( Steve doesn't retract from the hand on his shoulder. he feels a little guilty about it, maybe — part of him wants to insist he's fine, like if he just repeats it enough, it'll be true. he feels bad that he's such a goddamn mess, when everybody stuck here is going through it, more or less. he instead makes a waterlogged huff of a noise that he'd better identify as a sob if he had more practice in crying in front of people. tears are like a boulder running out of control down a hill. once they start they feel impossible to stop. they just get faster and faster until eventually the crash at the bottom.
Steve doesn't want to need the comfort as much as he does. he can't remember the last time someone tried to hug him to quiet tears. probably not since he was an actual child, and over something a lot more simple. a scraped knee, an argument with a friend, not getting the toy he wanted. the things that ail Steve these days are a lot more difficult to solve, feel almost impossible comparatively. it is probably too much for one person to carry alone. that Wanda wants to take on some of it, even for a little bit, is overwhelming. definitely enough to let go and accept a little comfort.
everything has been a lot for a long time. needing one hug isn't that bad, right? right.
Wanda is shorter than he is, so accepting the hug is a little awkward. it does hide his tear stained miserable face, though, so he just puts his fluffy head on her shoulder and hugs back, because once it starts it is a lot harder to deny he wanted the comfort. ) I have to get out of here, ( Steve persists, the words mumbled and a little lost. but if he's gonna have a cry about this, he's at least gonna be strong about one thing: that he is not giving up on getting back to the kids that need him, with Vecna on the loose and actively hunting Max down. )
19!! graduated!!!!!! NOT A CHILD, WANDA
Steve doesn't want to need the comfort as much as he does. he can't remember the last time someone tried to hug him to quiet tears. probably not since he was an actual child, and over something a lot more simple. a scraped knee, an argument with a friend, not getting the toy he wanted. the things that ail Steve these days are a lot more difficult to solve, feel almost impossible comparatively. it is probably too much for one person to carry alone. that Wanda wants to take on some of it, even for a little bit, is overwhelming. definitely enough to let go and accept a little comfort.
everything has been a lot for a long time. needing one hug isn't that bad, right? right.
Wanda is shorter than he is, so accepting the hug is a little awkward. it does hide his tear stained miserable face, though, so he just puts his fluffy head on her shoulder and hugs back, because once it starts it is a lot harder to deny he wanted the comfort. ) I have to get out of here, ( Steve persists, the words mumbled and a little lost. but if he's gonna have a cry about this, he's at least gonna be strong about one thing: that he is not giving up on getting back to the kids that need him, with Vecna on the loose and actively hunting Max down. )