iwillcatchup: (just so cool)
iwillcatchup ([personal profile] iwillcatchup) wrote in [community profile] nexus_crossings2018-09-05 07:33 pm

When Life Slows Down

It is a major downer for Peter to have a leg cast right now. His whole life seems to be crawling along at a snail's pace. He is used to being the first to class... but is now the last. He is used to living life in the fast line... but is now stuck behind some senior going half the speed limit. And he feels like he is that senior.

And he can't focus right. Which is why he was headed to his hide-away in the attic, and took all that effort to drag himself up one step at a time...

When his head popped up in a whole new area that definitely was not the attic. His eyes went wide as sights and sounds surrounded him, and he was not even all the way out into the Nexus plaza yet.

He tosses his crutches onto the ground of the plaza, then pulls himself all the way up out of the hole in the ground that is his Nexus portal. And sits there on the ground for a moment. His eyes seem to move very quickly surveying everything around him.

He doesn't seem concerned about moving off the ground right now. His finger tap quickly on the floor beside him. More than anything in the world he wants to see everything... visit every Nexus shop... sample every exotic treat. But the cast has him contained. Sullen and contained.

"What would be your version of 'being between a rock and a hard place'?"
shieldborne: (Default)

[personal profile] shieldborne 2018-10-07 03:23 am (UTC)(link)
"Hey, we all have our own gifts. I don't get mad because Banner's smarter or because Sam can fly. I guess the thing about having a team is embracing each others' strengths and supporting their weaknesses..."

He's straying into Captain America Pep Talk territory, but manages to catch himself. "Given we're from such different worlds, though, do you even have any idea who the Avengers are?"

His expression softens, and he reaches over to pat his shoulder, carefully. "Blood relations are important. I don't blame you for being worried about it. But don't forget, found family is just as good."
shieldborne: (Boyish)

[personal profile] shieldborne 2018-10-07 06:01 pm (UTC)(link)
"You mean moving them literally?" Steve snorts. "I admit, I'd be a little annoyed if someone shoved me across the floor like a chess-piece, but I can see the value."

Now he's looking forward to seeing Peter fully recovered. He's interested in seeing him operate.

"So we exist in your world, too." He looks thoughtful. "Have you heard anything about the Sokovia Accords?"

It's interesting, he thinks, if the Avengers exist in Peter's world and he hasn't reacted to bumping into the public face of Captain America. Maybe there isn't one there, or maybe Steve isn't it, or maybe this kid is just so chill he doesn't care. It's kind of wonderful either way. Steve always savors an opportunity to interact with someone without his reputation preceding him.

"I think...if it were me?" His hand is still on Peter's shoulder and he gives it a gentle squeeze. "I'd just find a quiet space alone, low key, and have a talk: I'm pretty sure this is how it is, now how do you want to deal with it from here?"
shieldborne: (Boyish)

[personal profile] shieldborne 2018-10-07 07:10 pm (UTC)(link)
"Okay, but do you pick them up or what? You must be pretty goddamn strong, too, not just fast, if you can do all that." Steve's amused, grinning because his question here is probably nit-picking, but he doesn't get to compare notes with enhanced individuals, other than his usual squad, every day.

Naturally, he assumes Peter had a precipitating event that made him this way, like Pietro did. Hearing about the X-gene will be a surprise to him.

"Good," he says of the Accords. "I'm going to give you my PINpoint information. If anything does come up, let me know and I'll have your back."
shieldborne: (Default)

[personal profile] shieldborne 2018-10-07 09:53 pm (UTC)(link)
"Physics was never my strong suit," he says, but the sparkle in his eye says he understand the explanation and he's just being funny.

He reaches into a pocket and fishes out his own PINpoint. He got a model that's designed to look like a pocket watch. Generally speaking, items are safer in his pockets than attached to his wrists; he does a lot of punching.

"These devices. They're pretty common around the Nexus. You can use them to transport places, and communicate through texts or emails."
shieldborne: (Default)

[personal profile] shieldborne 2018-10-08 05:03 pm (UTC)(link)
"There's a vending machine at the other end of the plaza--well, I guess 'vending' isn't the right term, since they don't cost anything, but you just go over and select the style you want. You want a look? I'm pretty sure I can get you over there one way or another."
shieldborne: (Smirky)

[personal profile] shieldborne 2018-10-08 06:23 pm (UTC)(link)
Steve's ears turn pink again, but he laughs companionably. Flirting isn't entirely beyond his realm of experience, it's just not something he gets much of an opportunity for these days.

...but what the hell, it ain't gonna hurt anyone.

