Steve ducked his head with a wry, caught-out sideways smirk as she mentioned being exasperating. Since he was already looking down as she held out her hands, it was easier to focus on reaching out to cup her palms, hiding his natural reaction to her last words. Even without hearing the change in her voice, the words themselves told Steve this was probably a story he was going to get very angry about, and protective of her.
To take his mind of that, at least for a few moments, he began inspecting her hands, running his thumb in lines up and down her palm, glancing up through his lashes to judge her reaction, to see if he hit any tender or painful spots. He couldn't even see any new pink scars anymore, just unblemished skin.
With a sickening clarity, Steve realized that this was how Rogue had gotten her scars. Not like this - as long as there had been a healing 'donor' she wouldn't have gotten any scars. But at some point, there hadn't been one available, and the bastard scientist butchers hadn't cared, had stripped bits of flesh off her back anyway.
It was a good thing he'd already made fairly sure that nothing was left under her skin, because it took every ounce of Steve's self-control not to instinctively clench his hands into fists; which, while he was holding Rogue's hands, would've hurt her, not to mention sent entirely the wrong message. Instead, he pulled her hands up slightly, bent his head, and kissed first one, then the other palm, right in the center.
"Right as rain," he murmured. "Okay. Let's go sit. Bedroom, or living room?"
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branchandroot
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Date: 2017-01-14 05:25 pm (UTC)To take his mind of that, at least for a few moments, he began inspecting her hands, running his thumb in lines up and down her palm, glancing up through his lashes to judge her reaction, to see if he hit any tender or painful spots. He couldn't even see any new pink scars anymore, just unblemished skin.
With a sickening clarity, Steve realized that this was how Rogue had gotten her scars. Not like this - as long as there had been a healing 'donor' she wouldn't have gotten any scars. But at some point, there hadn't been one available, and the bastard scientist butchers hadn't cared, had stripped bits of flesh off her back anyway.
It was a good thing he'd already made fairly sure that nothing was left under her skin, because it took every ounce of Steve's self-control not to instinctively clench his hands into fists; which, while he was holding Rogue's hands, would've hurt her, not to mention sent entirely the wrong message. Instead, he pulled her hands up slightly, bent his head, and kissed first one, then the other palm, right in the center.
"Right as rain," he murmured. "Okay. Let's go sit. Bedroom, or living room?"