Patchwork Road
By Rey
Chapter summary: Steve encounters some cultural misunderstanding.
Chapter warning: internalised sexism
45. Orthodox
Steve tries a diplomatic solution to retrieve Loki, who is still cradled close in the newcomer giant's arms with no sign of ever being let go.
His humblest, politest attempt meets with failure again and again, however, as if he were speeking to a blue mural wall. So Natasha takes point, in a slightly more aggressive manner than his has been.
And, surprisingly… or maybe not… the said giant responds to her, albeit not quite in a positive way.
Perhaps seeing his offended expression and interpreting it correctly, the huger giant sidles up to him and plucks him onto its hand, and the explanation whispered to him ignites some of the offence indeed, with chagrin mixed in: "You are male. When dealing with a double-gendered society, we prefer to speak with the females first. The exception is when a male is the lone, most important leader in that society; but even then, there is always a female equal or near-equal beside him that we could speak to if the male becomes too intolerable."
If only he knew beforehand–!
