OOM: Orpheus

[thekidfrombrooklyn]

Steve puts down his cup so he can hang his jacket, grab some towels and take off his damp clothes.

"Sorry about that, down by the lake," he says again. "I've spent enough time in the woods lately that they shouldn't seem strange to me."

Comments

[golden_lyre]

Orpheus is out again almost immediately.

[thekidfrombrooklyn]

When the sun rises, Steve is already awake, eyes open, arm around Orpheus. He watches the window, expression thoughtful.

[golden_lyre]

Orpheus wakes with the sun as always, stretching slowly and smiling at Steve. "Mornin'..."

[thekidfrombrooklyn]

"Mornin'." He ruffles his fingers through Orpheus's hair.

"This is going to sound like a stupid question, but do my lungs sound okay to you?"

[golden_lyre]

"Um..." Orpheus frowns, but he presses his ear to Steve's chest. "Breathe for me?"

[thekidfrombrooklyn]

Steve breathes in and out slowly a few times.

[golden_lyre]

Orpheus lifts his head and moves to kiss him. "Sounds fine to me, lovely."

[thekidfrombrooklyn]

"Thanks," Steve murmurs and kisses him in return. "I don't know what woke me up last night. I haven't been sick once since the experiment."

[golden_lyre]

Orpheus frowns, settling against him. "Were you worried your asthma might be coming back?

[thekidfrombrooklyn]

Steve sighs and nods. "Yeah."

[golden_lyre]

Orpheus kisses his cheek. "Are you still cold?"

[thekidfrombrooklyn]

"I'm not bad now," Steve murmurs as he burrows under the blankets, closer to Orpheus.

[golden_lyre]

"Okay," Orpheus says, keeping him close.

[thekidfrombrooklyn]

"I don't want to go running this morning, though."

[golden_lyre]

"Not feeling up to it?"

[thekidfrombrooklyn]

Steve's fingers clutch at Orpheus's side a moment. "Yeah. Must be it."

[golden_lyre]

"Maybe we should get you to the infirmary, lovely," Orpheus says, frowning at him.

[thekidfrombrooklyn]

"I don't need the infirmary," Steve says. "I'm fine. I just want to stay inside today."

[golden_lyre]

"Okay," Orpheus says quietly, still frowning. "Just...tell me why?"

[thekidfrombrooklyn]

There's a long silence. Then finally, in a whisper,

"Because there's something wrong outside."

[golden_lyre]

"Is this about the fog? And the thing last night?"

[thekidfrombrooklyn]

Steve nods.

"I'm not afraid of guns. I'm not afraid of bombs. I'm not afraid of jumping out of airplanes or leaping over ravines. I can fight anything, me and my shield.

"But how do you fight something that just ... makes you feels afraid?"

[golden_lyre]

"You choose not to be afraid," Orpheus says, though he has no better advice to give than that, so he just squeezes Steve closer to him.

[thekidfrombrooklyn]

Steve presses himself close to Orpheus.

"I think I'd like to get some more sleep."

[golden_lyre]

"All right," Orpheus says. "Do you want me to stay, or can I get you some breakfast for when you wake up?"