calling_logs | So when they say 'quiet' they really just mean 'as terribly dangerous as usual'

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So when they say 'quiet' they really just mean 'as terribly dangerous as usual'

Who: Steve and Dejah
What: Continuing from here, Steve and Dejah escape the beasties in a treehouse
When: Mid-afternoon
Where: City of Adventure,
Notes & Warnings: Mentions of blood and poisoning.

Now that the beasties are done with, Steve's going to climb his way up to the treehouse and collapse on the floor. Collapse because that was much harder than he'd expected it would be and while he knows he has some work to do, that he needs to check up on Dejah--

Dammit, he needs to get up and check on Dejah.

It hurts, and he's sore, but he pushes himself up and goes to take a look at her, check her wounds, see if any of them have turned an unsavory color. It's hard to tell, given her red skin and her blue blood, but so far, hopefully, so good.

"Sorry about the toss. I just... I needed to get you up there and I couldn't think of anything else to get you out of harms way. I hope it didn't hurt too much. How we doing?"

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She watches him work, gauging the length of the rope and predicting what he's going to have to do. She shifts and frowns a little.

"Is this going to aggravate your own injuries?"

Because she'll make do if it means wounding him further.

He shakes his head easily enough. His wounds, well-

He holds up his arm to show that the skin has already closed and appears to be healing quite nicely.

"I heal quick," he assures her, "and it's the safest option. I carried you the whole way here and I tossed you up here. It won't be that bad. I promise."

"I shall take you at your word. Steve."

She almost called him 'Captain'. But he's been less than formal with her, and she'd like to continue along that path.

"I can make the walk down to the water. I do not heal at the same rate you do, but I am hardier than most humans. I promise, the walk will do me good."

"I didn't figure you'd need much," he admits with a bit of a grin. He's trying to be a little more positive; he'd seen the frustration at his comments, how little she liked him watching every step. But he knew what good was and what not good was and she wasn't quite 'good' yet.

"We'll get you down and you'll be right as rain once you're on the ground."

He pushes himself up and walks over to throw the loop of the rope over the branch. Then he holds the tied loop out to her.

She levers herself up again, fueled more by her focus and resolve to not embarrass herself in front of him than anything else. She takes the loop and slips it down over her arms and shoulders, pushing it down until it's around her hips. She'll be able to bear most of her weight on the seat and hold the rope with her hands.

"Ready when you are."

He nods as he slowly slips away from her and, after a moment of consideration, slipped the backpack on. Then he started on his way down the ladder.

"I'm going to climb up which should lower you down. Let me know if it's a little too fast or if you feel something unsteady."

"Will do. I trust you not to drop me." There's a note of teasing there.

She steps to the edge and waits for him to take the bottom of the rope. When he gives the go ahead, without hesitation, she puts her weight on the rope and sits back, falling gently off the edge he'd thrown her over the night before.

The first thing he might notice is how her gaze does not fix on him, but up and across the trees. "Sweet mother, you can see forever up here. This must be the tallest tree in -- how far is the horizon, I wonder. I cannot assume the distance the same as Barsoom."

The rope jolts just a little and she squeaks, her hands catching and holding tight. "Sorry, paying attention now."

"You're fine," he shouts up to her as he starts climbing the ladder, giving her a bright smile before putting his attention on the rope and the rope ladder.

"You're fine, really," he says again, "just let me know if you start feeling something slip. But-" breath "I'm sure it's gorgeous. It's" huff "a nice treehouse when you're not" breath "bleeding."

She turns her head to check on him, and this time, there isn't a giant snake chasing after her. Her mouth opens to say something, and the words evaporate in her mouth.

Sweet holy mother of us all. He is... Attractive.

She can't take her eyes off him the whole way down, muscles straining under his shirt, a light sheen of sweat forming on his throat and cheeks.

She swallows. Hard.

