“Fighting is all I do,” he said quietly, setting his cup down and leaning in to Tony’s touch against his hair, his eyes closing in a resigned way. “They’re not going to let me quit, Tony. They fucking own me. They found me… I’m still able to fight, I’m healthy, I’m the only person who survived with the super soldier serum intact… you really think for one minute that SHIELD will let me retire and simply fade into the background? They’ll never let me go, Tony. And sometimes… sometimes I wish I was in the ice again just to keep from being a soldier now. I fought for so long, so hard… and for what?” He choked up, tears filling his eyes as he dropped his head onto the island, his whole body starting to shake.
Tony was furious at the way his husband broke down. “Like hell they own you, Steve. Just because they found you in the ice doesn’t mean they own your life!” He took a slow breath to try and calm himself. “You can fade into the background and train new Avengers, damn it. If I’m a big enough asset that they’ll let me just do the tech, they can let you step down and train. You can’t keep fighting forever. We deserve to have a family and be happy without them always looming over us.” he said, his tone angry. “I’m not letting them take you back out again. No. You need a fucking break and if I have to punch Fury is his one eyed face I will do it.”
themusechronicles 