REPUTATION, steve rogers

⁰⁴, great escape (or whatever)

04

IT WAS THE GREAT ESCAPE, THE PRISON BREAK
( the light of freedom on my face )

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APRIL 24, 2014

IT BECAME A WAITING GAME. Tessa woke up and found that she was not in fact dead. The Building crashed and burned, and the cells, the underground didn't have a scratch. Lucky.

Tessa still was hesitant to move, scared that with a wrong step or shift she'd die without seeing the light of day or her sisters again.

But all of the worries washed away when he burst through the door, a black eye and a few scrapes, but he still looked beautiful and determined. The light of freedom lay on his face, and for the first time in Tessa's life, she wanted to throw her arms around someone.

"It was really difficult getting down here, but I made a promise," He said, seemingly out of breath. "we gotta go."

Steve handed her a gun, wearily making eye contact with her.

"Hey, you're getting me out, my life is tied to yours. I'm not gonna kill you."

"Promise me," Steve said. They sure were making a lot of these. Their relationship was one made of promises.

"I Promise" Steve handed her the gun and they walked out, Tessa keeping it at her side. Steve had his shield attached to his back as they traveled out. There weren't any people or any need for the gun, but it was nice to hold one again.

Tessa followed Steve to his car, where she slid into the passenger seat and sighed, Steve, starting the car and driving away, the rubble of the SHIELD building behind them.

they drove in complete silence for a while, Tessa looking out the window, taking in the sunlight. It really had been a while.

They stopped at a fast-food restaurant on the way, pulling through a drive-through as it was getting late and both were extremely hungry. Tessa ate her burger in a few minutes, and Steve ate his no slower than she.

"How was the outside world holding up without me?" Tessa asked contentedly, leaning against the door of the car.

"We'll be at the hotel in a few, you can sleep then."

"that good huh?" Tessa said, earning an eye roll from Steve. "I'm not asleep," Tessa mumbled, looking over at him. "I'm just photosynthesizing, it's been a while."

"I thought you controlled temperature," Steve sighed, tapping his fingertips on the top of the wheel.

"And I thought you fought in world war two," Tessa said. "it's clear but it doesn't need to be pointed out."

"Alright then," Steve said, trying to bite back a smile.

They drove in silence for another few minutes, until Steve pulled into a parking lot, parking the car and helping Tessa out of the car.

They checked in and headed upstairs, where Tessa sighed.

"I need a shower."

"Good idea," Steve said. "you have fun."

"I will," Tessa said, shooting him a wink as she walked into the bathroom.

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HAIR WRAPPED IN A TOWEL, new clothes on, Tessa walked out of the bathroom and settled on her bed, watching as steve flicked through the channels, seated on his own bed, furrowed eyebrows and pursed lips prominent on his face. He didn't notice that she arrived until she cleared her throat, making Steve jump slightly.

"Sorry," She said. "But I can check "scaring Captain America" off my bucket list." Steve let out a chuckle.

Tessa looked at him, his face back on the TV. She was working on memorizing his profile, from the rigid waters dripped in his eyes to the tawny skin and the timeless golden hair, messy from running nimble fingers through it.

"you alright?" Steve asked, glancing at her. His eyes were soft, and Tessa had the urge to tell him everything from the look on his face alone.

Instead, she nodded.

"Sorry, just tired."

"you could go to sleep," Steve offered. Tessa nodded, standing up to hang her towel in the bathroom.

She brushed her teeth with a toothbrush Steve got from the front desk. Steve knocked on the door, and Tessa told him to come in, where he brushed his teeth at the second vanity. Tessa finished and spat into the sink, going back into the main room where she laid down on her side, flicking off the light.

Steve followed shortly and claimed into his bed. He picked up his phone from the bedside table and rolled over so his back was Facing Tessa.

Tessa fell asleep almost instantly, despite the glow in the room. She needed a good night's sleep and though she wanted it, she didn't get it.

She woke up when Steve had been asleep for a while, panting from nightmares. She looked over to see Steve, his eyebrows furrowed, having his own nightmare.

"Steve," She whispered, placing a hand on his arm. "Steve." She spoke slightly louder until he woke up, panting just like she did.

"Wh-what?" Steve asked, his eyes squeezed shut.

"you were having a nightmare," Tessa said.

"Oh, thanks," Steve said.

"anytime." Tessa walked back to her bed, laying down on her bed and trying to make out shapes in the ceiling. she heard Steve's breath even out, but she didn't fall asleep herself.

Tessa wondered what would happen after this mess was all over.

"Tessa?" Steve said.

"hmm?" She responded into the darkness.

"did you know about my friend? Bucky? he was the winter soldier."

"I knew about the winter soldier," Tessa said. she paused for a moment, trying to find something remotely comforting to say. "But I didn't know about your friend. I'm sorry."

"how?" Steve asked shakily.

"Um, the facility I grew up in was closely affiliated with HYDRA." She sat up, looking at him, fiddling with the seam on her comforter. Steve looked at her silhouette, her knees up to her chest. "not by choice. I didn't volunteer, I was eight."

"Tessa I-"

"it's fine," she interrupted. "I don't want your pity."

she laid back down, making it so her back faced him as she ran her fingers across her skin, feeling odd in it now. not because of Steve, but also because of Steve. she pursed her lips and closed her eyes, falling asleep faster than she thought she would.

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JUNEBUG SPEAKS!

stessa is my favorite thing to write like their banter is amazing they are the true power couple