Day 8 - Introduction [Open Log]

[like_a_gerbil]

Characters: Steve Rogers
Open? Open
Where: A road that Steve hopes will lead to civilization
When: Morning on Day 8
What: Steve tries to find out where exactly he woke up this time.
Warnings: None that I can think of



Steve was beginning to wonder if waking up in strange places was becoming a habit for him. Though not as disorientating as waking up to find out that almost seventy years had passed since he was last conscious, finding himself in a meadow instead of his Brooklyn apartment with no memory of how he’d gotten there had still been unnerving.

As soon as he’d accepted that initial shock, he’d started searching for some sign of civilization, eventually finding his way to a dirt road and picking a direction at random that he hoped would lead to somewhere where he could find out what was going.

Maybe he should have taken a less conspicuous route, but if his kidnappers wanted to hurt him, they would have done so already. They wouldn’t have given him a battered set of ragtag armor or the white horse that calmly followed behind him. And they wouldn’t have let him keep his shield.

So he kept to the dusty track, wondering what he’d woke up to this time.

Comments

[like_a_gerbil]

“Glad I can be useful.” For awhile, Steve was silent, considering how to answer. “If it’s my team, then I’m the one who chooses who’s on it.” He hadn’t backed down the first time he’d had a team shoved at him without his input and he wouldn’t back down just because he had woken up in a new decade. He was grateful for SHIELD saving his life, but that debt only went so far. Not when the lives of others could be at stake. “I didn’t really read the psych evaluations. Figured there were more important ways to decide than that.”

He grinned, knowing he should feel guiltier for causing so much damage to those motorcycles, but he’d loved them even if they rarely survived more than a couple missions. “Not sure about the books, but usually it was probably a combination of both.” Though, he wouldn’t have been called an adrenaline junkie during the war, both Peggy and Howard had yelled at him for his disregard for his own safety. Or, more than likely with Howard, his disregard for the work that had gone into building the motorcycle that had ended up being destroyed. “I couldn’t be as careful with them as I should’ve been.”

Noticing that Harley had decided to make another try for his hair, Steve gently pushed her nose aside. “You'll do fine. I would’ve tried on my own, but I figured it wouldn’t be a good idea since I didn’t know what kind of surprises might be out here. Didn't want to get thrown in the middle of a fight."

[legacyofiron]

"Oh... I'm pretty certain you're more than useful." Did he just leer at Captain Steve Rogers. Oh God, he did. If he were a lesser man he would be rubbing his face and beating a hasty retreat for trying to hit on his childhood hero. Crush or not. DId he just admit to having a crush. No. Not even. "You didn't?" All thoughts came to a halt and dark eyes fixed on Steve in surprise.

It left him feeling slightly stunned. Fury didn't get to trash him and he didn't read Natasha's report. That meant he actually could get to know Steve without being... well... prejudged. Not that he didn't deserve to be. Steve might have been better off if he had just read them and knew to stay away. But then, Steve wasn't lingering on the topic and was already talking about something else. "You'd probably not like it anyway... granted that stuff is pretty amusing." Hilarious. He liked those books and Steve was likely the only one to know he'd read them now. Not that he gave a title.

"I can't complain. I'm always blowing up my own stuff. Just means I get to make it shinier and better the next round. And if it got the job done well and you're alive, then it did what it was supposed to. Why complain?" Yes... someone needed to make him stop rambling.

Coughing lightly, he watched the little exchange with the horse and Steve and felt the slight tug on the corner of his lips. That was... yeah. Too cute. "We'll see. But good call... no point looking uncoordinated on a horse if something is coming to get you."

[like_a_gerbil]

"Or in getting dumped on the ground because I can't stay in the saddle." The admission was accompanied with a self-conscious chuckle. "Unless having the bad guys laughing at me can be considered a diversion."

Steve considered Tony for a moment, thinking about that look he'd given him when he mentioned the psych evals. "I read enough to know that you aren't a maniac or one of those serial killers. The rest..." He paused, choosing his words carefully, smiling as he remembered how Doctor Erskine had offered him a chance. "Actions can be more important than an official's opinion of a person's worth. Sometimes all someone needs is to be offered a chance."

Shaking off memories, he patted Harley's neck, relieved that she had quit trying to make a snack out of him. "How do you know what kind of books I'd read? Used to read everything I could when I was a kid."

