Touch Me I'm Going to Scream // [Stucky]

Chapter 14

Steve isn't sure what he's looking at or what is tickling his face until he blinks away the remnants of sleep. His arm secures its hold around the warm body and Steve buries his face in the dark hair, inhaling the scent of shampoo and something else that must be James. The man mumbles something about an eel eating his shoe and Steve has to hold in a laugh.

The windows are darkened but there is still some light for Steve to discern the furniture. If it were any other day, Steve would be getting out of bed, but this morning is different.

James moves in Steve's arms, restless, and Steve whispers words he hopes are soothing. He settles after a few minutes, tension leaving his body and Steve can sense the muscles unclenching and leaning against Steve's chest.

The warmth under the blankets is enticing and Steve doesn't want to move from his position even though his right arm feels numb from spending the night lying on it. Steve rubs James' arm, making sure it doesn't get cold. He covers it with his own and James shifts to his back. Steve keeps them flush together and James lets out a peaceful sigh.

Steve had expected the sleeping arrangement to help but he hadn't got his hopes up. Looking at James' slack face, devoid of any stress lines, Steve realizes how much this has actually helped James. His fingers graze the parts of James' face that tend to wrinkle with stress, now smooth. What Steve wants to see again are the laugh lines that appear around James' eyes when he smiles.

James scrunches his nose as an effect of fingers tickling his face and Steve burrows his hand back under the blankets. He settles it around James' middle and decides that he can sleep for a few more hours.

The second time he wakes up isn't that pleasant. Steve finds himself pinned on his back with a heavy weight pushing down on his chest.

"Steve," someone hisses and Steve needs a moment to identify the voice.

He blinks up at the wide back that's in front of him.

"What-what is going on?" Steve questions his reality. The person doesn't move from his spot. Steve blinks away the cobwebs of sleep and finally recognizes James.

"You tell me," Natasha fires back. Steve can't see her because James is positioned between the two of them.

Steve sits up on the bed, James getting his weight off Steve's chest and shuffling forward on the bed. Steve rubs at his eyes. "What time is it?" There is light streaming in the bedroom, windows not dark anymore.

"Ten," answers a different voice. Tony.

Steve frowns; what is everyone doing here? He makes to move around James when the man himself raises his hand and pushes Steve back. Steve tumbles backwards on the bed, a silly image of a turtle on its back.

"What..." he huffs out.

"He's been on guard dog mode since we woke him," Tony says though it doesn't clear anything up.

"Don't call him a dog," Steve snarls before he can think his words over. It leaves the room in silence.

Steve climbs to his knees and inspects the situation he's woken up to. His attention is first drawn to James. The man is crouching on the bed, muscles visibly taut under his clothes and body ready to spring into action. Steve wants to see his face, read his expression and understand why he's behaving like this. Who exactly does he identify as the enemy in this situation?

Past James is Natasha, Tony, and Barton, as well. Nat's eyes are trained on Steve but he knows she's vigilant of James. Her arms are crossed in front of her chest and Steve sees the flexed muscles the same way he's aware of the anger flashing in her eyes. On the other hand, Barton and Tony are attentive to James and aren't hiding it. Steve believes Tony has already activated one of his armors to aid them if anything were to happen.