Characters: Steve Rogers, reader, vague mentions to the Avengers.

Summary: Overwhelmed by work and life, you escape to the outdoors and the wonders of nature to find some peace, which is where Steve finds you. Having dropped the ball somehow, you feel guilty taking time for yourself but the more you talk to the Captain, the more you realize what you have in common. And you just might have what Steve needs in his life. (Canon. Takes place after AOU kinda.)

Warnings: None! Fluffy fluff, my lovelies. I mean, mentions of stress and guilt, I guess. ;)

Word Count: 2.5k (oof, that's short for me lately. haha)

Song Inspiration: "Clouds" by BORNS

A/N: Hello, my darlings!! I hope you enjoy this little Steve story. I've been stressed and overworked myself lately, so I have a tendency to write about what I need to hear. *cough* Save Yourself *cough*. :D And I've been missing writing Steve lately, so here you go. I'd love to hear your thoughts! Any feedback is appreciated! Love you all! <3

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Hm...that looks like a rabbit.

And that...that's a Jack-o-Latern.

Ooh, rabbit riding a horse!

That one kinda looks like...a face? Straight nose, strong brow, chiseled jaw...

And before you knew it, a certain real life face came to mind, making your pulse quicken and palms sweat. "No," you muttered to yourself with a shake of your head. "He's your Captain, he would never..."

Exhaling a dramatic sigh, you pushed away the negative thought and returned your attention to the clouds, letting your imagination run wild. Lying on the immaculately groomed grass of the Avengers Compound, this was your time to get away and enjoy the peaceful calm of the outdoors. When things got too loud or too intense, you liked to unplug, reconnect with nature, and just...be.

Your thoughts returned to a certain handsome face and before you could shake them, you heard a familiar voice, at first positive you had conjured that in your mind as well.

"Y/N!" the voice called out, apparently not for the first time.

Suddenly aware that you weren't imagining things, you sat up on the grass and glance behind you to see the Captain himself approaching. His long strides quickly brought him within feet of you so you scrambled up to stand, brushing grass from the seat of your pants.

"Cap—Captain Rogers, I'm sorry, I didn't hear you calling. Is everything okay?" you stammered at first, shielding your eyes from the sun behind him with one hand.

"No, Y/N, everything is not alright," he came to a stop beside you, letting out an exasperated sigh. "You missed today's staff meeting. Again," the Captain declared with his brows drawn together in disappointment.

Your chest tightened, mind searching for the information about the forgotten meeting. "What? No, I...I had alerts on! And Jenny even helped me set it up, she said she'd send a text, I—"

"Janet, Y/N. Her name is Janet. And none of that works if you don't have your phone on, Y/N," Steve said sternly with hands on his hips.

Patting your pockets, you searched for your phone and came up empty. You then glanced down at the ground where you were lying and picked up the fallen device, its screen black and unresponsive.

"Oh," you admitted quietly, "I think it's dead. I thought I charged it, but..."

Steve pinched the bridge of his nose and then took in a deep breath before releasing it. "Look, Y/N...you're an asset to the team and we appreciate having you as our media liaison, but you have to show up for these meetings. Okay? I know it's a lot sometimes and don't I wish I could lie down outside sometimes and forget about everything, but I can't just—"

"Why not?" you interrupted, surprising even yourself.

Steve blinked for a second. "What? Because I...I'm the team leader, I have to be available and on task always, I can't just...stop."

Taking a step toward him, you gathered your courage before speaking. "But I think you should. You work so hard and carry so much on your shoulders, it has to be exhausting. Don't you ever just want to...take a moment? Breathe? Look, I fully admit that I can be scatter-brained, but coming out here and taking a moment for myself is important to me. It helps to reset my brain and focus on something other than work. I know you don't often have that luxury, but....5 minutes? What's going to happen in the next 5 minutes?"

He seemed to consider that and even pulled his phone out his pocket to see an alert on his phone. But he slipped the device back in his pocket instead of responding right away.

"Nothing earth shattering right now?" you asked with a little smile, causing his stern expression to smooth out slightly. "Will you lay down on the grass with me, Captain Rogers?" you asked, fully aware of how ridiculous the request sounded.

The muscled blond finally let out a small chuckle, hopefully endeared by your request. "Seriously?"

You nodded, then demonstrating by sitting down on the grass and lowering onto your back. "5 minutes. Then you can return to your usual work-a-holic status. Although, I don't think you'd be much good to anyone if you're burned out and exhausted. Just my opinion," you put your hands up defensively. "And I promise to charge my phone," you threw out as a bargaining piece.

