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It's late, maybe 2 AM, when Steve finally gets home. It's been—a long trip. He went to Las Vegas in a failed attempt to apprehend the fugitive known as Bruce Banner. He gained a friend, or at least an acquaintance. From there, it was meeting with Peggy which was its own bag of cats.
After that he walked for a long time, spending time in the city and thinking, wondering, and hoping he was making the right decisions.
He closes the door quietly behind him as he picks the bag up and re-slings it over his shoulder. He creaks across the floor, heading to his room.
*
Brian is a SHIELD agent. Any time the front door opens (or the balcony door, the windows, etc) he's alerted even if it's with a key. "Welcome home, Steve." he says, opening the door to his bedroom. He's in black silk pajama bottoms and a matching robe which hangs open. "How'd it go?"
*
Steve sets the bag down and gives Brian a scrunched face. "Which part? The mission was a failure. Got the chance to meet with Director Carter. We're…" His voice trails as he looks past Brian and out the window at the beautiful view beyond. "We're starting a team. Sounds like her husband is going to oversee it. I volunteered you." He mutters the next line, "Hope you don't mind."
"Meeting in DC tomorrow with the guy I was sent to apprehend and I found out my favorite bar closed." He shakes his head a bit, "The 1960s are pretty weird. It's been a crazy couple of days."
*
Brian walks over to turn the light on. "A team? Alpha One? Once it got its feet under it, I'd have insisted on being a part of it. Anything to get out of doing more bloody paperwork. I was not intended to be a bureaucrat, Steve. Tea?" He walks into the kitchen to put up a pot. "I wouldn't say they're more bizarre than any other decade. It's merely that you skipped a few in between."
*
Steve rubs his face tiredly, but it's more that weary kind than that sleepy kind. "Tea would be great. I'm sorry for getting you up." He waves his hand at nothing as if trying to think of what to say. "You're probably right. I'm just sort of overwhelmed by everything."
"She's uh…" He shrugs, "She's happy. That's good, right?"
*
"Told you about Daniel, did she? Yes, Steve, she is. Very much so." At least as far as Brian knows. "Your feelings are perfectly understandable. You went from… Just what is the last thing you recall? You went from that to this, crossing twenty years in what must feel like the blink of an eye. No one would be able to just shrug it off."
*
"Kind of puts things into perspective. Guess the first person you care about is the one you take the worst, right? Of course, they don't go immediately to having a husband and a child and become your boss. At least not most of the time." Steve shrugs his shoulders. "You think it's the best idea that I stick around SHIELD? I want to help and it's what I'm best at, but part of me thinks that sticking close to this situation is crazy."
*
"Only you can answer that, Steve." Brian tells the man. "If you do decide to stay, I am confident that you won't let the sticky situation get in the way of your job. And that you'll be doing what you are meant to do. I am also sure that if you decide to leave, you'll find something just as important. You would not do otherwise."
*
"That is, the best non-answer to a question I've heard in like…gotta be 20 years," Steve says flashing a smile and going full on deadpan. "Wilson from SHIELD. That Spider-kid from Queens, and uh…Well. Banner. You heard of him?"
*
Brian smiles at the comment. "I want what's best for you, Steve. As does Peggy. Unfortunately, we can't know what that is. Whiatever your decision, you are welcome to stay here as long as you want." Getting down some loose tea from the cupboard, he packs a couple infusers and places them into cups to await the hot water. "Dr. Banner? Of course. He's been on SHIELD's radar for a while now. Tragic story. I feel sorry for the poor man. I was also against sending you off to hunt him down though it sounds like it turned out well despite everything."
*
"I'd like to stay here a while, if I'm not being too much of a bother. It's nice being around someone I know from before. I even started looking up guys I served with. Leaving messages, that sort of thing."
"It did. Banner is a good guy. And, I think he's right. The government doesn't understand what they want with him. And I think he's safer when he's in control of his own life. I know I don't have the pay grade to be making those sorts of decisions, but I call 'em like I see 'em."
*
"No bother at all." Brian assures Steve. "I'm pleased to be able to offer you hospitality once more. Just like the old days." He looks up at the other man with a quick smile then takes the kettle off the flame as it begins steaming. "Not so long ago for you, I know. I agree with Doctor Banner. I don't think a government can be trusted fully. A person, yes. I trust Her Majesty with my life. But there are others who make decisions, some shadowy individuals, I would not give the time of day to. And you don't even have the advantage of a proper monarch here to lead your country."
*
"Oh here we go!" exclaims Steve as he laughs. "Always with the Monarch. I could turn this into a conversation about freedom. Or you could just pick up one of the old comics and read at the back when I go into my monologue." After quieting down a bit Steve shrugs his shoulders. "Best thing to do with all of this is go with your gut. That's what I'm doing with this Spider, the Hulk. Anyone else you'd recommend?"
*
Brian grins at Steve's response, having gotten a laugh out of him. Much better. "I would ask Daniel about that. His department is involved with the ones who have powers beyond mere training. He may know of some you should contact and feel out. Perhaps one of these mutants one hears so much about lately. Better to recruit them than hunt them, I say."
*
"Yeah, I think maybe the least amount of talking that Sousa and I do the better. I've had conversations with Red Skull that were less stressful," Steve says as his head tilts away. "Maybe you can run interference for me. But I think mutants are a great idea. I like the idea of that on a lot of levels."