He notices that with a quick blink and he almost pauses before scampering up the ladder a little faster to try and meet her at the halfway point. Then he gives her a look up and down to make sure that she isn't having any kind of relapse or issue breathing or if something's going wrong.

"Everything all right?"

She blinks rapidly and her cheeks darken. There's a bit of stammering.

"Um, yes, yes, I'm fine. And you?"

Mentally, she facepalms.

...that can't be what he thinks it is. No. No way. Nope. She is... definitely not blushing at him. Nope. He's just... not going to think about that. That's the safest thing. Think about getting her down and getting her washed up and getting her to safety. That's what he's doing.

"Good!" he reports, just a little too chipper.

"Good. Great! Excellent."

Shut up, Dejah. Just stop talking!

"Almost there? I can't tell from here."

"Almost there, I think," he reports as he keeps climbing, his eye on her, on the rope, and on the ground. After all, it wasn't that long ago he was fighting a rabid wolfpack. Or that they encountered a giant snake. He didn't like that he'd have to take the time to climb down, but it had been for the best, really.

He lowered her to the ground so gently, she barely realized her feet had touched ground until her knees started to flex. She took her weight on her legs and looked up at him.

"Got it! You can come down now!"

She was still a bit wobbly, but she could manage to keep upright until he got back. If only by sheer will.

He was watching her even as he let go of the rope, and even though it looked like she was having no trouble, he still put on double time to get down the ladder. When he finally hopped off, it was with a bit of relief and a slightly beleaguered smile. Then it was just a matter of untying things and re-looping up the rope. It was good rope, after all; no reason to leave it.

"Almost done, and then we can head to the waterfall."

She watched, nervously dragging a hand through her hair. Ugh, so much mud. Okay, maybe she can smooth out her -- nope, the shirt and khakis are pretty much a rumpled mess.

Yes, she can do this. She will not look weak in front of him. (What the hell are you even thinking, Dejah? Why is your heart pounding? Why is your mouth dry?)

When he looks back, she shoots him a shy smile, and slips her hand into the crook of his arm.

He's... not going to lie. He's more than a little surprised at that, which is why he almost starts. But he doesn't pull away. Instead, he realizes what a knucklehead he's being. She wants to hold his arm so he can help her back to the waterfall. He's got to stop making assumptions like that...

"Ready to go then?"

She nods, her breath coming a little quicker. Maybe it's exertion. Maybe it's nerves. Maybe the oxygen rich environment is playing havoc with her metabolism, and that's why she's feeling light-headed.

"Is anyone going to -- uh -- miss you? While you're out here, I mean. Taking care of me."

He shakes his head.

"No one I know's got one of these things," he admits as they start heading towards the waterfall again. "So pretty much, my time here is free."

It's one of the reasons he's here so often, honestly. If time passed, he'd never make it here. Too busy.

They make their way back down the path, the early morning sun cutting low through the trees, and the mists still receding back down to the water's edge.

"That must be a relief," she says, cutting a glance at him. Doesn't really answer her question, though, so she'll have to reconsider how to ask it another way.

"Steve? Can I ask you a personal question?"

He pauses, taking the moment to catch a breath he doesn't need that his mind insists he does. He leans one arm against a tree and turns to her with a quick nod.

"Certainly. Absolutely. Anything you like."

She gives him a little space, watching him with a bit of concern in her gaze.

"Are you feeling all right?"

Okay, so not the question she was going to ask, but he's more important than her curiosity.

That gets a blink out of him, mostly because that was not the question he was expecting.

"Oh yeah," he assures her with a smile, and there's no shortness to his breath. It's just a disagreement between his brain and his body on whether he needs the rest or not. "I'm just fine. Was... that the question?"

She peers up at him, brow furrowed.

"I was -- wondering if um," she pauses to shake her head, that same color darkening her cheeks. He's definitely not imagining it this time. "If you're seeing anyone. Back home. Or here. Possibly."

Sweet holy mother have mercy, she's terrible at this.

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