Ā Ā Ā THEREāD BEEN A SORTĀ of silent understanding between the two of them ---bonding through annoying one another at first, spreading into genuine friendship over the course of the summer and all that entailed. Who else had survived a KGB interrogation tied to his back? It made sense, a belonging with Robin that made it seem as if he was meantĀ to be her other half, a platonic soul mate that simply understoodĀ him. Really, it drove him INSANEĀ how easy it was for her to read his mind and emotionsĀ - too often Steve wondered if he were just that much of an open book, if Robin was justĀ that intuitive, or if maybe sheĀ had mind-powers like El.
Ā Ā Ā But he sold himself short on how easy it had become to read herĀ in turn. Small expressions that crossed her features, the way he could almost seeĀ gears churning in her brain, faster than the usual million miles an hour heād become accustomed to. It didnāt take much poking, prodding, nudging to get her to open up and spill whatever gummed up those connections.
Ā Ā Ā Ā ā Ā iām used to people generally not giving a shit about me. Ā doesnāt mean i canāt still choose to care regardless of whether not people will care back. Ā ā @sucksahoyā
Ā Ā Ā Ā There was a package of thoughts, that otherwise would have never occurred to Steve, that Robin came with. Heād never heard a confession of sexuality before, but it came easy to accept. The realization had been like a puzzle piece clicking into place, somehow. He saw her no different than moments before sheād explained it ---except, perhaps, for curbing what had been budding romantic expressions and shifting them very easilyĀ into an adoration that only a best friend could carve. Steve enjoyed being the soundboard for her varied and manyĀ thoughts, even if the negative often crept in there. Thatās what he was there for, to offer a hand of explanation, of assistance.
Ā Ā Ā Ā ā I donāt think that means anything ... bad. I mean, caring, you know? ā Never eloquent, but he spoke with his heart. He tried.Ā ā Thereās a word for it, I canāt think of it ... people who feel thingsĀ more than others do. It sucks because, I mean ... who wants to put the effort in and the expression isnāt returned. But not everyone can feel, you know? Or express it freely, have that ... capacity. ā He sighed, shifting a hand through the air in a loose gesture before returning it to his lap.Ā ā I mean, I care. For whatever thatās worth. And if someone doesnāt care about you in return, they suck. Theyāre not worth the effort in the first place. Their loss. ā
