[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

[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."

[golden_lyre]

"You want to hang out with me while I'm miserable?"

[thekidfrombrooklyn]

"Yup."

He strokes Orpheus's forehead.

"Have I told you how Bucky and I met?"

[golden_lyre]

"No," Orpheus says, relaxing a bit more.

[thekidfrombrooklyn]

"Grade school," Steve says quietly, stroking Orpheus's cheek. "Three boys ganged up on me. I think I offended them with my wheezing. Before they could do too much damage, Bucky pulled them off.

"He did that for me right up until the day he shipped out. He didn't have to. He did anyway.

"This is what friends do, Orpheus. They see each other through the hard times."

[golden_lyre]

Orpheus frowns a little at that.

"I don't need someone to fight bullies for me, Steve."

[thekidfrombrooklyn]

Steve sighs. "You're having a hard time, and I'm trying to help you through it."

[golden_lyre]

"You could have picked a better story to illustrate that."

[thekidfrombrooklyn]

"Bucky also tried to fix me up on double dates. Is that better?"

[golden_lyre]

"Yeah, a bit," Orpheus allows, laying a hand over Steve's.

[thekidfrombrooklyn]

"Not that they worked out," Steve says softly, stroking Orpheus's chest with his thumb. "But he'd say, 'You're great, Steve, someday somebody will see that.'

"So that part was okay."

[golden_lyre]

"Well, he was right on that. But apparently he had awful taste in women."

[thekidfrombrooklyn]

Steve chuckles. "I wasn't so good at talking to girls, either. Still not, until I get to know them some. But that didn't help any--a girl doesn't take kindly to a guy who has nothing to say."

[golden_lyre]

"Some things never change," Orpheus agrees. "But if I had to guess, I'd say they won't mind so much now if you have something to say or not."