*
Brian removes the infusers after a moment and sets the cups on a tray along with some spoons. Adding a bowl with some sugar cubes and a small pitcher of cream, he takes the tray out to a table to set down. "They've been in the news a lot of late. And talk of the threat they present. Dangerous talk, it seems to me, Steve, to paint them all with the same brush."
*
"Yeah," Steve says as he wipes at an eye. "Gotta remember that the news is there to sell papers and advertising. A headline of "Some Mutants Do Some Bad Things Some of the Time" isn't likely to sell many papers." Steve follows along to take a seat. "But, when that's the way people learn about this sort of thing, that's the opinion they're going to take. Maybe this group will provide some counter weight. Show people some of the good news about mutants. Know any?"
*
"Not I but perhaps Daniel does. Though his department is more concerned with threats than allies. I'll ask however." Brian states. Taking a seat, he adds a sugar and s touch of cream before stirring the tea. "Just what do you envision for this team of yours? How much is Peggy leaving to you?"
*
"I get the feeling she's going to give us a fair amount of rope. She wants us to do the things that the SHIELD team can't, but isn't looking to bust our chops. I think she realizes there's some issues with a lot of us and authority. I put in to get Fury involved as well. No reason that guy shouldn't have a bigger role than he does right now. As far as what I envision? Well, not too much unlike the Howlers. Like the good old days. Maybe that's what I'm trying to recreate to get my old life back, I don't know."
*
"There's just as much need for that now as there was then. The nature of the field of battle has simple changed." Brian notes. "Steve." Pausing for a sip of tea, he continues. "Since it seems you may be staying here for a while, and as I said a moment ago, I'm quite happy to put you up, there is something of which I should inform you. You are familiar with Oscar Wilde, yes?"
*
"I'm not familiar with any of his work, I mean. I really only got through 8th grade. That's all most of us did back then. I know who he was, but I haven't read anything by him or anything," Steve says as he takes a sip from his drink.
*
Brian nods at Steve's answer. "That's more than enough. It's not his body of work I'm inquiring about. Are you aware of his… proclivities?"
*
"Brian, I have no idea what that word means."
*
Of course he doesn't. Brian sips his tea as he considers whether to just forget it entirely. He can just be a bit more careful. Though Steve is his friend. "How about the love that dares not speak its name?"
*
"What is that like a poem or something?" Steve looks nonplussed before he takes a drink. "I'm sorry, Brian, I'm not following. Just tell me."
*
"In addition to being famous for his literature, Oscar Wilde was also famous - or rather infamous - for his preference for dallying with members of the same sex as he." Brian informs Steve. "I'm quote fond of his literature and happen to share his preferences."
*
"Oh, you mean with the guys? Oh yeah, I think we all kind of knew that." Steve shrugs his shoulders. "I don't care who else you bring into this place. But if they have any sisters, I could use a double date to get my mind off of my twenty year old hangups."
*
Brian's brows rise. "You did? I only informed my father and sister of it years after the war ended. Well then. I see it won't be an issue. Peggy is aware of it but few others. There is always the chance of it being used as potential blackmail material should someone discover it so I decided it was better she be informed."
*
"Well, I don't think anyone knew, knew. But there were a few guys who liked guys back in the military. It was never an issue. With you, whenever girls threw themselves at you, you didn't really respond like the rest of us. And that's saying something, given me." Steve shrugs his shoulders, "But I won't say a word to anyone about anything. None of my business. But remember. Sisters."
*
Brian chuckles. True indeed. "Very well, Steve. Sisters. And should you wish to go to a club that's a bit more easygoing about things in general, let me know and I'll take you. Many people find they can be themselves there and the music is quite good."
*
Steve shrugs his shoulders, "Drinking doesn't do much for me anymore, but I like music. We'll have to see. I'm open to it."
*
"Nor me. But I do enjoy the flavor of a good scotch." Brian says. "So, tomorrow I shall speak with Daniel. Is there anything else you'd like me to take care of?"
*
"No, but thank you, Brian. Thank you for all of this. I think tomorrow I need to visit Bucky's grave and start moving on with my life. I really appreciate everything you've done for me."
*
"Think nothing of it, Steve." Brian tells the man. "That's what comrades in arms do for one another. Do take the car if you need it. I can hop on the subway to get to the office. Traffic's beastly downtown in any case."
*
"Funny thing, the government felt pretty bad about not fishing me out for a while, so they cut me a check," Steve can't help but grin wider. "I did something crazy and bought a motorcycle!"
*
Brian laughs. "Good for you. You always did seem to enjoy them back in the war. Just don't ride them the same way here or you're going to be stopped by the police for traffic violations."
*
"You really think they'd give Captain America a ticket?" Steve says with a smile. "Duly noted, nevertheless." Steve finishes his tear. "Thanks for the drink, old friend. I've got an early morning trip to the District and had better hit the hay."
*
"Rest well, Steve." Brian says with a smile. "Call if you need anything from DC. Maybe take a few days down there to relax too. You haven't had a break yet."
*
"Idle hands make the devil's work, Brian," Steve says. "If I slow down, I'm worried about what I'll need to deal with."