Steve glanced back at the compound and then down at you lying on the grass. He seemed to consider it a few moments before he followed suit and lowered himself down to the ground, a few inches away from you. "5 minutes," he conceded, fidgeting a few times to get comfortable. "So what are we doing here?"

You glanced his way, taking in his strikingly handsome profile. "I like to just focus on my senses for a while. Listen for any noises like birds or the rustling in the trees, feel the ground underneath me, take in the scent of freshly cut grass or nearby flowers, and some days, like today, I look for shapes in the clouds as they drift past."

"Oh, yeah?" Steve asked with humor in his voice. "Like what?"

Considering a moment, you took in the fluffy white shapes. "See that one right there?" you asked, raising your arm to point. "That looks like a skateboarder about to make a jump."

He let out a laugh at your description. "What? Where?"

Leaning closer to him, you moved your hand to hover over his chest to point from his perspective. "Right....there. Oh, it's changing shape."

Dropping your hand, your fingertips grazed Steve's knuckles before it rested on the grass next to his.

Steve squinted a moment and then pointed with his other hand. "That one looks like...a sheep."

You let out a chuckle this time, nudging him with your elbow. "Very creative, Captain."

"Why, thank you very much," he teased, elbowing you back. "And it's Steve. You can call me Steve."

Feeling a flutter in your chest, you caught his eye a moment before returning your gaze to the clouds. "Okay. Steve. What about that one?" you asked, pointing above him.

"Hm...that is a...monkey riding a pig," he declared, causing you to laugh out loud and he smiled before turning your way. "How often do you do this?"

You squinted in thought. "Almost every day, if I can. Life doesn't always allow that, but I try. It had been a few days so I guess that's why I just wandered off today. I haven't been very 'on task' lately, possibly because my brain was too full that I couldn't focus. I'm sorry," you confessed, meeting his eye.

Steve let out a smile with a shrug. "I get it. I don't blame you. This is nice. Strange, but...nice. Thank you, Y/N."

"You're welcome, Cap—I mean, Steve," you replied, feeling a warmth growing in your chest. "If you ever—"

You broke off, hearing the unmistakable buzzing of a cell phone and Steve seemed to visibly tense beside you before fishing his phone out of his pants pocket. One glance at the screen and he sat up quickly.

"I should go," he muttered, climbing to his feet and you did the same.

He turned to go but you called out as he took a few steps.

"Steve, I—" you hesitated as he turned your way. "I'll try to be better. You know, work on finding balance and not keep my head in the clouds so often. But...I think you could do the same, if you don't mind my saying. If you ever need another moment of calm...I'll be around," you offered, trying to urge your erratic heart to calm down.

Steve gave you that devastatingly handsome half-smile that you adored, followed by a nod. "I'll keep that in mind. See you inside?"

"Yeah. I'll be there in a minute," you promised, then watching his spectacular form retreat toward the building as you tried not to melt into a puddle of nerves and joy. Those 5 minutes were heavenly, you thought as you took one last glance up at the clouds before climbing up the grassy hill toward the Compound.

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The next few days, you tried your absolute best to remain in the moment and stay on top of work and life. Oddly enough, it helped if you scheduled some time in your day to get out into nature and relax. Logically, adding one more task sounded like too much, but your alone time was much too important to ignore. Finally, all was going well with your professional life.

As promised, you took special care to charge your phone and stay on top of meetings and any other vital information. Steve noticed and offered an appreciative smile when he had the time, but once again, you noticed the tension in his broad shoulders and the frequent clench of his jaw. He was clearly stressed and overworked and you felt for him.

A week after that afternoon on the grass, you left a meeting and walked past Steve on your way out. Pausing, you turned back toward him and caught his attention.

"Steve?" you spoke gently as he raised his eyes from the tablet screen in his hands to meet yours. "I, um...I sent that press release draft to your email for approval. Let me know if it needs any changes, but no rush. I'm planning on sending it out sometime tomorrow."

He offered a soft, tired smile. "Okay. Thanks, Y/N."

"And, um...I'll be outside for a while, if you need me," you offered with a gentle nudge that you were taking some time for yourself and maybe, just maybe, he should do the same.

Steve's gaze wandered to the nearest window and the gorgeous, inviting view it held. "Understood. Thank you for letting me know," he nodded, before meeting your eye briefly and then walking away, his attention back on the screen.

