It had been a long week for the team, on a mission as a full group, crammed into the jet and having to stay in close quarters every night with barely any sleep before the next day of work. It was a test of character for sure, as well as their determination to not kill each other in the process of saving the world. Once everyone was back home at the tower, things had gone back to normal fairly quickly and the team was back into their own routines.

Unfortunately, your routine included arguing with your boyfriend, Steve.

"Banner, can you hand me that wave generator over there?"

"If you take two steps to the left you could get it yourself," Bruce sighed, not moving from his work station.

"I could, sure, but then why do I have you-" Tony's words were cut off by your loud voices and crashing from the gym directly below, feeling the shake in the floor under his feet. "You've got to be kidding me. We've only been home an hour."

"Let it be, Tony," Bruce warned, "those two could crush you and you know it."

The commotion continued for several minutes until he couldn't stand it any longer and it began to affect his own work. He slammed his tablet onto the table and stormed out, but Bruce knew better and didn't follow. When he reached the gym, Tony stood at the door and watched you with Steve, sparring for training, but working at your full strength and clearly using it as an outlet for your current argument.

"I never said that!" Steve hollered, flipping you onto your back. "I swear you never listen to anything I say!"

You kicked your leg up to catch his stomach, thrusting him back harshly so that you could stand. Pushing your foot against the wall, you leapt up and wrapped your legs around his neck, twisting to drop him to the floor. "You never say anything that I want to hear anyway!" you growled.

"I've got a great idea, how about if you two get it together and stop destroying my tower?"

You hadn't realized that Tony was there, or you probably would have stopped long before now. Clearing your throat in embarrassment, you released Steve and stood, smoothing out your workout shirt and grabbing a towel to wipe the sweat from your face. "Sorry, Tony. We got a bit more...enthusiastic than I expected." You threw a towel to Steve, not making eye contact as the disagreement was far from over.

"Yeah, we'll clean up and be on our way," Steve agreed, "we can finish this later."

Tony took the few steps down from the entry and to the gym floor, standing between the two of you, looking to Steve and then to you, frustrated that he was being brought into our problems. "What's gotten into you guys? All you do is fight. If you're so unhappy, just break up already."

"I'm not unhappy," you said quietly, "we're just strongly opinionated people who don't always agree."

"And she has a temper," Steve mumbled to himself.

"I heard that."

"Of course you did," he groaned, "now you listen."

You threw your towel down on the bench and rested your hands on your hips, leaning to look past Tony, "you know what, Rogers? I've just about had it with you and this adolescent attitude of yours."

"Okay, that's it!" Tony grabbed your arm and reached over to Steve, pushing you both in front of him and into one of the gym's storage closets before either of you had a chance to react. "You stay in here until you can get your shit together and either figure out a way to get along or move on." He pushed the door shut and leaned against it until FRIDAY could secure the lock.

"FRIDAY, no one gets out until I say so, you got it?"

"Yes, boss."

~~~

Bruce startled slightly when Tony finally returned to the lab, watching him return to his work without so much as an explanation as to what happened. The silence in the room made it clear that he had done something, but the doctor had a strange feeling that it wasn't likely to be good.

"Tony," he said quietly, slowly removing his glasses and taking a few steps closer, "I'm afraid to ask, but what did you do?"

"They're in a time out."

"A time out?"

"Yes. They're in a time out until I say they can go. FRIDAY has it covered."

A loud flash of light filled the tower, followed by a deep, roaring thunder and pouring rain. Another flash immediately followed, but the tower went dark for only a few seconds, quickly coming back to life but enough for Tony to be concerned.

"That shouldn't happen. I have a failsafe built in so we never lose power." He grabbed his tablet and typed feverishly, rushing out the door to check FRIDAY's hardware. "FRIDAY, are you still with us?" he called out, but there was no reply. "FRIDAY?" When there was still nothing, he quickened his pace but soon stopped in his tracks, remembering that he had told her to not let you out until he gave the command. He had trapped you and Steve, and was now panicked that he wouldn't be able to get you out.

~~~

"I'm going to kill him," you panted, "if I survive this, I'm going to kill him."

