˗ˏˋ romanogers oneshots ˎˊ˗

unconditional love

She didn't need a reason for her actions. She knew she loved him and somehow that was everything. She had sworn to fury to protect him till her day he died and that was a promise she intended to keep. But that wasn't something fury needed to tell her to do, she would have done so for him anyways.

They had always been close, and they always had a bond like no other. Closer than friends, but not lovers. And somehow, they acted like an old married couple. Everyone could see it. From the way they managed the team to the way they interacted with each other. He was in charge of everyone, but she was in charge of him. It was always how it had been. And it was going to stay that way, and she tried her best.

She always told herself that he was her best friend, and she would do anything for him. And that was true. She was his comfort in the bad and the good days. She walked through storms and fires for him, some more literal than others. They always fought side by side, and you would almost never see one without the other.

They worked well together, despite her not getting along with most others. She was quiet but fearsome, he was commanding but a big softie at heart. You would think that in a case like this they would clash, but that wasn't the case. They fit together perfectly, like two pieces of a puzzle meant to complete each other. He was her saving grace, and she was his.

It was later when she realised it was that she had loved him somewhere along the way, and that love was always going to be unconditional and that no matter what he did to hurt her and no matter how he pushed her away, she always came back for him. Because she loved him too much to let him go.

They may have started as co-workers, but somehow that relationship quickly progressed into friendship. And that friendship was magnificent like no other, in which they trusted one another and had each other's backs. And the way they opened up and allowed themselves to be vulnerable around each other. He was the only one who had ever seen her cry and she was the only one who could calm his nightmares. And somehow along the way they fell in love, by some means or not, they did. But they both had a good thing going that neither wanted to ruin, so they let their friendship stay that way, with the occasionally flirty comments from one another.

But she didn't notice the way he looked at her with a twinkle in his eye when they were together with the team. And she didn't know how lovingly he talked to others about her, about how she was fearless and passionate. He didn't realise how she smiled quietly at him while he led the team, or how she would stay up some nights just to make sure he was okay.

They were undercover once, at a dance, and while they were reminiscing about the old days, she couldn't help but notice how his fingers brushed ever so slightly on her back and she liked how it felt. He noticed how she would brush her fingers ever so slightly on his neck while fixing his tie but didn't point it out. It was little things and little touches that allowed them to find comfort in one another.

They had a bottle of wine from fury, which they promised to open after a mission that was worse than the last, but between keeping up with the team, paperwork and more missions, there wasn't much time for relaxation. And so, the bottle of wine sat in a box, under his desk in his office.

The same desk where the two often discussed tactical plans as well as personal lives. The same desk where the two had their little therapy sessions with each other. The same desk where he would find her perched up on some days, staring at the plans on the wall and making little amendments to him. He enjoyed watching her do that, and occasionally left out little details in his plans so that he could have her fix them. She didn't know that, of course.

He had asked her once why she never left his side. Her only reply was, "I'll always have your back, because I know you'll always have mine too," she had smiled at him that day, one of the rare times she smiled. Though, he did note that while she rarely smiled, most of her smiles had been for him, and only him. And he liked that thought.

She liked the way his voice softened when he talked to her. He was a leader when he was with the team, but when he was with her, he was gentle, soft, and subtle. He treated her like a queen, making sure to consider her opinion before making a decision. He trusted her with everything, from the little things to the deepest darkest secrets. She wasn't one to trust easily, but the way he trusted her enabled her to trust him.

"If it was down to me to save your life, would you trust me to do it?" she had asked once.

"I would." was his straightforward, simple answer.

She was a little insecure at times, but it was his answers like these and his trust in her that helped restore her faith in humanity a little, just a little. A little of everything was a good balance between them. He knew what she disliked, and while he didn't push her most times, she ended up doing them just a little, only because it would make him happy. And she found herself enjoying it more than she would have liked, much to her surprise.

She hated it when he kept the details of his death from her, and how his body was failing him. The years of fighting was wearing him out, and he was dying. But she was the last one to find out. And when she knew that she knew why.

"You can't die. Not yet. You can't leave me. You can't leave us." she tried to reason, staying for the team.

But he was insistent on his decision. He had spent one too many lifetimes fighting and didn't want to hold on any longer.

That's when she confessed. "You don't get to make that decision alone. That decision is made with the people who love you. And that's me. I love you." she was taken aback by the words she had just let flow out of her mouth, and disappointed that she had let her emotions overwhelm her.

Their next few interactions were a little awkward. "You can't just throw me under the bus like that." he states as she turns and leaves, ignoring his words.

It takes them a few days to process their feelings, as if years of dancing around it wasn't enough. But while shielding her on a mission, he grabs her by the waist and kisses her. Sparks fly. She feels butterflies.

And that's when she knows. And he knows. They've always loved each other. A little late for that realisation, but at least it finally came. 

A/N: yes im writing again. and yes im writing in class when im meant to be doing work. but  couldn't help it when i was inspired by the song in class??!! anyways if youve watched aos you will get loads of these references. and if you haven't spoiler alert, this is the story of philinda oop. also i realised how i never explicitly stated names in this cause its all borrowed from philinda with a touch of romanogers so yknow- yeahhh anyways enjoy vote comment babes and lmk your thoughts. and yes i did say he was going to die but i didn't write his death. not yet. so be grateful for now hmmmpt. and also i read back on my previous stories and le gasp theyre shite but ayy at least theres improvement yeahh??