It's horrifyingly familiar, but this time Diana isn't with him. On the bright side, he doesn't have to worry about dragging the Amazon princess behind him-but that serves as a downside, too, because she isn't there to punt aside the men that suddenly surround him on all sides, shoving guns into his chest. He tries to fight them at first, lashing out with fists and feet at his opponents, but there are four of them, and Steve is on his own. They manhandle him up against the wall, and two grab his arms in vice grips to keep him pinned there.
"Ah, Mr. Trevor," one of them says casually, and grabs Steve's hair to tug his head back against the brick wall behind him. Steve tries to fight it at first, but eventually the pain is too much to bear and he bares his teeth at the man as the tip of a knife scrapes against his exposed throat. "I was wondering if we'd ever be able to corner you. You're a slippery one. We've spent quite a lot of time tracking you down."
"You know, I'd apologize for inconveniencing you ordinarily, but I don't think I will this time," Steve retorts, shifting cautiously and flexing his arms to see if he can break free. The men holding his arms only respond by tightening their grips, making Steve wince.
"We need some information, Mr. Trevor, and I believe you have what we need," the man holding the knife to his throat continues, as if Steve hadn't even spoken. "I don't suppose you'd be willing to give anything up willingly, would you? It would make our lives much easier, and your death a lot less painful."
Steve laughs in defiance even as his heart stutters and his breath hitches in fear. He knows a lot of different things that could be of potential use to the germans-battle plans and supply lines, for one, and Diana, as well.
He'll die before he gives anything up about her.
"That depends on what you want, good sir," he says placatingly, flicking his eyes downward to make sure the knife at his throat isn't moving. "Tell me what you're after, and perhaps we can come to some sort of agreement."
His gun is still in its holster. They hadn't disarmed him, choosing instead to keep his limbs pinned. He struggles against the arms holding him down again, but this time one of the brutes growls at him wordlessly and uses one hand to slap Steve across the face, hard. It hurts more than Steve cares to admit, and he gasps, struggling to recover from the blow.
"I believe you misunderstand me, Mr. Trevor. We aren't looking for any one piece of information-we're well aware of your profession, after all, and you surely know many secrets." The knife inches forward threateningly, and Steve finds himself pressing his whole body against the wall to try and avoid the blade. Unfortunately, there's nowhere to go, and the edge of the knife pricks his skin just hard enough to draw blood. A single drop wells up, sliding down his skin and disappearing into his clothing.
"I'm afraid I don't know what you're talking about," he tries, even though he knows it's useless. They know who he is. Sure enough, at his words, his interrogator chuckles.
"Cute, Mr. Trevor. Very cute," he sneers. "You'll be coming with us, now. I would recommend against struggling. My assistants are a bit… accident-prone, you see, and I only need you alive. A few broken bones won't kill you."
The knife is lowered and stowed away. Steve has a split second to make a decision, and as the man steps away he kicks out with both feet and twists frantically, throwing his head forward to dig his teeth into one of his captor's hands. The man yelps, and for an instant Steve has a free arm. He lunges for his gun, gets it in his hand-and then yelps as a fist plunges into his stomach, forcing him to double over. He swears, fires the pistol blindly, and then cries out again when a massive fist collides with his cheek. The force of the punch knocks him sideways. He hits the ground, and his vision flickers.
Hands grab at his body, and he tries to get up-but his body refuses to respond, and he is helpless as he is forced to his knees. Once his hands are tied behind his back, it's all over.
"That was unwise," the german says. Steve glances up through bleary eyes to observe his captors. One of them is nursing a hand, glaring at Steve angrily, and another is hissing as he applies pressure to a wound on his shoulder-Steve's bullet had grazed him, nothing more. The last grunt is behind him, and their leader leans forward, getting right in Steve's face.
"You will regret that," the man announces, arching an eyebrow, and Steve knows it will only end in more pain but he can't help it-he spits at the man, and grins when he leaps back in disgust.
"You'll get nothing from me," he growls. The man's eyes flash.
"We shall see," the german snarls. Then he turns to his men. "Take him, and be discreet about it."
Steve's eyes widen, and he clenches his fists.
He can't let them take him. Not, at least, without a fight. If they are successful… well, Steve knows plenty of ways to silence himself before they can get any kind of information from him.
He struggles as two men approach his bound form, but he can't stop them from lifting him up like a sack of potatoes.
