He's not expecting it, and that he would actually cite as his first mistake.
He's thinking about Chin Ho Kelly. Wide smile, and calm demeanor, working his day away at a spot not far off the landmark. Who is another person who fits on Steve's under the radar that hasn't been doing him well, but Chin Ho Kelly he at least already trusts the work of. It's not blind faith asking for even blinder aptitude. He only sees it, mid-thought, the half second before solid knuckles are connecting with his jaw.
Sending a wave of pain through his head, down his neck and into his spine. Sending him spiraled with the movement, toward the car. A riot of the only reaction that every comes at both connect and pain. The one that is slamming his head, at least as hard as the punch when his hand lands on the hood of the car that had been behind him and suddenly was right in front. The one screaming, through the flare of every synapse in his jaw to turn back. Hit harder. Faster. Every soft spot on the human body. Before another blow can be landed.
It's a staggered half step, because that doesn't even take a thought. That is trained deeper than any reaction. Never fall; if you do get back up fast. Never falter; if you do go right back in harder. Never listen to the pain. Never. Which is why he goes back down on the heel of his hand, only to pivot up with hand going to his jaw, not even the full second later, because he can't not have his eyes on the target at least, to know what's coming next and decide what this is going to be now. But it's only to catch the watered blur of blonde hair and set shoulders walking quickly away.
Which is for the best on Steve not following through on every screaming impulse he knows he shouldn't. Cant. Danny isn't. You don't turn a loaded gun on a person asking for it, like it's just a bat or a hand. You don't turn SEALs loose on civilians. Not after all they've been trained to do. Lived doing. Even ones who seem to have been hiding a fucking good arm somewhere under everything.
Sending him turning back toward the car, swearing, as the pain pulsed through his jaw, spotting his vision.
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He's thinking about Chin Ho Kelly. Wide smile, and calm demeanor, working his day away at a spot not far off the landmark. Who is another person who fits on Steve's under the radar that hasn't been doing him well, but Chin Ho Kelly he at least already trusts the work of. It's not blind faith asking for even blinder aptitude. He only sees it, mid-thought, the half second before solid knuckles are connecting with his jaw.
Sending a wave of pain through his head, down his neck and into his spine. Sending him spiraled with the movement, toward the car. A riot of the only reaction that every comes at both connect and pain. The one that is slamming his head, at least as hard as the punch when his hand lands on the hood of the car that had been behind him and suddenly was right in front. The one screaming, through the flare of every synapse in his jaw to turn back. Hit harder. Faster. Every soft spot on the human body. Before another blow can be landed.
It's a staggered half step, because that doesn't even take a thought. That is trained deeper than any reaction. Never fall; if you do get back up fast. Never falter; if you do go right back in harder. Never listen to the pain. Never. Which is why he goes back down on the heel of his hand, only to pivot up with hand going to his jaw, not even the full second later, because he can't not have his eyes on the target at least, to know what's coming next and decide what this is going to be now. But it's only to catch the watered blur of blonde hair and set shoulders walking quickly away.
Which is for the best on Steve not following through on every screaming impulse he knows he shouldn't. Cant. Danny isn't. You don't turn a loaded gun on a person asking for it, like it's just a bat or a hand. You don't turn SEALs loose on civilians. Not after all they've been trained to do. Lived doing. Even ones who seem to have been hiding a fucking good arm somewhere under everything.
Sending him turning back toward the car, swearing, as the pain pulsed through his jaw, spotting his vision.