlotte," he said, his voice cracking slightly. "You almost died. And I left you."

She grinned slightly. "It's both our faults then," she replied, seeing him smile in return.

He watched her reach over to the shower and turn the water on, adjusting the temperature quickly. She winced at the movement of her shoulders, Steve standing to adjust it for her, watching her legs tremble as she stumbled under the warm water.