Your heart went out to him, but if he wasn't ready to prioritize his life differently, then you certainly couldn't force him. Heading toward the side door of the Compound, you walked out into the sunshine and took in a breath of the fresh, clean air.

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One night a few days later, you had just slipped into your pajamas and crawled into bed. Grabbing the remote, you scrolled through Netflix for something to watch when there was an unexpected knock at your door. Grumbling slightly as you crawled out of your comfy nest of blankets and pillows, you walked to your door and opened it. Surprised, you eyes were met with the blond man of your dreams wearing sweats and a snug t-shirt. His hair looked tousled, as if he had been running fingers through it, and you could see the exhaustion in his bright blue eyes.

"Steve?" you greeted him in confusion. "Is everything okay? I've been monitoring alerts and haven't heard any—"

"No, no, everything's fine, I.." he interrupted, shuffling his feet in uncertainty. "Sorry, I know it's late, I shouldn't have bothered you."

As he turned to go, you reached out and grasped his arm, causing him to glance back at you. "Steve, you're never bothering me. What can I do for you?" you asked, regrettably letting go of his muscled forearm.

Steve hesitated, rubbing a hand against the back of his neck before speaking. "I was just thinking...it's a beautiful, clear night for star gazing. Would you like to join me?"

Momentarily stunned, you could see the vulnerability in his eyes as he awaited your response.

"Yes, I...I would love to," you replied with a wide smile. "Give me just a second."

Walking back into your room, you stepped into a pair of slippers and grabbed a light jacket, which was enough for a late summer night outside. Returning to the door, Steve offered a smile before leading you down the hallway and to the elevator which then, surprisingly, went up instead of down upon his request. Walking out onto the roof, you looked over at Steve in confusion, but he just smiled and walked you past the outdoor pool before pausing at the small bungalow area where towels and showers could be found. With a flick of a few switches, the underwater pool lights went out and you were plunged into darkness.

Steve returned to your side with a blanket in hand and in the moonlight, he led you toward a pair of cushioned lounge chairs that were pushed together. He gestured for you to choose one and he settled in the other, then tossing the blanket over the two of you. You glanced over at Steve, giddy and a little nervous as you took in his handsome profile in the dim light. He caught your eye then and smiled.

"Thanks for coming with me, Y/N," he said. "And...for the advice you gave me. Honestly, I really do need to figure out a way to balance it all. I'm not good at just doing...nothing."

"And here I was, thinking you were good at everything," you teased.

He chuckled lightly. "Not quite."

"You're welcome, Steve. I know it sounds strange, but it takes practice. It's all about intentionally setting aside the time, no matter how long. 5 minutes, 10 minutes, 30 minutes...it all helps. And I'm honored that you came to me. I'm always here," you assured him.

"Thank you," he whispered before returning his gaze heavenward.

In the peaceful quiet, you began your usual practice of focusing on your senses. You heard the crickets chirping, smelled the chlorine water and also a hint of whatever soap Steve used that always reminded you of him. As you looked up and the stars twinkled above, to your surprise you felt the brushed of fingers against your palm before Steve intertwined them with yours.

"Is this okay?" he asked, leaning in to gauge your reaction.

Nodding, you answered with a smile. "It's perfect."

You and Steve spent the next hour star-gazing, pointing out the constellations you both remembered. The conversation slowly became more intimate, with both of you sharing hopes and fears and stresses that you didn't dare share with anyone else. Steve's thumb rubbed a slow circle on the back of your hand as you talked, your heads inching closer until they almost touched.

Eventually, you were both drowsy and as inviting as sleeping on lounge chairs seemed in the moment, you would probably regret it in the morning. Walking back down to your room, Steve held your hand the whole time.

Just outside your door, you pulled Steve into a hug and once he thawed from his frozen state of shock, he wrapped his arms around you and lingered that way for what seemed like a long time. Finally letting go, Steve still kept you close with a noticeable flickering of his eyes toward your mouth. You leaned in and met him half way, finally using that fifth sense with a taste of his lips against yours. 

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Awwwww!! Wasn't that just a little ball of fluff that we could all use these days?? I just adore soft!Steve and he deserves all the hugs and handholding. *swoon* As previously mentioned, I've been pretty stressed and setting aside time to quiet my mind and meditate. The 5 senses thing is something I've practiced before. Not so much outdoors, since the weather here is unpredictable (aka it snowed last week. heh.) but I intend to get outside more when it gets warmer. Please let me know your thoughts! I would absolutely love to hear your feedback. I adore you guys. Thank you. <3

https://youtu.be/t1O8VXXOlrY