Love and Medicine

twenty four

Tony, Steve, and your roommates kindly took turns taking care of you. Steve was clearing wearing himself out trying to be with you as much as he could, even after long operations. You tried to get him to go home and sleep, or go straight to sleep when he got to your place, but he was insistent that he make sure that you were completely taken care of first. It was nice, being taken care of and sleeping next to the man you were so head over heels for. Even after everything you both had put each other through.

You still had one more week before you were allowed to go back to work. But you didn't care. You were getting bored now and you needed something to do. So you woke up before Steve to get ready for rounds. You exited the connecting bathroom to your room, trying to do so quietly, when Steve turned on the lamp on the stand next to his side of the bed.

"What do you think you're doing?" He asked, clearly already in the know and unimpressed.

"I'm going to work," you responded with a shrug.

He sat up fully, allowing the blankets to fall off his bare chest. "No you're not. You still have one more week."

"Yeah, well, I'm feeling fine and I don't want to spend another day at home."

"You are not going to work."

"I can if I want to."

"No you can't."

"Steve-"

"Don't make me call Tony. Or worse, Pepper."

You looked up at Steve with a straight face, eyebrows raised, trying to see if he was serious. He was definitely giving you his best 'I'm in-charge and super serious' stare. You sighed, shoulders slumping.

"I just don't want to sit around anymore," you said softly. You kneeled on the bed, facing Steve. "Can't I at least go and watch you perform surgery today? I'm falling behind by being out of the game like this."

"I'm sorry," he reached out and took one of your hands, "I'm meeting with Peggy and our lawyers today."

"Oh, yeah... I forgot about that."

"And we can't reschedule again. I need... we need for this to be behind us."

"How long do you think it will take?"

"I honestly have no idea." His thumb rubbed against the back of your hand. "It may take more than today to get it all situated. I promise to bring back dinner."

"Yeah..." You nodded. "Okay."

"Come here." Steve tugged at your arm and you crawled over to him. His free hand came up to hold your head and he guided you into a short but sweet kiss.

"You still owe me a date, Rogers."

"I haven't forgotten, don't worry."

"Good." You glanced at the clock sitting on the nightstand behind Steve. "You should probably get ready."

"Yeah. Don't want to be late."

He pecked your lips before slipping out of bed. You bit your lip as you watched Steve, dressed only in grey sweatpants, go around the bed and into the bathroom. When the door shut, you fell onto the bed. Another day of doing nothing. How fun for you. You sighed, closing your eyes. You listened to Steve get ready for the day. When he was finished up, he opened the bathroom door and couldn't help the small chuckle that slipped from his lips.

"Are you going to change?" He asked.

"Nope," you said. "If I can't go to work, wearing scrubs all day in the house is what I'm going to do."