Merry Christmas!

[juststeverogers]

It took an awful lot of work to track down everyone and get their gifts in order, but Steve's going to be running around the Nexus giving out presents to all of his friends. Or inviting them over to his apartment. Whatever works for them!




((Stealing verity's setup--please go to the top level for your character and begin commenting as you like. Feel free to make Steve work to find you, he's got gifts for you all!))

Comments

Samus

[juststeverogers]

It's totally kosher to give your teacher a gift, right? Steve texts Samus as he's on his way out of the apartment.

Could you please come to my apartment when you're free?

That's a totally innocent, not-dropping-gifts-on-you message, right?

[onemorebounty]

*The text comes back swiftly.*

[Of course.]

*If he's texting her as he's leaving, though, she may be waiting at his door for a while. She tends to be prompt when people ask her to be somewhere.*

[juststeverogers]

With the weather being what it is in the Nexus lately, Steve has been going out for as little time as possible. Samus won't have to wait long. She'll hear the telltale wheezing as Steve gets to the top of the stairs, bundled up as much as he can.

"Oh! Samus. Sorry. Let me unlock this..." Steve fishes for his key and hurries to let her inside. "Sorry I made you wait. Had to run out for an errand." He almost let slip that he was delivering presents like the tiniest Santa ever.

Close one, Rogers.

[onemorebounty]

That's alright.

*A quick apology merits quick forgiveness. Samus is wearing the circle shawl Verity gave her over her vacsuit, and watching the way it hangs on her may suggest she's concealing some kind of bundle. Stepping into his apartment, she glances around.*

This is a nice studio you have. Good light.

[juststeverogers]

"It really is. Mister Schon helped me find it, and he asks a very reasonable rent. It does keep me busy." Steve almost looks like a healthy weight in all those layers. Let's fix that, shall we?

Stripped out of his hoodie, hat and boots, he's much more his stick figure self.

"I've been practicing that trick you taught us!" He calls from the kitchen, getting two mugs of only slightly old coffee to warm the both of them up. "I can't do it consistently yet, but better than before." Samus may recognize the mug as one of Verity's from her old apartment. Steve has a lot of hand me downs from her in his home.

[onemorebounty]

*Someday, Steve will look like he's been eating properly without a dozen extra shirts on. His report on his progress gets a smile, though.*

That's good. When you start being able to do it reliably, work on being able to do it without looking.

*She does recognize the mug, but doesn't comment on it, simply smiles. Accepting hers, she takes a sip and suppresses a face; she's never quite gotten into the burned-something taste of coffee.*

It's good to see you settling in.

[juststeverogers]

"Okay. I had hoped to be able to show it off to you today, but it's not something I want to brag about yet." Steve gives a tiny shrug before setting his mug down and moving to grab a gift bag from the kitchen counter.

She could have probably guessed it was hers, considering the tissue paper is a very similar blue to her Vacsuit. Inside is a knit yellow bird hat.

"I thought you might get cold with the suit...so..." Steve gives a small shrug. "Merry Christmas, Samus."

((Sorry, don't know how I let this slip for so long.))

[onemorebounty]

It's good progress. Remember to enjoy the little steps.

*She reaches into the bag, drawing out the hat and smiling bemusedly.*

Heh. My head does get cold sometimes. Thank you.

Thats how the holidays are though!

[juststeverogers]

"You like it?" Steve gives a small smile before he sits back down and scoops his cup of coffee back up. Seems he has it to keep his hands warm as much as he does for the liquid inside.

"I'm glad." He is, too. Especially since he's done his fair share of fighting with her during their lessons. The not-supposed-to kind.

It really is.

[onemorebounty]

I do.

*She'll even try it on. Samus in a knitted yellow bird hat--doesn't Verity wish she could see this? But trying it on means she has to set down something she's been carrying, a long, narrow package that's been wrapped.*

I have something for you, as well.

[juststeverogers]

Steve has put as many of his friends as he could find excuses for in those knit hats. He thinks they're really really cute. They're not all the same animal, of course. But all equally as adorable.

Probably not a word most would associate with Samus though.

"Oh! Thank you very much." Steve hadn't been expecting so many people to get him a gift, but he's glad. He has more friends than he knew. "May I?" He waits for her permission to open it up.

[onemorebounty]

*Cute is, admittedly, an adjective rarely applied to the Hunter. Now might be an exception, with the top of her head a giant fuzzy chick.*

Go on. It's why I brought it.

*Under the wrapping paper is a long, slender carrying case covered in tooled leather, with a walnut handle. Inside the case is a pool cue.*

[juststeverogers]

Samus can watch the gears turn in Steve's head as he unwraps the carrying case, his eyebrows furrowing in thought. He wasn't expecting this. He runs his fingers over the leather, the handle, before opening it up.

"...?" Definitely not what he expected at all. It certainly looks nice though. He can tell there's some remarkable craftsmanship to it, even if he doesn't know why Samus gave this to him.

"A special pool stick? I've never seen one look even a third as nice as this one." That much is true. He's smiling, but there's still confusion evident on his face. Clearly Steve is not very versed with pool.

[onemorebounty]

It's my understanding that the better players have their own. I thought you might enjoy taking it up, as a hobby.

*She's smiling pleasantly enough, and watching him closely, waiting to see whether he accepts that at face value or probes further. Is this a test?*

[juststeverogers]

With Samus, it's always a test.

The better players all have their own? Steve isn't a better player, having only played a handful of times ever. So she intends for him to become one?

Why?

"More hand eye coordination?" He glances back her way, still holding the pool cue gently. "Another dexterity lesson....right?"

[onemorebounty]

*Gold star! Her smile grows into a grin.*

Hand-eye coordination, strategy, planning, maneuvering, unconventional approaches, geometry, psychology... there's plenty to learn, at the billiards table.

*She pauses barely half a beat before adding an afterthought.*

And if things go poorly and a fight starts up, well, you've got a nice, long stick already in your hands.

[juststeverogers]

"Well, I hope it doesn't come to that. This is a really fine pool stick. I'd hate to have to use it for anything other than it's intended purpose." Even as he says so, his grip tightens on the cue, as it to check it's weight and feel in his hands.

"Do you know anywhere I could learn how to play? I could always ask Verity or some of my other friends too. They might know." Thoughtful Steve is thoughtful. He hasn't gone out to many pubs or bars since he's arrived here.

[onemorebounty]

I've played a bit...

*Danger! Danger!*

...but it'd be good for you to stretch those investigative abilities. Go forth, find places to play and people to play with, and learn.

[juststeverogers]

"Sure." Steve is careful when he puts the cue back in it's case. It's going to get put someplace special so he doesn't scuff up the nice case, too.

It's the fanciest thing he has ever owned, without any sort of hyperbole.

"Thank you, Samus. I'll probably ask Verity next time I see her. She's going to teach me how to cook for myself a bit. Much as I like the diner she introduced me to, I should probably learn more than the few meals I know how to prepare."

[onemorebounty]

*She smiles, nodding approvingly.*

It's never a bad thing to broaden your skills.