The plan to not panic would definitely take some effort on both their parts, especially when they were both drowning in these feelings they had for each other. There was a desperation involved when emotions were heavy and new, and their situations in this new world didn't help that any.

If Steve had told Rogue about his realization of being in love with her, she wouldn't have panicked. There would have been no laughing or name-calling or worrying that he was nut-job for falling in love with her so quickly. She would have simply come to her own realization and echoed his words, because there was no denying the depth of her affection for him. Perhaps it wasn't healthy or the best indicator of the future of their relationship for them to have fallen in love at their second meeting, but she wasn't afraid of or worried by it - she accepted and embraced it because their lives were too short to do anything but that.

"Good," she commented quietly, her heart racing at that kiss to her palm and the way his lips lingered on her skin. If only he would do that every day for all their years to come. Maybe one day she would ask that of him, but for now she just basked in that small but meaningful romantic gesture. "We're partners, after all. It only makes sense that we do these things together."