"Someone, help!" he shouts, because maybe, maybe someone will hear. Someone useful, not, like, a housewife, or a child, because that wouldn't end well. A soldier. A policeman. Or, better yet, Diana. "Help!" he tries again, and the germans hiss in panicked frustration.
"Shut him up!" one of them growls. Steve writhes.
"Help! He-mpffff!"
A cloth is stuffed into his mouth with so much force that Steve chokes, and his struggles turn to terrified flails for a moment before he remembers to breathe through his nose. He keeps fighting, unwilling to stop because he's scared despite all his training, but he goes limp when the butt of a gun smashes into his temple.
"...eve?"
One of the germans turns at the faint noise that echoes down the alleyway.
"What was that?"
Everyone freezes for a moment.
"Steve? Steve, where are you?"
Her voice echoes, rebounding off the stone walls surrounding them, and Steve wants to cry in relief.
"Sounds like a girl," one of the men holding Steve grunts. Their leader perks up, peering at Steve with a malicious glint in his eye.
"A girl, hmm? A girlfriend, perhaps, or even a close acquaintance? Would Mr. Trevor be more inclined to speak if we brought her along?"
Steve almost chokes again, but this time it's because he's forcing down a laugh. Fortunately, the germans seem to think it's because he's concerned for Diana, and chuckle among themselves, settling back to hide in the shadows. Steve plays along, letting out muffled cries through the gag and twisting frantically to escape as he's dragged along.
The germans have no clue what's coming.
"Steve? This had better not be some sort of joke," Diana says. She's close now. Steve can hear her heels clicking against the cobblestone. He's seen her stab people with those heels.
"Honestly, Steve Trevor. We're going to be late at this rate, are you planning on…"
Her voice trails off as Steve's captors step into the light, revealing themselves to her. Steve is thrown to the ground-he winces as his knees are bruised, and growls in annoyance.
"I'm afraid you're both going to be late, ma'am," the german says, and despite Diana's presence Steve stiffens as the muzzle of a gun presses against the back of his skull. "Hands up, now, and no funny business. Scream, and you'll regret it."
Steve lifts his head to watch as Diana arches one regal eyebrow at his captors. She'd been shopping for supplies, and she lets the bag of groceries slip from her fingers to land on the ground. Her vision sweeps over the group, taking in the men, and Steve, who tries his best to look pitiful.
"What's this?" Diana asks casually. Steve marvels at her fearless expression, and the germans seem a bit unnerved by it, too. In fact, their leader seems completely thrown off guard.
"What-what do you mean, what's this?" he stutters out. "This-this is a kidnapping!"
Diana frowns and tilts her head.
"Ah, I see," she replies. "Unfortunately, I cannot allow you to do such a thing. You will release him at once." She takes a few steps forward. The germans exchange extremely confused glances with each other, and Steve can hardly blame them.
"Are you insane, woman?" the leader asks. "I'm not going to do that just because you told me to! Put your hands in the air, right now!"
Diana stops walking, but she doesn't put her hands up.
"Allow me to rephrase," she says. "Release him, or I will make you release him."
Her voice and very presence washes over them all, and Steve shudders. She's beautiful. Powerful, bold, and fearless-the germans are so screwed.
"You're insane," the german leader accuses, slightly hysterically. "Can you not see my gun, girl? My loaded weapon, which at any moment I could use to kill either one of you?" He removes the gun from Steve's head and waves it at Diana.
Mistake.
Diana moves so quickly that Steve doesn't realize she'd moved until one of the germans behind him cries out in shock and pain. Diana hurtles into him like a cannonball, slamming him into the wall so hard that splinters of stone scatter everywhere. The other men shout, and gunfire splits the air. Steve dives for the ground to get out of her way, grinning around his gag as he hears the telltale sound of metal on metal-bullets deflected by Diana's armguards, no doubt.
"Witch!" he hears one of them shout. The same man goes flying a moment later, spiralling over Steve's head and landing with a crunch. Steve winces, and it's not quite in sympathy, but it's close.
He lifts his head to watch Diana finish off the last two men. The final brute attempts to use his gun as a club, swinging at her powerfully-but his motions appear slow and clumsy compared to the grace and agility Diana employs. She's so much faster than him, diving beneath his blows and deflecting his arms with devastating kicks. When her fist collides with his chin, he drops like a stone.
The last one, the leader, backs up in terror as she advances on him.