[legacyofiron]

"In my defense... I'd try not to laugh." More like flail and try to make sure nothing was broken. After all, he'd seen paralyzed people after riding accidents. "But I'd rather you not. Adorable possibilities aside."

Tilting his head a little at the comment about the evaluation and his posture got a little stiffer for a moment. People didn't give him a chance to change. They didn't believe he could change. Which was why Pepper never could get passed who he was to be with him now. Shrugging his shoulders at that, he wasn't about to give into the hope that Steve meant that. "Maybe some people are destined to disappoint you." At least that was the impression everyone gave him.

His horse bumped him from behind and he grumbled a little. Animals and their strange affinity for emotions. As he was looking back at the animal, he let out a soft laugh at the comment about books. "Did you read a lot of books with sex in them? Because I'll take it back if you say you did."

[like_a_gerbil]

Before he could stop himself, he was giving Tony a disbelieving look. Maybe Tony and the people around him believed that, but Steve had never allowed himself to think like that. If he had, he wouldn't have ever tried to enlist. Or done any of the other things that had led to Doctor Erskine offering him a chance. "If I believed that some people were only destined to disappoint you, then I would've been spent the war drawing recruitment posters."

The comment about the books made him blush slightly, but he managed not to stutter in surprise at the thought of reading stuff like that while coping with whatever lung ailment had been circulating around the orphanage. "Not when I was a kid." The words were accompanied by an exasperated shake of his head. "But I wasn't as sheltered as people think." Shyness and naive weren't always the same thing, no matter what most people assumed or what had been printed in those comic books about him. "And I've had six months to try to catch up on the times."

[legacyofiron]

Tony had to stare at Steve a moment. Furrowing his brow, he was trying to do the equation here, but sometimes 2+2 really did equal 4 and he needed to stop dragging advanced Calculus into it. Reaching back to rub the back of his head, he fought for some answer to that and was coming up empty. "Well..." And slightly inarticulate. "Not everyone believes in every person..." He wanted to say that some people really were bad... but he found that he didn't want to say that to Steve at the moment.

Shaking his head, he wanted to clear those thoughts from his head and focus on less soul crushing topics. Like books. Questionable books. With sex in them. Now those were the interesting once and from the way Steve was reacting, Tony suddenly wished he could introduce him to it. "So you're saying you do read trashy romance now." Smirking, he just had to tease the younger man. "If we ever get home, I'll be sure and lend you a few."

[like_a_gerbil]

Tony's reaction to his to having faith in people almost made Steve wish he'd read the psych profile. Almost. Maybe it would've given him some idea why Tony didn't expect anyone to believe in him. Not that it mattered. It wouldn't change how Tony thought. Only time could do that. "Everyone doesn't have to believe, Tony. All you need is for the right one to give you a chance."

He smiled and shook his head at the comment about the books, figuring Tony was trying to embarrass him just like the Commandos used to. "Used to read everything I could get my hands on. When we get back, let me borrow 'em." Pausing, he glanced over at Tony, the smile turned to a grin. "They can't be too bad, right? Unless you like reading trashy romance novels."

[legacyofiron]

"When that happens I'll let you know." Waving it off, he didn't want to think about. Growing up with a dad that gave the impression that you were wasting oxygen existing didn't help. Nor the fact that all his friends seemed oblivious when he did want help. So... when all that fails you tend to stop expecting anything from anyone.

Then he got that request to borrow them. Smirking a little, he glanced over at Steve. Well, that was more deviant than he expected. "The sex isn't a major part of it. They're mostly humorous. But I'll gladly lend you the ones I still have. I don't like being associated with books like that. I prefer to stick to my genres in science."

[like_a_gerbil]

He was curious about why Tony hadn't ever gotten a chance like that. He must have had someone believe in him. The man was a genius - that alone should be enough to cause someone to believe in him - and the things he'd done with the armor...

Eventually, maybe he'd figure it out, but for now he mentally shrugged it off. A detail to worry over later.

Catching Tony's eye, he had to grin when he noticed the smirk. The teasing was welcome after weeks of people treating him like he was fragile. "I could use something fun to read after all the stuff SHIELD keeps giving me." He paused, surprised that if Tony wanted to keep his reading habits a secret, he'd offer Steve those books. "I won't tell anyone that you gave them to me."