Stories_By_Hails

So obviously you needed to step up and make it right.

But you didn’t want to be showy about it. You didn’t want to bring up the subject to Steve and possibly make him uncomfortable or embarrassed. 

You would just amp up your physical touch and affection.

It certainly wouldn’t be a hardship for you. Any excuse to touch the living, breathing Greek god who was now a fixture in your life.

So you started with little things…

Like when you were cleaning his home office and he was occupying his desk, you’d make a detour to him and linger close for a moment, smoothing your hands along his broad shoulders and giving him a smile and a kiss to his cheek when he glanced up at you with that warm gaze of his.

Or how once you were done for the day and found him checking the mail in the entryway, you’d move close and hug him from behind, resting your cheek against his muscular back and feeling the way his big, strong body melted against you as he let loose the softest sight.

In the mornings when you served him his breakfast (which you still insisted on doing even though he told you you didn’t need to), you’d be sure to take a moment to play with his hair. And the way you had to bite back a laugh when he literally started to purr like a cat when your fingers weaved through the soft, golden strands.

Anytime you sat together at night or on the weekend, you snuggled as close to him as humanly possible. Hugging his arm and resting your cheek on his bicep, smiling and stealing a kiss when you caught his gaze on you, which is often.

Sometimes, you thought perhaps he was on to you. The way his eyes would linger on you, shining with something you couldn’t quite place, made your belly flutter and swoop and a warm heat wash over you each and every time.

And on those nights when Steve was extra quiet as you curled up together in bed, seemingly in his head–likely ruminating on something work related, something unpleasant–and you could tell he needed to be soothed more than ever, you’d hop to.

You’d disrupt his spooning of you from behind so that you could roll over onto your other side, press close, and hug him tight like a human barnacle as you snuffled against the crook of his neck, which never failed to earn one of his quiet laughs. 

Weeks after your discovery, although you still hadn’t said a thing about Steve’s getting-better-by-the-day touch starved state, he finally confirmed your suspicions, that he was just as observant as you and of course registered the way you had amped up your touch and affection as of late. 

One night, when you were just on the edge of sleep, clinging to Steve and letting the strong rhythm of his heartbeat lull you closer and closer to the Land of ZZzzZzzZZ, he kissed the crown of your head, murmuring quietly against you, “Thank you, sweetheart.”

You hummed in acknowledgement, knowing exactly what he was thanking you for as you shimmied closer and fell asleep with a small smile curling your lips and your heart glowing with happiness at Steve’s appreciation for you and your sweet, touching effort.

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