As soon as he spotted her, Steve grinned. Yep, he was definitely stupid with infatuation. Only half-listening to the other volunteer, Jeremy, mentioning something about picking up the tables, he grabbed the upturned edge in both hands and easily hefted it and began moving it to the wall. He wasn't really paying attention, since this was just grunt work, so he was confused at first when he turned back for another table and Jeremy was staring at him with his mouth hanging open slightly.
"Uh...okay, or you could do that," the guy said. At Steve's confused look, he elaborated "Jesus, that thing's gotta weigh like, 200 pounds, it's all steel or something. Usually it takes at least two of us to lift it."
The only response Steve could offer was a faint "....Oh. Sorry?"
Jeremy's eyes widened and he started waving his hands. "No no no, no way! Here, can you get these tables, too?" He moved to another section, muttering about relics made from metal that were goddamned hard to move and why hadn't they upgraded to plastic yet in this place. As Steve trailed behind, he tried to glance around surreptitiously to see if anyone else had noticed his slip-up. Carrying a heavy table - with both hands - wasn't that big a deal, he had enough obvious muscle mass he could pass it off; thankfully he hadn't grabbed one in each hand, that might have really given the game away.
Grabbing another table, Jeremy pointed him where to go, but followed Steve as he moved, and began talking again. "So, you and Marie, huh?"
Oh, Christ almighty, really? Steve thought, wondering if everyone was going to comment on how they'd gotten on. Did nobody have anything better to do than to pry into other people's business? "She's very nice, we had a great conversation." He didn't mention they were planning to meet up again, let alone for his birthday, since just because he was 70 years out of his element didn't mean he didn't understand how gossip worked.
"She's super nice," Jeremy agreed. "She's also kinda... well, you know." His tone of voice made Steve glance at him, a slight warning in his look. "No, I'm not sure I do."
Jeremy shrugged. "Just... she can be kinda cold, that's all. She's nice and sweet, but at the end of the day, she's never interested, that's all. Maybe mere mortals aren't enough for her," he tried to joke; Steve didn't find it funny.
I will not punch a snot-nosed college kid in the face, he told himself--repeatedly. After the silence grew awkward, Steve finally said stiffly, "I'll go grab the other tables. Why don't you finish getting the streamers off the walls." He didn't make it a question, and luckily for both of them, Jeremy took the hint and scampered off.
His whole body was radiating with anger on Marie's behalf, and he dearly, dearly wanted to punch something. He didn't even bother hiding his strength with the third table, picking it up like it was made of paper.
no subject
"Uh...okay, or you could do that," the guy said. At Steve's confused look, he elaborated "Jesus, that thing's gotta weigh like, 200 pounds, it's all steel or something. Usually it takes at least two of us to lift it."
The only response Steve could offer was a faint "....Oh. Sorry?"
Jeremy's eyes widened and he started waving his hands. "No no no, no way! Here, can you get these tables, too?" He moved to another section, muttering about relics made from metal that were goddamned hard to move and why hadn't they upgraded to plastic yet in this place. As Steve trailed behind, he tried to glance around surreptitiously to see if anyone else had noticed his slip-up. Carrying a heavy table - with both hands - wasn't that big a deal, he had enough obvious muscle mass he could pass it off; thankfully he hadn't grabbed one in each hand, that might have really given the game away.
Grabbing another table, Jeremy pointed him where to go, but followed Steve as he moved, and began talking again. "So, you and Marie, huh?"
Oh, Christ almighty, really? Steve thought, wondering if everyone was going to comment on how they'd gotten on. Did nobody have anything better to do than to pry into other people's business? "She's very nice, we had a great conversation." He didn't mention they were planning to meet up again, let alone for his birthday, since just because he was 70 years out of his element didn't mean he didn't understand how gossip worked.
"She's super nice," Jeremy agreed. "She's also kinda... well, you know." His tone of voice made Steve glance at him, a slight warning in his look. "No, I'm not sure I do."
Jeremy shrugged. "Just... she can be kinda cold, that's all. She's nice and sweet, but at the end of the day, she's never interested, that's all. Maybe mere mortals aren't enough for her," he tried to joke; Steve didn't find it funny.
I will not punch a snot-nosed college kid in the face, he told himself--repeatedly. After the silence grew awkward, Steve finally said stiffly, "I'll go grab the other tables. Why don't you finish getting the streamers off the walls." He didn't make it a question, and luckily for both of them, Jeremy took the hint and scampered off.
His whole body was radiating with anger on Marie's behalf, and he dearly, dearly wanted to punch something. He didn't even bother hiding his strength with the third table, picking it up like it was made of paper.