Sheilded (Steve x reader)

10.

"Why is she suddenly defending him?" Tony muttered, his head was in his hands. Him, Nat and Steve were sat in the kitchen. Drinking. After you'd passed out Bucky had left you in your room to recover before disappearing to the gym to burn off the shame.

"She wouldn't do it for any other reason than its the right thing to do." Nat said sipping from the glass. "She has no emotional connection to him strong enough to defend him out of fear of what would happen if she didnt." Tony turned to Steve who was staring into his glass.

"What do you think Captain?" He asked. Steve looked up, as if Tony had made him jump.

"I cant think about anything apart from that prophecy." He said quietly. "I cant believe she never told anyone, or at least never told you." He said meeting Tony's carmel eyes. Tony glanced at Nat.

"Its just a prophecy Steve. I doubt it will come true." Nat said squeezing his arm. Steve shook his head.

"But think about, she does have the power to save or destroy the world. Controlling people's minds. She can do anything, so that's the first part come true already." Nat sighed, as she saw Tony's face flash with fear.

"Your overthinking it, they probably told her that to scare her. They wouldnt, and couldnt know that that would be the case. And even if it is, we'll find a way to stop it. I promise." Tony nodded, but he looked ill. Steve just drowned the rest of his drink.

"Its shit." He said standing. "I can't even get drunk." He walked away leaving Nat and Tony shocked. He never swore.

~~~

You woke up, slowly. Your eyes adjusting to the light. You glanced at your phone, you'd slept all through the night. It was nearly lunch time now, but you didnt feel strong enough to go and get food. Even though your stomach was growling.

"Jarvis?" You croaked.

"Yes miss?" You moved your tangled hair from your face.

"Can you tell Dad I don't feel well but I'm starving....and I love him."

"Yes miss." You lay still, your eyes closed. Your head was pounding, this happened when you went inside your own head. For some reason you were unable to focus there.

You dont know how long it had been, when a soft knock on the door broke you from your thoughts. "Come in." You croaked. Tony opened the door with his shoulder. A tray balanced in his hands. He looked tired, and slightly hung over. He was still in his pyjamas and clearly hadn't been up long. "Sorry if I woke you." You said sheepishly.

He rolled his eyes. "It doesn't matter." You propped yourself up in the pillows. He carefully blanced the tray on your knees, before climbing over you to sit beside you in bed. "I made your favourite." He said gesturing to the tray. "Pancakes, with bacon and syrup. Just the way you like them, with raspberries." You smiled.

"Thanks Dad." You took the fork from the tray and began eating.

"I love you too kid." He said kissing your head. "But I am going to steal a few bites of those." You laughed and handed him the spare fork. "Jarvis put a movie on." He said his mouth full.

"A horror." You added, watching Tony gulp before covering it up with a cough. You giggled. You took the medicine on the side of the tray with the orange juice Tony had brought up.

~~~~

And hour into Halloween, and Tony had officially screamed eight times, leaving you in fits of laughter every ten minutes. "I'm done!" He said jumping up. You pushed the covers off you as well, standing up.

"Okay, I'll let this one go because I need a shower." You said with a smirk. Tony ran his hand through his messy hair.

"Same. Okay I'll see you at dinner?" You nodded. "Okay love you kid." You hugged him round the waist.

"Love you too Dad." You mumbled.

~~~

After a shower, and brushing your hair. You decided to go and find Steve, missing his touch. You wondered aimlessly until you found him outside. Pulling your jacket round you, you walked closer to him only to hear the sobs that were quietly escaping his lips.

You quickened your pace, sitting beside him. As soon as he realised it was you, he pulled you in for a kiss, mixed with his tears. "Stevie baby, what's wrong?" He tucked your hair behind your ear.

"I'm scared of losing you." He said eventually.

"Dont be." You said quietly. "Because IF it ever happened, you'd be ready for it. And I'd never leave you fully, I'll always be here." You tapped his chest. "Love is immortal Steve Rogers." You said stroaking his face. Strangely your words comforted him.

What you didnt know was that Bucky had been watching, he'd tried to calm Steve down earlier and failed. Seeing how quickly you did it scared him. He'd lost you, and now Steve. He was alone, as deep down he knew it was his own fault. He turned on heel and walked into the tower, and began packing his things. He had a plan.

~~

"Tony!" Steve said bursting into the lab. Bruce jumped a foot dropping his glasses into the floor. Tony spun round in his chair, to look at the super soilder. He looked considerably better than he had last time he'd seen him. His cheeks were flushed, and his eyes were bright.

"Yeah?" Tony said eventually, putting the helmet he'd been working on down beside him.

"Iwanttomarryher." Steve spluttered. Bruce having heard what he'd said being closer, made a swift exit.

"Woah, slow down and repeat it slowly." Tony said standing up. The adrenaline that had got Steve here was wearing off. The fear creeping in that he was going to ask the overly protective Tony Stark, if he could marry his daughter.

He took a deep breath. "I want to marry Y/N." He said calmly meeting his eyes. Whatever reaction he'd been expecting, Tony having a panic attack wasnt it. Steve tried to help him to the floor only to be waved away. Steve bit his lip, "Do you want me to get Y/N?" Steve asked softly. He shook his head.

"N..na..nat." he breathed. Steve nodded and took off down the corridor. He found her pretty quickly she was training with Clint in the gym.

"Nat!" He said coming to a halt, narrowly missing Clint's shot. She glanced up, her red hair falling in her face. "Tony needs you in the lab, it's an emergency." She jumped up and headed straight there. Steve nodded to Clint before going to find Bucky.

~~~~

Nat saw Tony, curled up in the floor against a desk. He was crying, more out of panic than anything else. He couldnt breath, and having these always scared him. She crouched down beside him, slightly out of breath. "Your okay Tone." She said gently.

"Whatever happened, it's okay. We'll work through it like we do everything. You have a safe, loving network of people that would do anything for you. Nothings that's happened or your scared is going to happen cant be overcome if we're together."

She took his hand, squeezing it in her own. He met her eyes, she held his gaze as his breathing slowly fell to a regular pattern. He balled himself up his head on his knees. She sat herself, crosslegged in front if him. She lent forward resting her own head on his. They stayed like this until his sobs had died down.

"Talk to me?" She said lifting his head up.

"Steve wants to Marry Y/N." He said looking away from her shocked face. "I wasnt prepared for it, he just stormed in and blurted it out." He said rubbing his temple.

"Okay." Nat said recovering her composure. "So more specifically what are you afraid of?" He glanced at the picture he had on his desk. You and him, you on his back. Huge grins filled with of your faces. Nat followed his gaze, letting out a knowing sigh.

"You'll always have the bond you have. She loved you more than anything, she trusts you your her first thought in the morning, and the last. Even if she's married she'll make time for you Tony. She's your little girl and she always will be." He looked up at her.

"I know. I just.." Nat smiled softly. They hugged, it was strange really. The relationship they had. They'd known each other a long time, and they understood each other which was the thing that had kept them so close. She helped him up, and they stood slightly at a loss of words for a moment.

"Sir, Mr Barnes is missing."