Fandom: MCU
Pairings/characters: Steve Rogers x reader
Words: 1003

Note: An idea that came to me a few years ago while I was brushing my teeth.

Summary:
The night before a mission, Steve gets some new intel and he has to tell his mission partner. She’s getting ready for bed, and Steve gets embarrassed.

It was late, maybe a bit too late, but something had come up about the mission the next day. Technically, he could just call her since it was so late, even wait until the morning, but he needed to get it out of the way. He also hadn't seen her all day and found that this was a wonderful excuse to go see her.

Steve walked down the hall and knocked on her door. There was complete silence inside, he couldn't hear the television, no footsteps, nothing. She had gone to bed.

With slight disappointment, he turned around to go back, but then JARVIS spoke. "She asks 'what's up', Captain Rogers."

"Oh. Something has come up about the mission tomorrow, I just thought I should inform her. Should be quick."

It was quiet for a few long seconds before JARVIS told him to enter and unlocked the door for him.

"Thanks," Steve muttered. Now he hoped he hadn't woken her up, she needed the sleep and the rest before the mission. "Hello?" he called out as the door shut behind him.

"I'm in the bathroom, Steve. I'm just getting ready for bed." Her voice sounded across the apartment and Steve could now hear water running. "Come on in!"

"Are you sure?" he called back, taking a few hesitant steps towards the open bedroom door.

"Yes! What did you want to talk about?"

Steve had never been inside her bedroom before. He'd dreamt about it, sure. But he hadn't been inside yet. He only just kept himself from closing his eyes as he stepped inside, taking it in instead, as he approached the bathroom door. Dresser with what looked like a sock hanging halfway out of an open drawer, one door ajar on the closet and it looked like she kept her uniforms in there. The bed was unmade, a couple of pillows tucked against the headboard and the duvet in a crumpled heap right in the middle of the mattress. Bedside tables with books, phone, some painkillers, a half-empty glass of water and a bottle of what Steve guessed was some fancy lotion as it had the words Silky Smooth written on it in gold letters.

Somehow it was all exactly like he expected, exactly like her.

The sound of buzzing pulled his attention back to the bathroom. "We got some new intel about the mission tomorrow, thought you should hear it sooner rather than later," he called out.

"Okay, what is it?"

"It's not an organic virus they're working on, it's a computer virus with the ability to adapt and replicate. It's apparently designed to take out the electric grid in the entire eastern half of the country."

Her answer came in a muffled voice, the buzzing sound still going.

"I'm sorry, I didn't catch that," Steve said.

She spoke again, still muffled. Almost sounding like she...

A furious blush washed over Steve, his face feeling like it caught fire, images flooding his mind. "Uhm... You're busy. We can talk about this tomorrow." Almost as if he'd seen the devil himself, he took a few cautious steps backwards and started to head out.

But then the bathroom door opened and the buzzing sound became louder. "Schteve?"

He stopped. "I'm just... Gonna let you... Finish what... You're doing."

The buzzing stopped. "I'm just getting ready for bed, I'm still able to talk." Her voice still sounded funny.

"That's okay. You're... busy." He stood still, his tense back facing her.

"Oh my god..." She chuckled and there was a spitting sound. "It's an electric toothbrush, Steve. What did you think it was?"

He swallowed and dared to turn around. There was frothy toothpaste around her lips and there was indeed an electric toothbrush in her hand.

"One moment." She hurried back inside the bathroom, rinsed and came back out froth-free, and that's when Steve noticed she was only wearing a t-shirt that just barely covered her bottom, where he dearly hoped she was wearing underwear – or maybe not. He was surprised he hadn't burst into flames. "Good thing it's not an organic virus. Computer ones, I can handle those."

"Repercussions should be terrible either way." Steve kept his eyes trained on a spot on the wall behind her, wanting so much to look her over but refusing to let himself. "But this should be easier to prevent getting out or stopping if it does get out."

"Indeed. You're awfully red there, Steve," she teased, lips forming a small smile. "What on earth did you think I was doing in there?" She spoke as if she knew exactly what he thought she had been doing.

He cleared his throat, still looking at the wall. "You just... Sounded busy."

She pursed her lips, folded her arms across her chest. "I would have let you join me if that was the case, Rogers."

His eyes grew to the size of moons and they snapped to hers, a thrill going through him. "Uhm..."

"Maybe you could have lent a hand. Would you have done that, Steve?"

He swallowed hard, using all his focus on not letting his body reveal how much he would have wanted that and keep his voice steady at the same time. "Uhm... yes?"

"Yes? You're not sure?"

He opened and closed his mouth but then decided to hell with it. "Yes. I'm sure."

The grin that spread across her face was adorable and dangerous all in one. "Good. Always so helpful. I might need some help after the mission. You know, to de-stress. An extra set of hands is always so nice."

This had not been how Steve had imagined the conversation to go, but he wouldn't complain. "Deal. You get your computer gadgets ready and I'll go take a cold shower. See you tomorrow!" And then he turned around and strode out, leaving her speechless for once. As he walked down the hallway, his heart was thundering in his chest at the thought of what he had just agreed to. He couldn't wait.