gotta get down for a mingle

[redactions]

Who: The crew of the SS Heron and visitors.
Broadcast: nope.
Action: Aboard the SS Heron.
When: After returning to the ship.

[ finally back on the right ship, except the corridors are all mysteriously cold and the ship seems smaller. Thanks, Atroma. New crew, visitors, starters in comments ]

Comments

[enshields]

[The corridors are cold and kind of closely quartered, Steve rounds a corner of the ship and only manages not to plow her over by dint of supersoldier reflexes. He's carrying half a pie, oop.]

-- Hi, sorry about that. Hope I didn't startle you.

[touchofrogue]

[La la la, walking quickly down the cool hallway to get to where she's going without catching a chill, Rogue was not expecting to practically turn a corner into someone. He beats her by jumping back first, though she also instinctively recoils, responding to his apology before really taking in who she almost bumped into.]

It's fi-- [--iiiiiiiiiiiine. Fuuuuuuah. That. He.

Okay.

Well.]

Uh.

[Well. This was probably not the Steve who she shared a different world's machinations with for the better part of three years, or else he would have followed that up with her name, and likely some enthusiastic arm gripping. But he certainly was Steve Rogers, who certainly was on Jim and Winter's ship, and good Gawd, did Peggy know too? And--

--and this is when Rogue realizes that she is entirely too wrapped up in a relationship tangle that only concerns her on the edges, and she takes a deep breath to gather her thoughts into some sort of order and moves a half step back for more space, because she unfortunately always thinks better when there was more space. She lifts a gloved hand and tucks a strand of white hair behind her ear in a nervous gesture she'd almost completely given up.]

Ya did. Ya are, I mean. [Shaking her head at herself, good job, Rogue, she manages a small smirk.] But that's okay, I'll get over it.

[Yes, good. Almost completely coherent, 5 points for the save.]

[enshields]

[It's a rare day in his life when he can go somewhere without commanding a reaction. People recognize him, others are afraid of his size, some see him as a threat. He's used to categorizing them and dismissing them out of turn, an everyday allowance of hypervigilance.

Her reaction is an unusual enough combination of the above that he stops short, eyes narrowed as he assesses her, as she stumbles over her words and stares at him like he's seen a ghost. His posture shifts, unselfconscious, into something ready for a fight. His tone is wintry, firm and measured when he speaks again,]

You know who I am.

[It's not really a question, but at least he doesn't loom. Information first, looming after. He has his priorities somewhat straight.]

[touchofrogue]

[Well, that certainly was a shift in posture. Rogue almost rolled her eyes. He was holding a pie for goodness' sake, and she certainly hadn't tried to make herself seem like a threat.

But it's an automatic response to shift the center of her weight, just enough to move that much more quickly if she had to. And she really didn't hope she'd have to. She did not want to have to explain that to Jim.

Rogue lifted her chin and met his gaze evenly.]

Well. Yes an' no. It's a great big multiverse, after all. An' I don't like ta assume.

[enshields]

[So many little red flags, sounding off like the snap of a firecracker in the back of his mind. His attention flickers past her, and you better believe he's gauging the likelihood she's not alone. He can't hear other heartbeats in proximity, but that's-- not always the best indicator of someone else's presence, he's learned. Lot of things out there don't have a heartbeat to speak of.]

Does Captain Barnes know you're here?

[touchofrogue]

[What? Oh, that is outside of enough.

Rogue's stance shifts, and she props one hand on her hip.]

Are you kiddin' me? Seriously? No, I didn't leave Jim a callin' card, an' yes, I am here ta visit, an' no, I don't have ta answer a single one of your questions. Ya got no call ta treat me like this just 'cause I recognize your face.

[Treat you like what, Rogue? After all, he hasn't been that rude... if you don't count his body language, which she totally is.]

[enshields]

[Well it's the closest approximation to a newspaper to the nose he's going to get, and quite surprisingly, it works. He gives her a final moment' scrutiny, and there's a very subtle recalibration to his posture. Suddenly, the way he's holding that pie plate is no longer quite so... vehement. It doesn't mean he's relaxed (when does he ever?) but the Defcon Hydra has kicked down by a notch or two.]

You'll have to forgive me for being suspicious of total strangers who know who I am.

[It's dry. That's it, that's his entire tone right there. Sahara, meet Steve Rogers.]

Who are you?

[touchofrogue]

I said 'recognize your face.' [That was a distinct and very important difference. She'd been absolutely serious about everything that she'd said - it was a great big multiverse.

She did not, however, think she was mistaken. No, he certainly was not the Steve she'd gone into battle with, or the Steve she'd roped into a ridiculous cooking competition. But there was an inherent Steveness about him, a sort of conviction about the jaw, clarity in the gaze that said, 'Here is a man who will inspire, die, and kill to live up to his word and what he thinks is right, here is Captain America.'] An' if ya are who I think you are, you can't tell me that's a new experience for ya.

[He was in history books, on statues, she was pretty sure there had been a card collection... and that was just in her world. So no, she is not letting him off the hook, as much as her sass also receded a notch or two and defiant gaze mellowed into a reflective, almost habitual light scowl.]

The name is Rogue. [Pointed:] An' you are?

[enshields]

[The distinction makes a muscle jump in his jaw, but he accepts the clarification. It is a particular distinction, and it's certainly not a new experience, but that just hauls him back around to the fact that she, by some stroke, knows him.]

Steve Rogers.

[Just his name, plain and unadorned. Captain America serves no purpose here, so he's put it away. He will always be a soldier, but not an icon unless press-ganged into it by necessity.]

[touchofrogue]

Well. Steve Rogers. [Now was the time for her to be conciliatory and understanding, to smile at him and be genuinely glad for the sake of so many other people that he was there. Except Rogue really, really didn't like being treated as a threat when she hadn't done anything threatening. It might be because of her history of being hunted for the crime of her simple existence, or a deeper, personal issue due to the nature of her powers, but whatever its root cause, Rogue did not feel conciliatory.] I'd say it's nice ta meet ya, but I think we both know that'd be stretchin' the truth a little bit.

[She takes an exaggerated step back, pivoting to place her back to the wall and clear the hall for him as she drops her hand from her hip and motions with the other in an 'after you' gesture.] I hope ya have a less eventful day.

[enshields]

[It's just passive-aggressive enough that it grinds his already ground gears, and he steps past her with an inclination of his head. Maybe if he were a better man, he'd apologize, but on the list of things he doesn't feel he owes an apology for is being concerned for the safety of James Barnes. Either one of them.]

Likewise.

[And then he's gone.]