ways_infirmary | (no subject)

(no subject)

Orpheus had allowed Guppy to give him something to dull the pain in his shoulder, but he'd insisted on having Apollo sent for for the actual healing.

He can be particularly stubborn when he's in pain.

(He can be particularly stubborn anytime, really.)

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

That earns another laugh. "My mother is a muse. My grandfather is Zeus. By the time I met Apollo...well, I won't say it wasn't an experience, but no, I wasn't frightened.

"Awed, might be a better word."

"Ohh, okay," says Steve. "I need to get out my Homer again, I think.

"Awed is a good word. Awe is better than fright."

"I'm not in that one," Orpheus says with a wink.

"I'm still awed by him, most of the time."

"My other mythology collection, then.

"I bet. I would be too, in your situation."

Well, he's not right about that. But time will reveal that.

"He's just about the only one who can still make me feel like a child," he says with a very smirky sort of smile.

"He probably does that with anyone who isn't a fellow god."

"Oh, yes. I have no delusions of being special in this particular case."

"But still, being friends with a god. That's amazing, even if he does awe you first."

"More than friends, on occasion," Orpheus says, waggling his eyebrows. "Nothing like it."

Steve blushes a little and looks away. "Well, I don't know much about that."

Orpheus looks genuinely surprised at that. "You're kidding."

"No," Steve says simply. "Not kidding. I told you, I was sickly and small before the experiment and no one was interested, and since...well, I'm not any good at courtship, even if I had time to court someone."

"It doesn't always have to involve courtship, you know," Orpheus says.

"Well, whatever you call getting to know someone enough to ... get personal."

"You seem to be doing pretty well so far," Orpheus offers.

Steve blinks at him.

"What do you mean?"

"We're getting to know each other, aren't we?"

"Yes, but," begins Steve and then just looks at Orpheus.

"Huh."

"Huh?"

Steve doesn't say anything for a moment.

"I have a best friend. His name's Bucky. I've known him most of my life. Talking to you is kind of like talking to him.

"It's just weird, when you meet somebody who you feel like you've known forever."

He doesn't really know how else to put it in words. His eyes dart over Orpheus's face.

Orpheus smiles at that, tilting his head curiously.

"I think I know what you mean."

Steve nods. He doesn't know what to do with his hands.

Orpheus has to laugh softly at that. As much as he denies the rumors that he brought homosexuality to humans, well...rumors come from somewhere.

"There's always a connection, you know? But it doesn't have to lead to marriage. That's all I'm saying."

"I know.

"I guess I've just never known how to recognize the connection."

"Had other things on your mind?"

It's hard for him to fathom that, but the society he grew up in didn't view sex that way.