"No, wait-please! Spare me, I didn't-"
His back hits the wall. He jumps with a startled squeak and then moans in fear when Diana slams her fist into the wall next to his head, shattering stone with ease.
"I did warn you," she reminds him, and cocks her fist. The man doesn't even have a chance to respond.
When Diana turns back to him, she gives Steve a slightly exasperated look. Steve stares up at her, pleading with his best puppy-dog eyes, and luckily they work this time, because she smiles and steps forward to untie him.
"I can't even leave you alone for five minutes," she says. He tries to shrug. It's a little hard with his hands tied behind his back, but she gets the gist of the motion and chuckles.
She doesn't even need a knife. She tears the rope away as if it's cobwebs. The moment the rope is gone Steve tears the gag away.
"Finally," he groans, rubbing at his mouth and glaring at the prone forms of his enemies. "That was starting to get uncomfortable."
Diana offers him a hand up. He accepts it, and despite the display he just witnessed he's amazed by the ease in which she lifts him to his feet.
She could probably crush him with one hand, and that shouldn't be attractive, but somehow it is. He tries not to think about it too much.
"Thanks," he tells her. "That wouldn't have ended well if you hadn't shown up."
"You're welcome, Steve," she replies. She grins, eyeing him contemplatively. "I am hardly surprised by the attack at this point. Trouble seems to flock to you in spades, Steve Trevor."
Steve blinks, bending down to retrieve their groceries.
"You're… not wrong," he admits with a heavy sigh. "But I'd just like to point out that this didn't happen to me before…" he waves his hand in her direction, "before you. I was perfectly capable of keeping a low profile until I had the princess of Themyscira at my side. Now I can't go anywhere without getting jumped." He flashes her a grin to make sure she knows he's joking, because knowing her she'd misunderstand and attempt to leave so Steve could regain his stealth, or some stupid thing like that. The Amazons, apparently, didn't believe in jokes. Or sarcasm. Or fun of any kind, really.
She returns the smile.
"I suppose I'll just have to stay at your side, then. You'll need protection," she says, and oh. Steve's heart skips a beat before he ruthlessly squashes the rising hope in his chest, pushing it back down and locking it up tight.
She can't possibly know, can't understand what saying that means to him, what it could imply. He's probably just reading into it too much-she probably means it in the most platonic way possible, but… he wishes.
War is not the time or place for a relationship, anyway. He refuses to get too attached until they've won.
(He's already too attached. He ignores it, and continues to pretend otherwise.)
He wishes.
Diana takes the bag of groceries from his hand gently.
"Are you injured, Steve? Shall I call off the meeting?"
Steve shakes his head. "A little rattled, maybe, and bruised, but it's nothing that won't heal in a few days. No broken bones, at least." His wrists are sore, his jaw hurts, and his knees are scraped, but he's not worried.
She nods in satisfaction.
"Good. You've worked too hard on this plan for it to be postponed any longer."
A thrill of pride ripples through his chest. His latest idea is a stroke of brilliance, and with Diana's help he'd managed to turn it into an official operation, one that could potentially strike a deadly blow against the germans.
"Let's go," he says, and takes care to trod on one of the unconscious german's fingers as he walks past. "They're not waking up anytime soon, I'll call the police to come pick them up and then we'll go meet with the team."
She follows him, and the moment they are back into the public area Diana presses closer to him, flashing a sly grin.
"Stay close to me this time, yes? I would hate for you to get abducted again."
Steve groans as his cheeks heat up in embarrassment, but he leans toward her obediently until they are nearly touching. His fingers brush against hers, and they both jump-Diana more in confusion and himself in startled hesitance. After an awkward beat, Diana takes his hand in both of hers, and he swallows nervously as she leans in.
"I will never leave you to be alone, Steve," she promises softly. "I will not let them take you away from me."
And, woooowwww, Steve's knees feel weak. He might need to sit down for a moment.
She's amazing. She's gorgeous and unstoppable and strong and she's just destroyed him with two simple sentences.
He's so floored that he can only nod mutely in response, eyes wide, and she smiles in satisfaction.
"To the meeting, then," she announces in determination, spinning and tugging him in the proper direction. She only holds his hand for a few moments longer before she drops it, but Steve can't complain. He follows her like a duckling, and he's sure he has some sort of starstruck look in his eyes but he can't really bring himself to care.
Is there really a patch of red on her cheeks, or is he imagining it?
Either way… it's a start. It's far from perfect, with the war hanging over their heads, but at least it's something.
Steve can work with something.