[Milliways]: Hosing down...or not

[golden_lyre]

Orpheus is just tipsy enough to be maudlin when they get to his room. He almost wishes he'd brought a bottle of something, but that probably wouldn't be a good idea.

There's a pile of broken pottery on the floor in a puddle of water and crushed flowers, and when he opens the door and sees it, he sets his guitar aside and goes to clean it up. "Sorry about this," he says to Steve. "I forgot..."

Comments

[thekidfrombrooklyn]

"What happened?" Steve asks quietly. There's more going on with Orpheus than he suspected down in the bar.

[golden_lyre]

Orpheus shakes his head as he deposits the shards of pottery into a wastebasket and tosses the flowers in with them.

"I...ran into the Goth earlier, and he got under my skin. He seems to be good at that."

[thekidfrombrooklyn]

Steve sighs and scratches the back of his head. "If he's harassing you again, there's got to be someone you can complain to about him."

[golden_lyre]

"I think I may," Orpheus says. "He wasn't harassing me today, though. We just...got into an argument, I suppose. But he hasn't had any repercussions for his actions, and that's worth a complaint at least."

He moves to the bathroom to get a towel to mop up the water.

[thekidfrombrooklyn]

"I don't suppose me speaking to him would help any," Steve says. "I seem to just put my foot in it every time I've tried to help."

[golden_lyre]

"Demeter has spoken to him as well. I don't think he will listen to reason on the matter, though it's cost him more than one friend."

He puts the towels in a hamper in the bathroom.

"Don't worry about it, though. I don't think he's going to be giving me any more trouble. I only...came up here to avoid a repeat of the last time."

[thekidfrombrooklyn]

Steve nods, still looking troubled, but if there's nothing he can do, he'll let it be.

For now.

"I'll take that shower now. Do you have anything I could wear after?"

[golden_lyre]

"I might have some pants that would fit? And there's a robe in the bathroom," Orpheus offers. His shirts are not going to do Steve much good.

[thekidfrombrooklyn]

"That'd be great. Thanks."

He goes into the bathroom and starts the water running.

[golden_lyre]

Orpheus goes to find him some pants and brings them into the bathroom.

"They might be a bit tight."

[thekidfrombrooklyn]

"I'll make do," Steve calls from the shower. "Thank you."

[golden_lyre]

Orpheus leans against the door frame for a moment, watching Steve's outline through the shower curtain, and then goes back into the bedroom, picking up his guitar and sitting on the bed with it in his lap. He plays a very quiet, very sad song, trying not to disturb Steve with it.

[thekidfrombrooklyn]

Steve's shower is brief, and he comes out in a few minutes, wearing the pants (which are just this side of too tight) and the bathrobe.

He pauses to listen to the music.

[golden_lyre]

When Orpheus sees him, he stops playing and sets the guitar aside. "Sorry."

[thekidfrombrooklyn]

"Don't be," Steve says and sits on the edge of the bed. "I like your music."

[golden_lyre]

"Even like this?" Orpheus asks.

Most people do, of course, they just don't like the way it makes them feel.

[thekidfrombrooklyn]

"Yes," Steve says quietly. He leans against the headboard.

[golden_lyre]

Orpheus moves to sit next to him.

"It's been kind of a rough day," he admits.

[thekidfrombrooklyn]

"Come here?" Steve says gently and tugs Orpheus to him.

[golden_lyre]

Orpheus settles against him a little stiffly.

[thekidfrombrooklyn]

Steve cards his fingers through Orpheus's hair.

[golden_lyre]

Orpheus slowly relaxes against him. "You don't have to do this, you know. Any of this."

[thekidfrombrooklyn]

"Yup," Steve says as he rubs the back of Orpheus's neck. "I know."

[golden_lyre]

"So why are you?"

[thekidfrombrooklyn]

"'Cause I want to."