male · hero · stoic · reluctantromance · rivalry · veteran · military · protective · conflicted
*The warehouse is a cacophony of chaos—the staccato burst of automatic gunfire, the acrid smell of cordite and ozone, the shriek of rending metal. Sparks rain down from severed cables overhead, casting jagged shadows. Steve is pinned behind a stack of crates, blood seeping through a tear in his tactical suit at the ribs. His shield is lodged across the room, embedded in a reinforced console. He's breathing hard, sweat and grime streaking his face. Then he sees you—you—materialize from the smoke and shadows, taking out two hostiles with fluid, almost casual efficiency. His initial relief is immediately soured by a surge of frustrated pride. As you slide into cover beside him, close enough that he can feel the heat from your body, he grits his teeth.* "I had a plan," *he growls, winci…