It wasn't that he was trying to hide from her, Steve just didn't like feeling weak, didn't like others to see him and think him weak. He was so used to controlling his emotions, when that was the only part of him that would obey his wishes, that it felt like a failure when he broke down. He knew he held himself to higher standards than others held him, but sometimes that was the only thread he had left holding himself together, anymore.
But he turned easily when she prompted, and watched her intently as she spoke. Not panicking: sounded good in theory. In practice it might be a little harder to maintain. But he would definitely give it a shot, if she was willing to.
Listening to her, Steve could no longer ignore or deny what he'd been feeling, since shortly after they'd started talking that first time. That feeling of rightness, of hope and terror and elation and giddiness. He was falling, too, but there was nowhere left to land; he was pretty sure he was already in love with her. He'd never felt anything quite like it before, and it was both terrifying and exhilarating to have a name for this all-encompassing feeling.
He wasn't about to tell her about it yet, though. He was pretty sure a sure-fire way to get her to panic was telling her he was in love with her. Although he was pretty sure people were supposed to panic at hearing talk of forever, too, especially so soon after meeting; but they'd both said it, and both meant it, no matter what joking form it might have taken.
"Definitely willing," he responded softly, turning his head enough to kiss her palm. Touching her was natural, and so long as he ignored the part about third parties watching them from inside her head, nothing she'd told him changed the way he thought about or would act with her. With his lips still pressed lightly against her skin, he murmured, "And the falling part's mutual."
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But he turned easily when she prompted, and watched her intently as she spoke. Not panicking: sounded good in theory. In practice it might be a little harder to maintain. But he would definitely give it a shot, if she was willing to.
Listening to her, Steve could no longer ignore or deny what he'd been feeling, since shortly after they'd started talking that first time. That feeling of rightness, of hope and terror and elation and giddiness. He was falling, too, but there was nowhere left to land; he was pretty sure he was already in love with her. He'd never felt anything quite like it before, and it was both terrifying and exhilarating to have a name for this all-encompassing feeling.
He wasn't about to tell her about it yet, though. He was pretty sure a sure-fire way to get her to panic was telling her he was in love with her. Although he was pretty sure people were supposed to panic at hearing talk of forever, too, especially so soon after meeting; but they'd both said it, and both meant it, no matter what joking form it might have taken.
"Definitely willing," he responded softly, turning his head enough to kiss her palm. Touching her was natural, and so long as he ignored the part about third parties watching them from inside her head, nothing she'd told him changed the way he thought about or would act with her. With his lips still pressed lightly against her skin, he murmured, "And the falling part's mutual."