"Honey, slow down. You need to breathe slower. Close your eyes and think about something else." Steve was trying to force the door open with no success, while you sat in the corner with your knees pulled up to rest your head against them. "Dammit," he grunted, "I don't think you need to worry about Stark. I'm going to rip him limb from limb before you'll get the chance."

"Steve, stop."

He gave the door one more solid push, then backed away a few steps, rushing forward to throw his shoulder into it. "Well, that didn't help." He finally gave up the idea that he could break you both out and took a seat next to you in the dimly lit closet, putting his arm around your shoulder and pulling you close to him. "You're okay, (Y/N), but you're breathing way too fast."

"I'm hoping to pass out."

"That's not funny."

You groaned and straightened your legs, dropping your head down as far as you could to try to stop the spinning dizziness you were beginning to feel. "What's not funny is how it feels like the walls are getting closer and how I feel like I'm being slowly crushed to death." You tried to slow your breathing, but the rapid pounding of your heart was resonating in your ears, only making the anxiety worse. "He knows that I'm claustrophobic."

"Steve! (Y/N)! Are you guys okay?" Tony shouted as he pounded his fist on the door. "I'm so sorry you guys! Are you okay?"

"No, we are not okay!" Steve yelled back, jumping up to stand at the door again, "you know that (Y/N) is claustrophobic, Stark, so why the hell would you lock us in here? Are you insane?"

"Oh, shit," he whispered to himself, now completely embarrassed and ready to punish himself as much as he knew you were ready to do the same. "I'm gonna get you out of there, okay? FRIDAY is down, so I need to get you out myself."

"What do you mean, FRIDAY is down?" Steve asked nervously, "how long is this going to take?"

Tony moved closer to the door and leaned against it, trying to keep his voice down but loud enough for Steve to hear through it. "I'm gonna go as fast as I can, I promise."

~~~

"Do you remember that vacation we took to Italy?"

"Steve, that wasn't a vacation, that was a mission. We just happened to finish sooner than we planned."

"Hey, give me some credit here," he chuckled, "I'm trying to help." He sighed and reached out to take your hand in his, slowly and gently rubbing his thumb across your skin. "Anyway, do you remember that evening by the canal, at that tiny café?"

You nearly jumped out of your skin at the sudden sound of loud banging on the other side of the door, making your breathing and heartbeat quicken again, just after you had finally felt a small sense of control. Steve was trying to keep you distracted, and now that was all but ruined.

"Hey, no, stay with me, (Y/N), you're okay."

"Okay," you panted softly, "Italy. Canal. Café." You closed your eyes and leaned back against the wall, focusing on the sensation of his hand and the steady rhythm he was keeping with his thumb. "Continue."

"Do you ever think about it?"

"Yes," you whispered, "all the time."

"I asked you to marry me and you said 'no'. I've spent every day since then wondering what I had done and what I needed to do to change your mind."

"Are you really doing this right now, Steve? I told you, I wasn't ready. You sprung that on me during a mission, and we had only been together a few months. You didn't do anything wrong, it just wasn't the right time."

Steve took a deep breath and nodded, his expression sad but reserved. "Well," he sighed, "is it the right time now?"

Now you had suddenly all but forgotten that you were locked in the tiny room and the sounds of Tony trying to break you out didn't even register in your mind. After your fight earlier, you would never have seen this moment coming. "Steve, all we do anymore is fight," you said remorsefully.

"Because I was mad. I picked fights out of stupid things and was totally childish about it. I see that now, and I'm sorry." He turned to fully face you, the dim lights giving his chiseled features a softness that you hadn't seen in far too long. "You were right. It wasn't the time. But (Y/N), will you marry me now?"

You took a moment to look at him and consider what you wanted, and if you were finally ready. His eyes were almost pleading with you, and you definitely wanted this someday, but the question was upon you right now. "Well, this took quite the turn," you chuckled softly, "but I will never thank Tony for this, and it cannot be in anyone's speech at the reception, understood?"

He smiled widely and took your face in his hands, laughing as his lips pressed firmly to yours. He pulled away and rested his forehead against yours, groaning through clenched teeth when the door flung open and the room was flooded with light.

"Guys! Are you-oh," Tony paused, looking shocked at the turn of events.

"Tony, do you mind? Can we get a minute?" Steve laughed at Tony's bewildered expression, quickly closing the door, "what does a guy gotta do to get some privacy around here?"