Heart Too Cold, but Friends of Gold*Captain America*Avengers*

5) A long way from where we began

"Steve?" your mother addressed him gently when she noticed his absent gaze.

She was good. You knew that – she was amazing at reading micro-expressions, even with people she didn't know well. It came with her job, being sensitive to other people's emotions, let alone make sense of kids' complicated world. But damn. With Steve, you should have noticed that. And you probably would, but you were a bit... preoccupied.

Your parents meeting your whole team, but mainly the talk about everything that had happened since they learned you had died in the lab incident... it was too much to process even for you, just saying it out loud, admitting what you had done, what kind of a person you had become.

Of course, you had told them the good and great things too – about Tony and Bruce figuring out a way how to end the escalated side effect on your body caused by the treatment. About Clint, Natasha and mainly Steve being there for you. Steve as a very close friend, which you hadn't failed to specify, explaining that the different kind of relationship had come later.

And Steve had been there by your side during you narration as a moral support – he had offered to leave you and your parents some privacy (or at least as much as it was possible on the jet), but you had gripped his hand so tight that even the supersoldier had winced. He had stayed then, being your voice when the lump in your throat had grown too big or when you had got overwhelmed by your emotions.

Long story short: it had been a sobfest, but your parents had taken the news surprisingly well, considering. It had earned you a lot more hugs actually.

When you had moved to rather lighter topics – since your parents weren't exactly talkative about their own life after you – Tony had approached you and stole your dad for a bit, because of course he had noticed the painfully obvious crush you farther had on him. You were glad there was at least something good coming out of this mess.

Anyway, all of that had had you distracted and you hadn't noticed Steve's mental absence.

"Yes, ma'am?" he replied immediately, his eyes focusing on her properly. Then he shifted in his position inconspicuously, realizing his mistake. You could tell he was calling himself an idiot in his head, even when it was nothing serious. "I mean... yes, Danielle?"

Your mother smiled mildly. "I understand it can take a while to get used to."

"That's no excuse."

You rolled your eyes, squeezing his hand. It wasn't as if he just disobeyed a direct order from Fury or something. Which you knew as well as he did was something he wasn't opposed to.

"It is. But to what I wanted to say, Steve... he likes you, you know. Lucas." Both yours and Steve's eyes flickered to your father who was still talking to Tony – well, more like listening to him talk and hanging on his lips eagerly. "Just because he's with Mr. Stark... it doesn't mean he likes him better."

Steve's cheeks went honestly a bit pink and you were punched by a fist of shame to your gut. How had you not noticed that? That Steve was bothered by it? That he was self-conscious? Did he think he could not compare himself to Tony, at least not when it came to your father's sympathies?

You fought the urge to just cuddle the poor captain and slap yourself for your ignorance later.

Your mother looked at you pointedly. 'Explain,' she asked you wordlessly. You cleared your throat.

"Yeah. There's no denying that dad has a crush of the size of the Avengers Tower on Tony, okay? He admires him greatly. But... you have so many traits he admires and appreciates, even when barely knowing you. And..." You made a pause, staring into Steve's eyes intently, making sure he understood. "And he can see easily that I love you. That you make me happy, that you care for me, that you're keeping me safe... and you would take stupid risks to keep it that way. If this was a contest for guys and I was the prize – you would totally be winning it."