milliways_bar | (no subject)

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Here is a face that hasn't been seen in the bar for quite some time.

Well, it's sort of a face. It's definitely on the hairy side just now. Clean, but pushing into unkempt. His hair is the same, and when he opens the door to the bar, he pushes it back, out of his face, a bemused smile mostly hidden in his beard as he shuts the door behind him, cutting of the bright, Pacific sunlight and the faint echoing of gulls.

His guitar is still strapped to his back, and he reaches his hand up over his shoulder to brush the head with a fingertip as if to reassure himself it's still there. Satisfied, he makes his way to the bar and, before he can order, a sparkling glass of Atlantean appears.

"Good to see you too, lovely," he said, lifting the glass to his lips for a quick sip before turning to survey the room.

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"Sure, thanks. It's just coffee."

Alcohol, he saves for the bad days. There haven't been many lately.

Orpheus nods, smiling a little. "Just coffee for the captain, please, lovely," he says to Bar.

He's glad it's just coffee. For Steve's sake.

"Thanks," Steve says again.

"I was just coming here for a workout. The gym's good for practicing with the shield."

"You're welcome."

He takes a slow drink. "Stark hasn't built you a training room yet? Lasers and robots and..." He waves a hand vaguely. "Technology?"

"Nah, he has. Just--" He murmurs, "Thanks," and picks up the fresh cup of coffee. "It's like when I was in the army. People like to watch and it's -- uncomfortable."

"Never one for an audience."

He turns his head a little to look around the room. It's been a while since he had an audience, and it makes his fingers itch a little.

Turning his attention back to Steve he asks, "Do you still come here often?"

"Just when I need a breather."

He has a sip. "Have you? I haven't seen you, but I haven't been here much."

"No." He shakes his head and finishes his drink, setting the glass down and letting Bar refill it.

"No, I haven't been in...a while." He's not sure how long, exactly.

Steve murmurs, "Yeah, guess not," and downs some coffee.

He blurts out, "I wrote a book. A children's book."

Orpheus laughs, surprising himself with the sound. "That's marvelous, lovely! What's it about?"

"Bucky and me as kids, the shenanigans we got up to. My royalties go to some vets' organizations."

"That's great," he says, though his smile hitches slightly at the mention of Bucky's name.

"Can I...you don't have a copy with you, I suppose."

"Not with me. I've promised copies to a couple people, though, so I can bring one in and leave it at the bar for you if you're not around."

"I'd like that," Orpheus says, tracing a finger through a line of condensation on the bar.

"I'm glad you're not too busy to draw."

"Well, there's always some kind of downtime."

He drinks some coffee.

"How's the music?"

Orpheus' fingers move to the guitar again, this time as though he's reassuring it.

"The fish like it very much," he says, lips tilted up in a smirk.

"Ah, the captive audience," Steve says, smirking back.

He smiles. "The ocean is very big, Steve. They could go if they really wanted to."

"Of course they don't want to. I'm teasing."

"I know, lovely," he says.

"They do like it though. You should see an octopus dance."

Steve's smile turns a little wistful.

"I bet it's beautiful."

The expression is not lost on Orpheus. "Yeah," Orpheus says softly. "Yeah, it's really something."

Steve smiles to himself and toys with his coffee cup. He's wondered if this would ever happen, seeing Orpheus again, but he never thought it would be this awkward.

"I'm not doing anything so pretty. Hunting down the last remnants of HYDRA, mostly. There are still a few dozen true believers."

"And what will you do when there are no more hydrae to slay?"

For his part, Orpheus is trying not to make it awkward. He just doesn't know what to say. It's a situation he's never found himself in before.

Disconcerting, to put it mildly.

Steve's smile turns wry. "Defend the Earth from whoever's next. There's always someone else."