Hello Captain (Steve Rogers)

CVS

Steve's POV

"How do you take it when Nat gets hurt on a mission? I know she heals almost as fast as I do, but she's taken some pretty good hits some of those times."

"I try not to think about it. It's part of the job description, but that doesn't mean I like it. It's better if I'm there with her than if I'm not and find out later when she's being wheeled in on a gurney."

"Because then you know what happened instead of letting your mind run away with you?" I asked.

"Yeah. I know that every time we go out there's the possibility that one of us won't be coming home and if it came down to it, I'd rather it be me than her."

"It's much harder to be the one left behind than it is to make the sacrifice play. I've been on both sides before and I know that I don't think I could handle being left behind again." I drained my glass and set it on the table firmly. "That day in Jahra, when I watched Sarah get shot?" I shook my head, struggling to find the right words to describe the feeling.

"It felt like you were the one who should've been hit." Clint drained his glass and smacked it on the table.

"Exactly."

"Ready to head home? It's later than I thought it was. They'll be back soon."

"I'll pay the tab and we can go." I slid out of the booth when he nodded and went up to the bar to pay. He tossed a tip on the table for the waitress and walked outside a little unsteadily.

"I need to make a stop on the way, if that's okay with you?"

"Sure. Where to?"

"CVS."

There was a 24 hour one not far from Clint and Natasha's apartment, so I took him there. He wasn't walking very steadily, so I figured I'd better go in with him. Clint bee-lined straight to the condoms and started handing me different boxes.

"Hold on, Clint! I can't possibly need this many," I said, trying to put some back.

"Yeah you do because your girl is hot! Here's the lube."

He shoved a couple colored tubes at me. I looked around and grabbed a little basket to toss everything in. "What do I need that for?" I tried to read the back of one of the tubes but Clint was throwing more stuff in the basket, muttering to himself.

"You don't, but she will," he said. "Nat says that they're uncomfortable without lube, not that we need to use condoms anyway." I groaned - I didn't really want to hear about their sex life. "For us it's more to contain the mess than anything else."

"I don't want to know! Are you drunk?" I asked bluntly.

"Yup. How are you not?"

We turned to go to the checkout and I set the boxes on the counter, my cheeks flushing hotly. Clint set a package of powdered sugar covered doughnuts on the counter and took them back after the clerk rang them up.

"Thanks, man. I love these things!" He opened the package, eating them as he staggered to the door.

"I'm so sorry. It's easier to work with him than against him when he's like this," I apologized to the clerk, who was smiling at his enthusiasm and handed her some cash.

    "It's all right. At least your boyfriend's a happy drunk. Drive safe."

I flushed at her assumption. "He's not my boyfriend, but thanks." I grabbed the plastic bag and hurried after Clint. He got himself in the car and I tossed the bag in the back seat.

    "Guess what the girls are shopping for tonight?" he was licking the powdered sugar off his fingers, having already downed the doughnuts.

    "I don't know. What?" I watched the traffic, waiting for the light to turn green.