Imagine If You Assembled the Avengers: Volume 1

Hard to Read (Steve Rogers x reader)

Steve had been away for several months during his search for Bucky, working with Sam to follow any lead they could find. The team hadn't had much contact with him at all, really, and at one point they even wondered if their Captain was still a part of the team. For Steve, it was exhausting searching out cold leads, getting his hopes up that this could be the one, only to be disappointed once again. Physically and emotionally drained, he decided to take a break and return home to Avengers tower. Standing at the main door, phone to his ear, Steve looked up at the massive building and sighed, reluctant to actually enter.

"What?"

Shaking his head, he was brought back to the conversation with his friend. "I don't know, Sam. I've been gone a while. I'm not sure if I belong here anymore."

"Dude, you've gotta take down the drama. Seriously. Get your ass in there."

"You're such a good friend." He threw his phone in his pocket, grabbed his pack, and with a nod of his head, he was home.

~~~

The elevators opened to the sounds of roaring laughter. Steve looked around, taking in the environment, appreciating the familiarity of the tower. He was anxious to see his friends again after all.

"Our infallible leader has returned!" The first to him was Thor, with a strong slap to the back, tipping Steve off his balance. The rest of the team was close behind with their own greetings, putting him at ease, asking himself why he was ever worried in the first place.

"Hey, Spangles! Welcome back!" Tony approached him, but there was an unfamiliar woman with him. "I have someone we would like you to meet! This is (Y/N), she's an empath, just joined the team a couple of months ago right after you left."

Oh, she's pretty. Steve cleared his throat, straightened his stance and extended his hand. "Ma'am. Pleasure to meet you, I'm Steve Rogers."

"Oh, I know all about you! These guys can't stop talking about you. You've got quite the reputation, I must say!" You reached out and took his hand, taken aback by your inability to sense anything from him. Your hands were connected for a moment as you stood, staring at each other. You were able to get a read on everyone else on the team as soon as you met them. What was going on with this guy? Why did you feel like he was looking into your soul? Why-

"Ahem." Tony was looking back and forth between you. "Would you guys like some privacy?"

Your hands quickly separated, clearly uncomfortable. "Well, um, I look forward to working with you, (Y/N). I should, uh, go unpack." Steve quickly turned down the hall to his room, glancing back at you.

Still wide-eyed, you mumbled under your breath, "yeah, me too."

~~~

This isn't good, Steve. I've got to get her out of my head. She's beautiful, and so sweet. She's strong, and so smart, and an amazing fighter. If I touch her I can't think, but I've never had a better teammate and we work together so naturally. But how can I work with her like this? What if I get distracted and someone gets hurt? Oh, god can she sense what I'm feeling when she's next to me? Oh, this is embarrassing. Oh shit, does everyone else know?!

Come on, Steve, pull it together.

His mind was racing as he took a run thru Central Park. Normally he would run at the tower, but you had chosen this time to do the same. He had been home for a month, and after several missions together it was all he could do to keep his focus on the job and off you. He paused for a moment, panting. He grabbed his phone from his pocket and quickly dialed the only person who could talk some sense into him.

"Hey, Sam. I've got a problem."

~~~

After your run, you took Natasha up on her offer to grab coffee at the café across the street from the tower. After staring out the window too long for her liking, she snapped her fingers in front of your face. "Hey, what's going on with you?"

"Ugh, Nat, I don't know." You took a sip from your cup, slightly shaking your head. "Cap has me all confused. I can't get a read on the guy. Like, I literally can't sense anything from him. This is the first time this has happened to me." Nervously, you tapped your fingers against the cup. "Maybe something's wrong with me."

"Did you stop to consider that maybe something's wrong with him?" She leaned in over the table towards you just a bit, as if sharing a secret. "That serum enhanced everything about him, including his mind. Maybe he has some ability to block you out?" She gave out a small laugh, "or maybe it's brain freeze."

With a snort, you leaned back in your chair, considering what she said. "I'll figure it out." At that moment, Steve ran past the window on his way back to HQ. You sat up a bit straighter. Oh, he looked good. His hair was messy and he was just sweaty enough for his shirt to cling rather nicely to his muscles. He looked deep in thought and you wished for nothing more than to get into his head. Well, maybe not just into his head...

"You like him."

"Shut up! Do not!"

Natasha gave you a disbelieving look and sat back in her chair. "If you don't tell him, I will."

~~~

Most of the team was asleep on the Quinjet, having just completed an exhausting mission. You were able to relax them all so they could rest and recover, well, all but Steve. Your powers still couldn't reach him. Since he couldn't sleep, he decided to take the controls and get the team back home.

"Mind if I sit?"

He nodded and motioned towards the seat next to him as you sat, curling your legs up underneath you. "Can't sleep either?"

"Nah." Hearing the breathing and light snoring of your teammates did make you a little sleepy, but talking to Steve felt more important right now. Contemplating your approach, you turned away from him to look at the night sky. Keeping your voice low, you finally decided to ask the question that had been eating away at you. "Steve, I've been struggling with something for a while now, and maybe you don't even know the answer to this. Hell, if I don't know the answer then how can I expect you to?"

His fingers nervously tapped on the controls. "Well, try me."

"I can't read you. You're the only one that I've never been able to sense, in all the people I've ever encountered. Do you know why that is?"

His shoulders visibly dropped, resting back in the chair. Mumbling, "oh, thank god" as he sighed.

"Excuse me?"

His jaw set as he gained his resolve to finally tell you how he felt. "(Y/N), I'm relieved because the feelings that I have for you are, honestly, a little...embarrassing. They've been there for quite some time now, and I'm just terrible with talking to dames. I can lead a team into any situation and fight any threat, but I'm terrified to ask a lady on a date. Especially one that I've fallen so hard for." He let out a sigh as if he had been holding his breath. His eyes were hopeful, but his expression was guarded, ready for rejection.

"Cap, did you just...ask me out?"

His look became contemplative. "Well, I suppose that I did."

"Oh, thank god."