The man, not the legend.

*She thinks about it for a moment.*

I can think of a few things it'd be a good idea to read, yes. You're still sure you want to be a soldier when you get home?

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Verity will try not to look too interested in his answer while she finishes tidying up the room. She assumes it's a yes, that it will always be a yes, but she wouldn't be upset if he changed his mind someday. He's not a soldier, he's a leader.

He just needs to learn that.

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"Absolutely. Not gonna stop trying until they take me." His jaw and mind are set on this. Hell, his heart is set on this. Even if Bucky wasn't already in, Steve would want to do this.

Protect and serve.

He knows this is what he's meant for.

"...I don't care about whatever other me is doing or has done. This isn't about obligation or fulfilling a destiny or anything like that. I want to do this."

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Then I'll start you with something from Earth, to clear out some of that propaganda you've been fed on.

*Digging a datapad from one of the satchels, she queues up a file before handing it to Steve.*

[Sun Tzu]
[The Art of War]

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"You are who you are, Steve. We know that."

Yes, really, she does understand that. She had a painful crash course in alternate timelines and the people from them long before she ever saw the Nexus.

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Considering someone was asking him if he was trying to die earlier, he feels the point needs to be made. He can sketch and protect his country. Nothing wrong with that.

Except--

"What is this?" Grandpa Rogers form the 40s has not one clue how to use the data pad. Or the phone thing verity got him.

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*In the intervening time, he'd also heard the government he wanted to fight for was going to wipe two cities off the map. It would be nothing to be ashamed of, if he had some second thoughts.*

Oh, sorry. That's a datapad. If your sketch pad, there, could fit a library in it, it'd be like that.

*She takes a moment to show him the basic functions of the reader program it's in at the moment--turn pages, scroll, zoom in or out. She'll save explaining some of its other capabilities for another time, assuming he doesn't just figure them out for himself through trial and error.*

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Ver listens to the explanation without interruption, in-between making sure the room is ready for him and discreetly checking his medicine cabinet. It may be time to make a pharmacy run for the basics.

"It's like my phone," Ver explains when Samus is done. "The programs respond to the same kinds of input, I mean. Once you can use one, you can probably use the other pretty easily."

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Yeah the medicine cabinet is pretty bare. Steve never really considered this a long term housing option, so he hasn't really furnished it with much.

The art supplies Verity got for him is the most things he has, if we're being honest here.

"Okay. I think I get it. Thanks." Having something to read will do wonders for the boredom at least. When he can focus on it.

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*Samus hasn't exactly chosen him light reading--it can be hard for an idealist to grapple with Sun Tzu's ideas of eminent practicality at the best of times.*

There's also other books in there, but you asked for a starting assignment, so there it is.

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"I'm sure Steve can handle it."

She sounds a little distracted because she's making a shopping list in her head. Aspirin, bandages, things like that.

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"Right. Better work, because it's on the test, right?" He chuckles and then coughs again. Okay, laughing is a bad idea. File that under the 'things he should know already' list.

He'll get started thumbing through the datapad and grow a bit quiet. poor guy will probably be dozed off in his little blanket cocoon by the time they talk to him again. With Saums attempting complete germicide and Verity list making, Steve doesn't have anything keeping him focused on the here and now instead of the warms and man he's tired and sick.

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*Sleep is an ingredient in all the best cures--Samus won't fault him for finding some, and carries out the rest of her sanitizing quietly.*

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Poor Steve. When she notices he's out, Verity taps Samus' arm to have a whispered conversation with her. "He's out. I'm going to stay for a while, but you don't have to. I can finish this up if you show me how?"

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*She nods, passing Verity a sterilite.*

Just hold it parallel to a surface, hold the button down, and give it one slow, steady sweep. That indicator will light up if you go too fast. Get every surface in the room, but don't shine it on yourself or him, and especially don't shine it in anyone's eyes.

*Unspoken is a little clause from Verity's close-quarters training--anything you're not supposed to use on people is a weapon when you need it to be.*

The vaporizer will chirp when it needs a refill, there's an air filter in the duffel, and instructions for all the medical gear in the datapad. It's context sensitive, just hold the thing you need instructions for close to the 'pad and it'll bring up a menu.

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"Convenient." She'll take the light and look it over carefully, keeping her hands away from the button while she does. "Thank you." The things still in the duffel get a glance, but they can wait.

"I'll let you know when there's been a change." She hopes it'll be a change for the better, but either way.

First thing after Samus leaves, she'll use it on the bed. All the linens come off, and then will be treated separately. Everything else will wait until she's got Steve tucked into bed, which shouldn't take long given how he's basically the size and weight of a half-grown child. Nothing she can't lift and she's oh so gentle with him. There's an extra pillow to help him breathe, a glass of water on the nightstand, and all the curtains will be closed tight.

And when everything's been sterilized (she is extra thorough with the chair he'd been in), she'll curl up in one of the chairs, put in her earbuds, put on some relaxing music, and borrow the 'pad to do a little reading.

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It is much less stressful babysitting Steve while he rests than it is her own family. Steve sleeps peacefully, only troubled by the occasional coughing fit but there's water at the side of his bed and he never really wakes up.

Honestly it's not until a few hours later that Steve starts making wakeful noises, sitting up with spectacular bedhead and squinting around the room like he's not quite sure where or when he is. ...That must be a common thing for him, though.

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He's a much better sleeper, that's for sure.

When he wakes up he might be able to make out that someone's in the chair from the dim glow of the 'pad and the soft humming that stops a moment after he sits up. "Hey, there, sleepy head. How're you feeling?" The earbuds are removed and pocketed; there's a few bars of music before she turns off her phone. "I hope you don't mind that I stayed. I wanted to make sure there weren't any adverse reactions to the medications."

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"...?" He doesn't ask for Bucky. He knows she's not him. For a moment he almost thinks he's still dreaming, and his Ma's still alive and they're in their old place. But he knows that's not right either.

So he rubs at his eyes with the heels of his palms and squints again.

"Verity? Sorry...was I out for long?"

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She's definitely not Bucky, not once she starts talking. But she is grateful he didn't make that mistake.

"Nothing to apologize for. A few hours. Gods know you needed the rest. How are you feeling?"

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"Like warmed over trash, but I'll live." Steve finishes off the glass of water that was at his bedside table.

"I know its good for me, but I swear I feel worse when I first get up than I do any other time."

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She's up as soon as the glass is empty and takes it for a refill. "Yeah, but in a morning or two, you'll wake up feeling better than when you went to bed. And until then, you've got all the prettiest ladies around taking care of you. That's not so bad."

When she hands him the refilled glass back, it's with an expectant look. And then she's feeling his forehead. "How's your stomach?"

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"Gosh, I better stay sick forever if that's what it takes to catch a dame's eye." Steve gives a shake of his head but accepts the glass and obediently gets to sipping at the water.

"Okay. Helps that I've stopped shaking so bad."

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"That's the spirit." The teasing is delivered with a smirk, and she brushes his hair out of his face to further soften any rough edges on her humor. "Do you want to try eating?"

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