Complicated (Reader Avengers Romance)

I hate it when I'm right

Walking through SHIELD headquarters wasn't something you wanted to do this morning. You wanted nothing more than to still be wrapped up in bed with the boys, yet here you were. Not bothering to knock you threw open the door. "Hey patchy, you wanted to see me?"
The sigh from him at the new nickname didn't go unnoticed, but Nick didn't say anything. He simply spun round in his chair, leaning on his crossed arms on the desk in front of you. "Last time we spoke, you refused to come back. Just seeing where you're at these days." He stated, his face giving away nothing.

It had been something you'd been thinking about for a while. He didn't know that, there was only one reason he'd want you back right now. "In other words, you heard about my powers and want me back." You folded your arms and gave him a pointed look.

His eyes didn't leave yours, whether he was going for intimidation or honesty, you weren't quite sure. "That's not what this is."

You scoffed. "You can't bullshit a bullshitter Nick."

He stood, leaning his hands on his desk. "You we're my best agent before these powers." He reminded you of the brief time you worked for SHIELD before you left.
With a sigh you shook your head. "What is it that you want?"

"I need you, and you need a distraction."

He was right, everything that had happened lately was threatening to consume you. Not that you'd told anyone that, they boys would only worry and they did enough of that at the moment. The thought of Loki and Bucky sent your mind wandering. You couldn't help but smile. "I have a supersoldier and a God that distract me plenty."

Nick rolled his good eye at you. "I didn't need to know that. Are you coming back or not?"

You thought about it. Sure the singing was fun but since Asgard, you'd not done that. Helping people. Taking down the bad guys. That felt good. "Sure, why not."

You could see how Nick was attempting to hold back a smile, his mouth twitching at the edges as he did. "Welcome back Agent Y/N. Go see Cap, he's got your first assignment."

***

Walking into the gym of the compound, you successfully managed to avoid Tony, at least for now. You knew you'd have to talk to him eventually but today was not that day. You found Steve away with his thoughts with the punching bag. You leant against the wooden support beam, waiting for him to finish. As the bag broke and flew across the gym you began to worry. Sure you'd had your differences in the past, but Steve had really been trying to make amends. So much so that you were slowly on your way to considering him a friend.
"Who pissed in your cornflakes?" You smiled getting his attention.

His eyes met yours, sweat dripping off him. "Y/N? Everything okay?"
You could see there was something going on, something that was bothering him. Not long ago you would've left him to it, but now, you wanted to be there for him. He'd helped you with finding a way to reconcile with Loki, you owed him, more than that. You wanted to help him. "We'll get to that. What's going on?"

He turned his back to you, beginning to unwrap his knuckles. "Nothing. I'm fine."

You couldn't stop the snort that came out of you. "Yeah and I'm a fucking well tempered unicorn."

"Language." He scolded, but a small smile appeared nonetheless. "I think I preferred it when you ignored me."

You shrugged your shoulders. "Yeah I get that a lot." You placed your hand on his arm, stopping him from stuffing things into his duffel bag. "What's wrong Steve?"

He closed his eyes, thinking about whether to tell you or not. There were just some things he kept to himself. Taking a deep breath he sat down on the bench and you joined him. "Did Buck ever tell you about the love of my life?" His eyes turned to you and you could see the unshed tears there.

You gently nodded your head, giving him a small smile. "Peggy right?"

"I found her. She's still alive." He watched your face as you opened and closed your mouth a couple of times. "Wow. That's-wow." You shook your head, before looking back at him. He hung his head, a defeated look across his face. "It would be if I was seventy years older." It was no secret that Steve had struggled since coming out of the ice. Finding out Bucky was alive had helped, but you knew, more than anyone that losing a love like that was hard. To find that person still alive but unable to be with them, you couldn't imagine his pain. "Wanna talk about it?" You offered.

A grateful smile crossed his face as he stood up. "Not yet, but thank you. So are you here about the mission?"

"Yeah, Nick said to come see you."

He picked up a file from next to his bag, handing it to you. "Here. Look it over, tell me what you think."

You took the file, scanning through the mission requirements. An old SHIELD data file, needed retrieving from a secret location. That's it? Find the data drive and bring it back?
"Intel? Since when does that require two of us?"

Relief washed over Steve, he wasn't overreacting after all. "There's something he's not telling us."

You didn't want to think that Nick knew something that would put you in harms way, but he was hardly the most forthcoming when it came to information. 'Compartmentalisation' he called it. You called it being a shady fucker.

Throwing the file back on the bench, you groaned. "Buck is just going to love this."

***

Retrieving the data drive had been easy. An old SHIELD storage facility, you'd disabled the cameras, the guards didn't have time to see you. They might have been SHIELD, but there was something going on. The less people that knew you were there. The better.

Something wasn't sitting right about this whole mission, you and Steve both knew it. Throwing on some normal clothes, you walked into the mall. Steve's head twitching, searching round to see if you were being watched. "Will you stop that? You'll draw attention to us." He threw his arm round your shoulders, giving off the illusion that you were a couple. "Are we sure not telling Fury is a good idea?"

"He's hiding shit from us Steve, I don't like it when people hide shit from me."

"Language." He scolded yet again.

"Really? That's what you're worried about right now?"

You both shared an awkward laugh before arriving at the tech shop you were aiming for. You could've decrypted the file at home, but that would've alerted SHIELD that you had it. For now, you needed somewhere that couldn't be linked to either of you.

Plugging the drive in, your hands skated over the keyboard. This was what you had missed, doing something that would hopefully help others. Steve kept an eye out, you could never be too careful in these situations. "I'm in."

"What's on it?" Steve asked, his eyes still floating around you.

"Give me a minute!" You snapped, trying to keep your voice low.

"We don't have a minute." Steve was becoming rapidly more on edge.

It took you a minute to load everything up. "I hate it when I'm right."

"Yeah me too."

You glared at him before running back through the data. You found what you were looking for. "Yeah this wasn't an intel run Steve." He peered over your shoulder at the location on the screen. Something clicked in the back of your mind, a story that Bucky once told you. New Jersey. "Wait. Steve? Isn't that?"

"Yeah." His eyes widened. He'd not been back there. "It is. Come on, we need to go."

You pulled the drive out and began walking away, your arm around his waist. The coast seemed to be clear. At least for now, you just had to get out of there quick enough.
Turning the the fire exit, you both slipped out. Steve raising his eyebrow as you 'borrowed' a car.
"What?" Your voice raised an octave. "Tony's cars have trackers in them. Do you want this to work or not?"

Steve sighed before moving you out of the way. "Fine. I'm driving."
You didn't have time to argue, admitting defeat you jumped in the passenger side. Steve started the engine and began driving like Miss Daisy.

Yeah I'm going to regret this.