[oom: Orpheus]

[thekidfrombrooklyn]

[Previously.]

Steve's hand hovers over the small of Orpheus's back as they go upstairs to his room. He's still not sure what happened earlier, when they tried dancing, but the more important thing is that Orpheus is hurting and it's within Steve's power to help. Maybe even make him feel better.

This, he thinks, is what you do when you care about someone. Two backs to carry the burdens.

"Do you need help undressing?" he asks when they're in Orpheus's room.

Comments

[golden_lyre]

Orpheus does as he's asked, still humming quietly, totally unaware of its effect on Steve.

[thekidfrombrooklyn]

Steve rinses Orpheus's hair and says in a thick voice, "Okay, we're done."

He wipes his eyes with his wrist.

[golden_lyre]

Orpheus nods, reaching down to turn off the water.

"Thanks," he says quietly.

[thekidfrombrooklyn]

"You're welcome.

"That song you were humming, what was that?"

[golden_lyre]

"I don't know," Orpheus says, stumbling out of the shower. "Just a song"

[thekidfrombrooklyn]

"Hm." Steve gives him a towel. "It was kind of sad.

"How about you lie down and I'll see if there's anything helpful in here."

[golden_lyre]

He nods and takes the towel, doing a half-hearted job of drying himself off before he heads into the bedroom.

[thekidfrombrooklyn]

There's a medicine cabinet, filled with tubes and vials, some more exotic than others. Steve collects aspirin, self-adhesive bandages and a tube with the promising words "healing ointment" on the label, and goes back to the bedroom.

"Have I ever told you my mom was a nurse?"

[golden_lyre]

Orpheus is stretched out on the bed.

"No," he says, "but it makes sense."

[thekidfrombrooklyn]

Steve chuckles as he sits on the bed beside him. "I guess it does.

"Anyway, we're going to treat these like abrasions. I think that'll help the healing best. So this," he holds up the tube, "will help with the pain, and these," the Band-Aids, "will protect your fingertips while they heal.

"Ready? It may sting a bit."

[golden_lyre]

Orpheus nods, watching Steve's face more than the items he holds up.

[thekidfrombrooklyn]

Steve takes Orpheus's hand and starts dabbing on the ointment.

He says softly, "Sometimes when I couldn't breathe, she'd boil water in the tea kettle and have me breathe the steam. It helped a lot."

[golden_lyre]

"How old were you?" Orpheus murmurs, his eyes still on Steve's face.

[thekidfrombrooklyn]

"It started when I was three, I think. she died when I was fifteen."

[golden_lyre]

"I'm sorry," Orpheus says softly. "It isn't easy, losing a mother."

[thekidfrombrooklyn]

"No, it isn't.

"I'm ready for your other hand."

[golden_lyre]

Orpheus touches Steve's cheek with his bandaged fingers before offering his other hand.

[thekidfrombrooklyn]

Steve smiles tightly and gets to work on his other hand.


[ooc: Bedtime.]

[golden_lyre]

"Tell me about her?" Orpheus requests, though he'll understand if Steve doesn't want to.

[ooc: Goodnight!]

[thekidfrombrooklyn]

It takes Steve a moment to answer. "She worked a lot. It was just the two of us after my grandparents died, 'cause my father died in the trenches when I was a baby.

"She was strong, though. I sometimes think she kept me alive out of sheer stubborness. I caught everything that came through the neighborhood--from the flu when I was baby to broken bones when I got older.

"She was a nurse in a TB ward and that's what finally got her in the end. I think she was just worn down."

He doesn't look up once while he speaks.

[golden_lyre]

Orpheus watches his face while he speaks, and when Steve is finished, he leans up to kiss his forehead.

"Thank you."

[thekidfrombrooklyn]

Steve touches Orpheus's cheek. "For what?"

[golden_lyre]

"For sharing that with me," Orpheus murmurs.

[thekidfrombrooklyn]

Steve starts to gather up the supplies, now that Orpheus's hands are taken care of.

"I miss her," he says simply. "I wonder sometimes, what'd she think about me like this."

Bigger. Stronger. Healthy at last. Serving his country.

In tights.

[golden_lyre]

Orpheus tucks his arm under his head to watch.

"And what do you think?"