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

[justakidfrombrklyn]

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?"

Comments

[dejah_thoris]

"My apologies," she smirks up at him, a twinkle in her eye. "Perhaps there are other ways to leave one's dignity behind in an alleyway, more than once?"

[justakidfrombrklyn]

"Oh, I could give you a list," and that comes with a wry little grin. "But most of them involve getting my face punched in."

[dejah_thoris]

Her brow furrows. "That sounds unpleasant. I assume this was before your..." She hesitates. She has distinct opinions about using untested protocols on people, but she knows he came from a different time and place than she did, and she will not judge him for it.

"Before your service."

[justakidfrombrklyn]

"Got it in one," he says with a brief chuckle. "Doesn't mean I don't remember it clearly, though."

Then, after a thought, he tilts his head.

"It's that obvious I'm a soldier, then?"

[dejah_thoris]

"Please. Steve Rogers," she says, her chin dropping a bit. She was, understandably, a bit out of it the night before, but now she remembers where she knows the name from.

"You are more than a soldier."

[justakidfrombrklyn]

He can see that recognition and there's the barest moment of... loss. Nothing permanent, not even something he really mourns, necessarily, but it's something he feels drop away. He's not just Steve who helped her out or Steve the warrior who fought off a snake and some wolves. Now he's Steve Rogers, Captain America.

But he's hopeful it won't change much.

"I guess you've got me there."

[dejah_thoris]

She blinks, the wash of -- is that sadness? Something so powerful, she can feel it against her skin.

"But before, when you were getting pummeled in Brooklyn's alleys, you were just a young man. Surely it wasn't all detrimental to your dignity."

She leans a little closer, letting her shoulder touch his.

[justakidfrombrklyn]

He reaches a hand up and scratches at one side of his head.

"Nope, it was... pretty much a wash. I mean, I always got a lick or two in, but I don't think there was a fight I won outside of 'who's doing the dishes tonight' back at my apartment."

He offers a smile, since those memories might smart but, well... they felt good too. They were all him, all a part of him, part of what made him who he was. Part of what he believed in too. He didn't regret a single one.

[dejah_thoris]

"Well, all things considered, you've seen me covered in mud and blood, raving from fever, among other things." She sounds weary, but grateful. "It isn't as if I have a shred of dignity left with regards to you."

She mirrors that small smile back to him, looking at him through long dark lashes.

"I suppose we're pretty much even on that count."

She's known him less than a day and of all the things she knows about him, she knows he is and always has been a fighter.

[justakidfrombrklyn]

He squints just a little in reply.

"I'm gonna say whatever we both had or didn't have on at the time? You probably wore it better."

It transforms into a smile.

"Seem pretty dignified to me, honestly."

[dejah_thoris]

"Thank you," she says. "As to who wore it better, I have my opinion on the matter, and to preserve what little dignity that remains, I will keep it to myself."

She waggles her eyebrows at him.

"Now, you said something about soup?"

[justakidfrombrklyn]

He didn't actually facepalm, but he got very close. He let his head drop before lifting it to give her a faint, crooked smile.

"Clearly, you're the brains of this operation. Lemme get something put together for soup. I might have to head back down to get more water, though."

[dejah_thoris]

She chuckles and sighs, grinning right back at him. A distant part of her marvels at the hint of pimalia moths fluttering in her chest right now. What in Issus's name is that all about?

"I need to get cleaned up myself. Shall I join you?"

[justakidfrombrklyn]

"If you think you won't open anything up by climbing down," he points out. Climbing, after all, uses the muscles that have just gotten doused in poison and then burned straight to hell.

"I can bring more for you to wash up if you think that'll work better. It'll just mean a couple of trips while the soup is cooking."

[dejah_thoris]

She frowns, chews the side of her lip for a moment, glancing around before meeting his gaze again.

"I do not wish to put you out any further, but I would bathe, proper, if it's possible. Do you think, perhaps, there is a way you might find to get me to the ground?"

[justakidfrombrklyn]

He considers the problem for a moment before holding up a finger and reaching over to get to his bags. From the side of one of them, he pulls what looks like a relatively long length of rope.

"If I make a big enough loop with a good enough knot, I should be able to lower you down slowly. There's a tree next to this one with a branch that ought to work for it. That is. If you'd be willing to give it a shot."

[dejah_thoris]

She looks up at him and her head tilts, a smile slowly spreading across her features. She gives a slight nod.

"That should do nicely. I think I can manage that without too much trouble."

[justakidfrombrklyn]

He gives her a smile back, encouraging, before leaning back to start putting the knots into the rope. He'll have to carefully climb his way up the ladder as he slowly lowers her down. It's going to be more than a little difficult and he's not looking forward to his arm screaming at him about it, but hopefully, she'll feel better after a bit of a wash.

"We should probably get going," he says as he pulls at the rope, tries to make sure it can handle her weight. "Did you plan on coming back here, or did you want to head back to civilization once we get cleaned up?"

[dejah_thoris]

She looks around them at the treehouse, as if committing it to memory. She sighs, a bit of a weight settling about her shoulders.

"Yes, I suppose we should. I'll have to remember this place is here. It looks like it would be a wonderful place to spend some time just -- relaxing."

[justakidfrombrklyn]

"Considering how we got here, I'm not really sure how you'd ever forget it," he admits as he hauls his backpack over towards the side he figures he'll use. After a moment's consideration, he ties the one end of the rope around the bag; no sense in not using a counterweight, after all. It'll take some of the strain off him and make sure that if for some reason he loses grip, she won't just drop like a rock.

[dejah_thoris]

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.

[justakidfrombrklyn]

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."

[dejah_thoris]

"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."

[justakidfrombrklyn]

"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.

[dejah_thoris]

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."