He scoops Peter up easily, bridal style. "All right, let's do this. I'll put you back down if you say so, though, just tell me what's your safe word."
shieldborne: (Default)

[personal profile] shieldborne 2018-10-12 12:18 am (UTC)(link)
The fact that Steve used the term 'safe word' at all suggests a certain amount of self-awareness. It's all too easy for him to come across as the macho wartime poster-boy for heteronormativity, but that image doesn't entirely hold up to scrutiny once you get to know him.

"Nah. Not everyone asks," he answers simply, with a sparkle in his eye.

"Boyscout it is," he adds with a chuckle. "I never was one, though, were you?"
shieldborne: (Boyish)

[personal profile] shieldborne 2018-10-15 11:53 am (UTC)(link)
Special, in that he's a strange, distant alternate of someone Steve would have liked to have saved. Flirting is only flirting, but he's already decided he wants to get to know him, whether on a platonic level or otherwise. (Although, let's be real, Steve Rogers is pretty slow to move on anything other than a platonic level.)

But he's never been immune to charm.

"Thief? Really? And now you save the world instead?" He should probably tell him that stealing is bad or something. And it is! It's bad. But Steve's concerns are more life and limb and planetary infrastructure these days than petty theft.

Then again, "See, that sounds like another guy I know. Scott Lang. Haven't seen him in a while, though. I hope his family's doing okay."
shieldborne: (Close Pensive)

[personal profile] shieldborne 2018-10-16 06:00 pm (UTC)(link)
"Okay, pal, sorry, but I lost you about halfway through there." Steve smiles nonetheless, amused. "We might need to take baby steps. Start with mutants. Are you saying you were born with your abilities?"

If it makes Peter feel better, Steve seems to have zero prejudice one way or another. He's just curious.

"I only ask because I'm a science experiment. If you'd seen me before, you'd hardly recognize me." Although he misses being bird-boned, crooked, asthmatic Stevie Rogers more than he can say.
shieldborne: (Looking Down)

[personal profile] shieldborne 2018-10-17 04:21 pm (UTC)(link)
"Did I say that before?" He laughs softly. "I guess I use that phrase a lot."

He heard a lot of it, when being introduced to modern technology. Small wonder it stuck.

Nodding attentively at the explanation, he takes a left around some kind of empty kiosk. Around that corner, the PINpoint vending machines are easy enough to spot. "That sounds rough. People are already prone to prejudice against anyone different."

"I worried about that after the experiment. What would happen if they made a bunch more of me." He shakes his head. "It was the second World War, and a German scientist, Dr. Erskine, was testing a serum to bring humans to the peak of performance. Strength, stamina, a little cognitive enhancement. It was called Project Rebirth. I was this short, thin, asthmatic kid and I was ready to do anything to help with the war effort, so I volunteered and was eventually chosen to be the first subject."

"The serum worked, but Dr. Erskine was assassinated so there was no way to duplicate it after that. Plenty of people have tried, though."
shieldborne: (Boyish)

[personal profile] shieldborne 2018-10-18 01:10 pm (UTC)(link)
"Sort of. Like I said, there were attempts to duplicate it, just...the subjects ended up with a hell of a lot more side effects. But I also work with a group of people with extraordinary abilities. Not all enhanced the same way, but there's a guy with an exo-suit that enables him to fly, a couple really good spies, and--"

"Well. Wanda Maximoff. She has incredible telekinetic abilities, and probably more than that, things we haven't discovered she can do yet. But she wasn't born with them. She and her brother, Pietro, kinda volunteered for an experiment the way I did. Different era, different experiment, but..."

He shrugs. "I like the idea of natural evolution of these kinds of things better. I don't think, in the light of cruel people doing cruel things in the world we can sit back and just let evil win, but maybe some of us paid too high a cost to be able to fight back."

Once they're by the machine, he sets him down gently--and slowly, so he can adjust his balance without having to put any weight on that broken leg. "I'll be a century old in a few weeks. Go ahead with all the jokes; if you come up with one I haven't heard, I'll buy you an ice cream."
shieldborne: (Default)

[personal profile] shieldborne 2018-10-18 03:09 pm (UTC)(link)
"There's a difference between volunteering and being forced into something. I can't criticize anyone for volunteering, but I can sure as hell fight anyone who'd take advantage of their good faith."

He laughs, although he's heard that before, plenty often. "Thanks, pal. Seventy years of cryotherapy'll really do it for you. But sure, we'll have cream some time. I can always use a friend."

((ooc: since we have the newer thread, should we call this end scene?))
shieldborne: (Default)

[personal profile] shieldborne 2018-10-18 03:13 pm (UTC)(link)
[[Absolutely!]]