( Steve can't decide if he's touched or frustrated that didn't work. their odds would be objectively better if Aerith just left him in the dust, though... if the circumstances were flipped, he wouldn't leave her behind, either. )
Okay, ( Steve agrees, skeptical, though deep down he does kind of hope things will just go too far south and Aerith will leave him for the sake of self preservation.
he glances at her staff, and... well, there's a lot more of it for prying, actually. it would be easier than the poker, for sure. ) Okay, okay, ( Steve agrees, reaching to accept it, and sounding like there's only one word in his vocabulary. ) If I can — just get one side loose — ( he fades off in a frustrated grunt, prying the staff between another board and throwing his weight into forcing it free. his sides are mostly healed up these days, and they still protest his tenacity. he does not care, if his wounds split open it'll be worth the not getting horribly murdered by a faceless monster.
the idea is if he gets one side off, the others will be easier. Steve doesn't have the breath to explain, though, but he shows Aerith that it's easier to yank it free once one sides worth of nails are pried off. behind them, the door they abandoned creaks, and Steve swears he can hear the knob slowly twisting. the monster after him is slow, which should make it seem less intimidating to try and escape. it doesn't work that way, actually. the slow knowing approach feels even worse. at least fast it'd be over faster, right? instead of the agony of waiting. )
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Okay, ( Steve agrees, skeptical, though deep down he does kind of hope things will just go too far south and Aerith will leave him for the sake of self preservation.
he glances at her staff, and... well, there's a lot more of it for prying, actually. it would be easier than the poker, for sure. ) Okay, okay, ( Steve agrees, reaching to accept it, and sounding like there's only one word in his vocabulary. ) If I can — just get one side loose — ( he fades off in a frustrated grunt, prying the staff between another board and throwing his weight into forcing it free. his sides are mostly healed up these days, and they still protest his tenacity. he does not care, if his wounds split open it'll be worth the not getting horribly murdered by a faceless monster.
the idea is if he gets one side off, the others will be easier. Steve doesn't have the breath to explain, though, but he shows Aerith that it's easier to yank it free once one sides worth of nails are pried off. behind them, the door they abandoned creaks, and Steve swears he can hear the knob slowly twisting. the monster after him is slow, which should make it seem less intimidating to try and escape. it doesn't work that way, actually. the slow knowing approach feels even worse. at least fast it'd be over faster, right? instead of the agony of waiting. )