[Milliways]: Breaking the dry spell

[golden_lyre]

Orpheus is trying very hard not to just drag Steve up the stairs to their room. Despite having been waiting in the bar, he hasn't been spending much time here at all. It made him think far too much of Steve, and the drawings Steve had left for him didn't really help on that score.

He manages to restrain himself, though, as he unlocks the door.

Comments

[thekidfrombrooklyn]

"What, other people wanting me?" He shrugs. "I don't think so."

[golden_lyre]

"Other people thinking about you having sex."

[thekidfrombrooklyn]

"They're going to whether it bothers me or not, so I shouldn't let it bother me."

[golden_lyre]

"That's a good philosophy to have."

[thekidfrombrooklyn]

"Someone recommended the serenity prayer to me," Steve says. "I think this applies."

[golden_lyre]

"Were they trying to get you into AA?"

[thekidfrombrooklyn]

"No. They just wanted to help me cope."

[golden_lyre]

"I suppose it's useful for more things than just drinking."

[thekidfrombrooklyn]

"There aren't many support groups for 'woke up seventy years in the future'," Steve says with a slight smile.

[golden_lyre]

"No, I guess there wouldn't be," Orpheus says. "Not many for 'survived the underworld' either."

[thekidfrombrooklyn]

Steve touches Orpheus's chest. "We're both unique to the world."

[golden_lyre]

"Not entirely unique in my case," Orpheus says, but he puts his hand over Steve's.

[thekidfrombrooklyn]

Steve presses his palm to Orpheus's chest. "Some other guy went to the afterlife to plead for his wife?"

[golden_lyre]

"Not that I know of, but others have been to the underworld and come back," Orpheus says.

[thekidfrombrooklyn]

"Really? I didn't know that. How did they get out?"

[golden_lyre]

"Most of them just walked out again. Odysseus, Aeneas, Heracles, Theseus..."

[thekidfrombrooklyn]

"Oh. That's different, though, isn't it? None of them died--they just dropped in for a bit."

[golden_lyre]

"I didn't die either, lovely."

[thekidfrombrooklyn]

"Right, but--but you went in because someone did.

"I had a point. I seem to have lost it."

[golden_lyre]

"They all went in for someone else. But I can see how it is at least a bit different."

It's easier to talk about this, albeit abstractly, than he thought it would be.

[thekidfrombrooklyn]

Steve just nods, not wanting to pursue it. He tucks his head under Orpheus's chin.

"I'm glad you're here."

[golden_lyre]

"I'm glad you are as well," Orpheus murmurs, kissing his temple.

[thekidfrombrooklyn]

"I was so afraid I'd never see you again, and I just ... had to."

[golden_lyre]

"I was going to wait," Orpheus says quietly. "However long it took, I was going to wait."

[thekidfrombrooklyn]

Steve doesn't say anything -- can't say anything -- and traces shapes on Orpheus's chest.