All This Time

after battle injuries

For the first time since he'd enlisted in the Royal Air Force to help fight in the War, Steve felt like he could breathe. He could rest, take a few hours and just enjoy living. There was no looming threat to take care of and if there was, Diana clearly had it under control, if whatever had happened in No Man's Land and Veld was any proof.

Steve wasn't sure he'd ever see something so incredible ever again in his lifetime. In the moment before he realised she was taking all the fire, he'd been terrified he was about to watch her blown to pieces. Now, though, the goddess herself was talking softly with a local woman across the square, looking as curious as ever.

There was something about her that drew attention and it wasn't just because she'd saved the small village. Sure, she was wearing strange armour, but Steve had given her a cloak that kept that particularly scandalous outfit well covered. A local mother had offered up a dress as well, but Steve doubted Diana would wear it until she returned to London. No, there was just something about her that seemed to draw the interest of the children and therefore their parents.

Steve watched with a small smile as a woman handed Diana her infant. She'd been immediately captivated by the small child when they first arrived and clearly sensing Diana's curiosity, the mother offered him up. Ever so gently, Diana took the baby from his mother's arms and stared down at him with wide eyes and a slightly agape mouth.

Steve's grin widened.

From where he was sitting, he couldn't hear their conversation, but Diana was paying equal attention to both mother and infant as the mother spoke. When she finally did pass the baby back over, Steve frowned.

If Steve hadn't been watching, he probably would have missed the flare of pain that flashed across Diana's face. It had been quick and she covered it up with a smile faster than it had appeared, but Steve had seen it. He got up from where he was seated and slipped across the square, appearing at Diana's side just as the mother turned and left.

"They have very small children here," Diana informed him, her eyes still trailing after the baby who was staring back at her over his mother's shoulder.

"That's just how babies are," Steve replied. He gently wrapped an arm around her to rest on her shoulder, unsure where she was hurt and not wanting to injure her further. "Are you alright?"

"Yes, of course."

"No, you're not," Steve objected.

Diana frowned. "Why would you ask a question that you would not let me answer?"

"It was rhetorical." Diana's frown deepened and Steve made a note to explain that to her later. "Come on," he said, pulling her towards the nearby inn. "Show me where you're hurt."

"I am not—"

He cut her off, but was careful not to be too sharp. "Don't lie, Diana."

Diana looked at him for a long moment, then nodded and let him guide her to the inn.

Now that he was aware she was hurting, he could see how she favoured her left side and felt the way that she limped beside him. Perhaps it was not obvious and maybe Steve was imagining it, but he doubted such was the case. He had just been too focused on the victory and getting away without any injuries himself to think about her.

As soon as they were alone in a room, Diana pulled off the cloak and let it drop to the floor, grimacing slightly at the motion. She turned around, pulling her hair off her back and Steve sucked in a breath. Almost a dozen deep, long cuts crossed over her back until it looked like she'd been scourged. The blood was mostly dried by now, but there were bits of wool stuck in some places and Steve cast a wary glance at the cloak on the floor.

"After the bell tower," Diana explained quietly, her back still to him. "I heal quickly, but even that much brick and metal, it will take time."

Steve's memory flashed back to the sniper in the bell tower and for a moment, he was filled with guilt. He'd been the one with the idea to launch her up there. Perhaps they could have waited a moment longer for Charlie and she wouldn't have had to fight through a collapsed steeple.

Diana's voice cut through his thoughts. "You are not to blame."

"Right, well, it was my idea to slingshot you up there," Steve reminded her. He stepped into the little bathroom and reached for the closest wash towel there was. "The least I can do is apologise, right?"

When he turned around to look at Diana, she had a small smile on her face.

"Apology accepted then," she decided, "But only because it will make you feel better. Not because it was your fault."

Steve rolled his eyes and walked back over to her with the wet wash towel and gestured towards the bed.

"You might want to sit while I clean it," he suggested. She nodded and did as he said, keeping her back to him so he could gently wipe away the remaining dirt and wool.

For her part, Diana didn't seem to mind when he had to wipe a little harder or tug on a strand of hair to clean the wounds. She hardly flinched and didn't say a word. Unfortunately, Steve knew that was bound to change when he brought back a small bottle of alcohol he got from the innkeeper.

"This part is going to hurt," he warned. Diana merely raised an eyebrow at him and turned a shoulder. Steve pursed his lips and very gently pressed the rag to her torn back.

The reaction was immediate, though not as terrible as Steve had expected. She inhaled sharply and pulled away, but didn't jump up from the bed and forbid him from touching her ever again, so he considered it a win.

"What is that?" she asked, her voice tight as he gently pressed the rag to her skin again.

"Alcohol," he answered shortly. He swiped across a particularly wide cut quickly and Diana stiffened. "It's decent to drink, but sucks when you need it to clean out a wound."

"I think I prefer neither."

Steve smiled and made quick work of the rest of her back, not wanting to keep her in pain any longer than necessary. As far as he could see, the cuts ended right where her armour did, so he didn't ask her to untie it. He hastily wrapped the largest cuts against Diana's wishes and by the time he stood up, he wasn't worried about a possible infection, whether or not she was an Amazon.

"That was not necessary, but thank you anyway," Diana said, pulling her cloak from the floor and fastening it around her shoulders.

"Better safe than sorry." Steve hung the wash towel up by the bathroom and picked up the alcohol bottle to take back to the innkeeper. Pulling open the door, he told her, "Amazon or not, there's no reason not to clean out something like that. Wouldn't want it to get infected."

"No," Diana agreed softly, smiling at him in a way that made Steve's stomach flip. "We would not."