ways_infirmary | (no subject)

Steve knocks on the door and peeks in.

"Um. Hey. I heard you were in here," he says to Orpheus.

Milliways rumor mill? We'll say that.

Orpheus is sitting up in bed, his guitar in his lap. He's waiting for his interview, and getting a bit bored as he does, so he definitely doesn't mind seeing Steve.

"Hey," he answers with a grin. "Good to see the story's spreading, I guess?"

"I understand the woman who did this to you is currently a polar bear." He sits on the edge of Orpheus's bed. "I think at home they'd call that 'cruel and unusual punishment', but here--" He shrugs.

Orpheus arches an eyebrow at that, laughing a bit. "I don't know if I should be pleased or worried by that."

"I doubt it would be permanent."

He pauses.

"I met Teja. We had a bit of a talk."

"Oh?" He smirks. "How'd that go?"

"Badly," Steve admits. "I'm not impressed with him.

"He did give me a hint of why he was harassing you in the first place. He said," and this is where he curses his fair skin, because BLUSH, "'lewd touching' was involved?

"Does that tell you anything?"

His expression is every serious.

Orpheus frowns in thought. He honestly hasn't been doing much 'lewd touching' in Milliways. Pretty much just with Apollo. And...

Oh.

And that, combined with Teja's comments about deep, darkness or whatever it was.

"Maybe, yeah."

Of course, the Huntsman wasn't complaining at all, quite the opposite, so Orpheus doesn't know where the issue is coming from.

"Orpheus, I know we don't know each other well but I'm usually pretty good judge of character. And I hate that I have to ask this, but -- did you hurt someone?"

Edited 2012-07-29 04:13 (UTC)

"Gods, no," Orpheus says, frowning. "Look, the only people I've...touched lewdly, to borrow the Goth's phrase, have been perfectly willing."

Steve studies his face, then nods. "Okay."

It's enough for him.

"It sounds like this is all a massive misunderstanding. Second- and third- hand confusion."

He sighs and rubs his eyes.

"I told Teja he's a thug, for all the good it will do, but I felt better after."

Orpheus laughs dryly. He may have to have a talk with Eric once he gets out of here. "Well, I appreciate you defending my honor."

"I'm not sure that's what I did.

"And you still got hurt."

"That was my own fault," Orpheus points out. "And it's nothing now."

His arm is perfectly fine. The bruise on his jaw is even gone.

"Well, I'm glad about that, anyway." He peers at Orpheus's face. "They must have some really great medicine here."

He has super-healing powers, himself. He doesn't expect to see much of the infirmary unless he's visiting people.

"I'll tell you a secret," Orpheus says, leaning toward him a bit. "I've got some divine connections."

"Oh, really," says Steve, leaning forward too. "The goddess of music? Or was she a muse? Does that count?"

"God of music, actually. And healing, which is handy," Orpheus says with a smile.

"Healing, healing," says Steve, trying to remember his mythology. "Hippocrates?"

Orpheus laughs. "Not a god, actually, and he wouldn't thank you for the comparison. No, music, healing, poetry, truth, prophecy, the sun now... I could go on."

"Oh! Apollo." He laughs. "Of course, Apollo.

"Wow. You're under his care, then?"

"Of course." He holds up his guitar with a grin. "Who do you think taught me to play?"

"Innate talent?"

He laughs. "There is that. But Apollo gave me my lyre all those centuries ago and showed me what to do with it."

"Was it frightening, seeing a god?"

He's a good Irish Catholic boy, but he figures it's an alternative universe thing.