At some point, Steve would probably realize that he didn't really have a complete picture of her story, didn't know exactly what I'm a mutant actually meant for her, but for now, at least, it didn't matter. She was safe, and now that her tears were drying and he'd hopefully allayed some of her fears, she was smiling and happy again, and that was all Steve wanted. He wanted the world for Marie, for Rogue, and she seemed to think that he could give it to her. He was definitely okay with that.

If he thought she was gorgeous when she was smiling and happy, she was on some until-now-unknown level when she got that mischievous look on her face, and that butter-wouldn't-melt tone to her voice. It felt like they'd passed a threshold, and Steve was comfortable with teasing back in a way he hadn't been previously. Maybe it was the kiss, and the casual touches, or maybe the secrets they now shared. He didn't think twice about how to respond, though. He shrugged and pulled an unimpressed face. "Ehh. I mean, it was okay. It was passable." He couldn't hold the straight face for long, though, and started grinning. He shifted his hand slightly from where it was wrapped around her back, and gently pinched her side, winking.