Who: Steve Rogers and Mercy Thompson What: beginning of a friendship Where: the running trails When: Early July Warnings: None unless you think Steve and Mercy being friends is a horrifying thing (which it is, in the best way possible) Status: Completed Doc
The sun had not been up for more than an hour when she left her house. It was still strange to think she owned a house here, but she did like it. Her dark hair was pulled up into a ponytail, and she was in leggings and a tank top as she hit the trails.
Her coyote was faster but she was fast, and she enjoyed the feeling of the breeze on her face. She made it into town and onto the trails there. She liked the peace that came with running: she didn't think about how even two months later the loss of her mate bond still hurt, and how she missed Bran so bad it actually hurt. She only thought about the next foot in front of the other.
Until she came to a stop by a tall oak tree, and took a breather. She was tired, and didn't realize the person she was conversing with was a ghost at first, not until a real person came into the picture and the ghost vanished. She swore under her breath, then offered the other person a smile. "You picked a good trail to run."
If there was one thing that Steve would do no matter where he was it was go for his morning runs. It helped him clear his head, mull things over. The repetition of his strides, the breath in his lungs and the beat of his heart put him into an almost zen state...and yet he was still aware of his surroundings. It was difficult to explain. Let’s just say he liked it.
It wasn’t surprising to come across another person out this early. There weren’t many people that were, but those that he ran into had all seemed nice. The woman he came upon was new to him. Not that it was a surprise. He still didn’t know many people, but Steve always liked to meet new people. He just didn’t go out of his way to do so.
“Hi,” he said as he slowed down, and returned her smile. “Seemed pretty nice. I take it you’re familiar with the trails?”
She raked a hand over her hair, and shook her head out, smiling. "I am. They're some of my favorites, though if you take the other route to the left up there you head out into the state forest."
Mercy grinned. "I'm Mercy Thompson." She paused then smirked, "we spoke on the network, actually. I'm the girl who keeps breaking in the pursuit of keeping people alive."
Steve looked back over his shoulder toward where she was indicating then nodded. “I’ll check it out tomorrow,” he said as he looked back to her. “Thanks.”
Steve had to give a small laugh as she identified herself. “Right! Glad you’re still in one piece.” He chuckled then held out his hand. “Steve Rogers.”
She laughed, taking the offered hand. "A pleasure to meet you. And give it a few weeks, I'll probably find some cause that makes me throw myself into danger first." She laughed again, shaking her head.
"I can't say I would be any different. I'm used to it, fighting for people who need protecting. I'm only half human so I know how it feels to get looked down on."
“Well, I hope that before you go throwing yourself in head first you’ll call for back-up.” Steve smirked. “Less chance of breakage that way, and there are more than a few people I know here who would happily have your back in protecting others.” There were enough Avengers and SHIELD representatives here to make a small army.
“Half human?” Steve asked in open curiosity. “What’s the other half?”
Mercy gave him a half innocent look. Don't believe that look, Steve, she was anything but innocent. "You offering to be backup?" She asked with a smirk, this place threw things at them sometimes. She might not remember them but she'd read about them.
It was no secret here, "half native American great spirit. My dad was ole Coyote so I get to be a coyote when I feel like it." And speak and control ghosts. But that was details.
Steve may come off as gullible, but he was anything but. Still, he smiled right back as he shrugged a shoulder. “If you need it, sure. Wouldn’t be the first time, and won’t be the last.” He could take the lead, and he could follow someone’s lead. It was based on whatever the situation called for.
That sounded impressive. Unfortunately, this was one area Steve lacked knowledge. “I’m afraid I’m not as familiar with Native American lore as I probably should be.”
She laughed a bit, no one was ever fooled by her innocent look. Not a single soul. Everyone who knew her even in passing knew she was pretty much a trouble magnet and she knew it.
“Coyote was one of the major Spirits - with the like of Wolf, Hawk and so on. He’s the trickster god, as it were.” she rolled her eyes, “and boy does he love making trouble. It’s why me and my half brother exist. He likes meddling in human affairs.” she smiled, “Coyotes as an animal are pretty sneaky, tricky animals. It gives me plenty of perks, and downsides - I can turn into a coyote. I can see ghosts. But I don’t heal like werewolves do, and I attract trouble.”
That all sounded interesting. Steve’s curiosity was definitely going. He’d never heard any of this, let alone have it all be fact, but he had seen far too much in his time to simply dismiss it. He did know Thor, after all.
“Sounds like you live an interesting life,” he said. He was referring to the Chinese curse: May you have an interesting life. “Pretty sure we were born under the same star or planet conjunction. I wouldn’t say I attract trouble, but I do sometimes seek it out.”
“I do.” she said with a smirk, “Sounds like we were - I also seek trouble out - see this place knows who should be friends.” she rested her hands on her hips and shook her hair out of her face.
“I would be glad to call you friend.” she smiled brightly, “and maybe get into some trouble with you at some point.” she laughed, “I could always use more friends in that regard.” Mercy was a good woman, happy to help her friends and even happier to find herself in the center of something troublesome.
Steve chuckled as he shook his head but he still held out his hand toward Mercy. “I’d be glad to be your friend, but let’s do our best to not go looking for trouble, ok?” He’d had his fill of that back home. And this place just seemed to cause trouble. He’d prefer to take the peace while he had it.
“I don’t know about you, but going for a run always works up an appetite.” He smiled as he jerked his head in the general direction of the diner. “Wanna join me for some breakfast?”
She took the offered hand - her oil stained, rough calloused hand - and grinned. “Fair.” she agreed, she was looking forward to a bit of a break, too, this place was less confrontational than home and she loved that.
“I am always hungry. I can’t say no to breakfast.” she laughed, she might not be a werewolf but she could pack away half what they did and still be hungry. She burned calories as fast, or faster, if she was in a mood.