[Milliways]: New York, New York

[golden_lyre]

Orpheus wasn't entirely sure the ring would work as a way for him to get to Steve's world, but he was going to give it a shot. If it didn't work, he'd explain it to Steve the next time they were both in the bar, and they could figure something else out.

His guitar slung across his back, Orpheus turns the ring on his finger and opens the door, pleased to find himself in Steve's apartment when he steps through.

Comments

[golden_lyre]

"Were you thinking of living there?"

[thekidfrombrooklyn]

Steve nods. "At least some of the time."

[golden_lyre]

"While you're working on things, or...?"

[thekidfrombrooklyn]

"When we need to be together, yes."

[golden_lyre]

He nods, thoughtful, digesting that.

[thekidfrombrooklyn]

"Those would probably be the best times for you to go back to Milliways," Steve says.

[golden_lyre]

"That wouldn't be likely to help."

[thekidfrombrooklyn]

"You'll be safer there."

[golden_lyre]

"Except that time won't pass, so when I come back, I will be in as much danger as before."

[thekidfrombrooklyn]

"Then go home," Steve says. "Use the bar to go home, and I'll come get you when the danger's passed."

[golden_lyre]

"You can't send me away every time there's trouble, lovely. And I wouldn't go."

[thekidfrombrooklyn]

Steve makes a frustrated noise. "If you stay," he says seriously, "then I'll be worrying about you instead of doing my duty, and then I won't be any use to anyone. Not you, not the team, not whoever's in trouble."

[golden_lyre]

"And what if there's no door, hm? What then? You cannot always tuck me away safely until you're done saving the world."

[thekidfrombrooklyn]

"There will have to be a door, because I cannot lose you, either." He gestures to the memorial wall. "Look at all of these people, Orpheus, all of these people we couldn't save. If your immortality failed somehow, if it doesn't apply here--"

He looks away, unable to go on.

[golden_lyre]

Orpheus frowns and takes in a deep breath, letting it out slowly.

"I don't think I could be happy like that. The princess in the tower, whiling away the days until the hero comes home."

[thekidfrombrooklyn]

Steve takes a deep breath too.

"How do we compromise here?" he asks quietly.

[golden_lyre]

"I don't know," Orpheus says simply. "What is the compromise between staying and going?"

[thekidfrombrooklyn]

"I don't know either." He rubs the back of his neck, and says painfully, "Not coming here at all? Just going on as we have been?"

[golden_lyre]

"Perhaps," Orpheus says, finding the idea more painful than he'd imagined it would be.

"Let me ask you, if the situation were reversed, would you be content to run while I went off to fight?"

[thekidfrombrooklyn]

"No," Steve mutters. "But I'm a soldier, first and foremost. It's not the same."

[golden_lyre]

"It is exactly the same. I am as much a man as you are. As much a soldier, though I have not made a living of it in a very long while. But you would expect me to do something you wouldn't do yourself?"

[thekidfrombrooklyn]

"It has nothing to do with whether you're a man or not," Steve says. "I'm a superhero, Orpheus. You may be immortal--and I'm not completely convinced you are here--but I'm faster, I'm stronger, and I'm a hell of a lot more indestructible than anyone. I was made to fight. You weren't."

It's in his face, that he didn't want to point this out, but for him this is what it comes down to.

[golden_lyre]

"And before you were made to fight? Before you were a superhero? Tell me you would have hidden then."

For Orpheus it very much comes down to what Steve thinks of him that he needs this sort of protection.

"I am not a child nor a woman nor a...china doll that needs saving. It is not in my nature to run from danger any more than it is in yours."

[thekidfrombrooklyn]

"No," Steve says with a sigh. "I wouldn't have run then, either. Bucky would say I'd be too dumb to run.

"I don't think you're a child or a woman or a china doll. What you are," he catches Orpheus's arm, "is precious to me. Important to me. I wouldn't ask you to fight and I wouldn't expect you to."

[golden_lyre]

Orpheus sighs, shaking his head. "I would rather you asked me to fight than to hide."

He looks up at Steve, sad and a little disappointed. "How many times did I ask you to be careful and your answer to me was that you thought you were indestructible. I know that I am, and still you want me to run.

"I'm not asking to fight alongside you, but please don't ask me to leave you."