Coming Down ➢ Steve Rogers

nineteen

Chapter Nineteen;

Steve - 3.5 months later

Steve winced as he observed the new bruise blossoming over his thigh. The H.Y.D.R.A agent he'd been against had a powerful kick – and he'd been able to land one before Steve knocked him out. That was going to hurt, if only for a while before his superhuman healing kicked in.

Steve sighed and closed his eyes, allowing his body to momentarily give in to tiredness as the threat of the day was dealt with.

Until he heard her voice, and he was miraculously awake again.

Steve? You're still awake, right?

The smile spread instantly across his face. Lane.

They'd soon figured out that her ability was not affected by distance. She could touch his mind as easily in Europe as when they were standing right next to one another. Though, Delaney did think that it was only because of their previous connection, and the familiarity of his mind. She doubted she could contact an unknown enemy, simply because she wasn't attuned to their brainwaves.

Their conversations had become a daily practice; once they'd figured out time zones, that was. It was so easy to communicate with her and, to Steve's relief (which he would never admit to Tony), involved no use of technology. It was just her mind touching his, her words like the scent of summer and rose petals in the air, always invigorating him and making him smile.

To him, that was what Delaney was: a combination of summer and spring, fierceness and femininity. She was as fierce as the scorching summer heat, her passion as bright as the sun, and as everlasting. In battle, and out of it, she was as relentless as fire. But beneath that, she was gentle as a spring breeze, kind and compassionate and soft, like petals on roses.

Delaney Esquivel was one of a kind. He'd caught a hint of it when they first met and now they were reunited, Steve was realising just how magnificent she was. Her laughter was bubbly like champagne, her eyes like stars, her soul and heart bright and pure as gold. But that could change so easily: the gold around her heart hardened to diamond and her eyes were as unforgiving as night. And he loved both sides to her, loved how both of them were this one person and made Delaney Esquivel – he couldn't love her any other way.

No matter what was going on, Steve would put everything on hold just for their quick conversations. Sometimes they went nowhere and sometimes they barely talked at all, but any update from her made Steve smile.

How are you?

A little bruised. We took out another H.Y.D.R.A. base today.

They'd been working on eliminating any remnants of H.Y.D.R.A over the past two months. Thor had joined them as well, searching for Loki's staff. The thought of the device in H.Y.D.R.A. hands was terrifying to say the least – especially after his experience with Schmidt and the Tesseract. Steve dreaded to think with another universal power in their hands.

It was a job that took them all over the world – hence why he and Delaney had the sudden need to navigate time zones.

Any luck?

No. He sighed to himself. It was frustrating to take out each base and learn that Loki's sceptre was not there, and that there were so many more bases to take out. Fighting H.Y.D.R.A. was almost like fighting the mythical beast from Greek mythology: impossible and never-ending.

Though, Steve would never even consider dropping the fight. Not for anything.

He felt a tremor in her connection, as though as she wincing. Clint and Nat should be back with you guys soon, so they'll be able to help.