The Metropolis Not!Vengers in... Location, location, location!

[stands_for_hope]

[continued from here]

Steve wakes up slowly, happy and warm and content enough he's not sure where he is at first. The clues he gets initially aren't helpful because they're such universal parts of his life, as far as his hindbrain is concerned, that they're just a part of 'how he should wake up'.

There's a warm body up against him, deep brown hair pressed up against his nose and mouth that smells like home, a ratty old mattress beneath him that's too firm for anyone but someone like him--

And a metal arm across his stomach. Huh. That shakes some things loose.

It doesn't halt the grin on his face, though. That's... probably never going away, or at least it won't be budging anytime soon (probably until Jim looks at him, disgusted, and tells him to 'stop lookin' like a loon'). Instead, he just reaches over to grab his phone from the the bedside table (amazing the things that survive a plain crash when they're kept in the right pocket) and peers at the time.

Huh. Nearly two. That's fair. But--

"Hey, sleepyhead. You get some good rest?"

Comments

[justakidfrombrklyn]

Steve turned his head and his lips were inches from Jim's.

"You puttin' the moves on me, Rogers?" he asked, mischief bright in his eyes. He didn't wait for an answer before ducking down to steal a kiss because that was exactly what he wanted to do.

[kolodnoykovki]

He slid his right hand up and into Steve's hair. He'd ruffled his hair before, but never had the chance to just touch like that. To stroke. To treat Steve like he'd wanted to for so long. Even if it was just behind closed doors, in private... Right here, right now, it felt good. "Little bit," he murmured after that kiss. "Not trying too hard, though - if I need to try harder..."

[justakidfrombrklyn]

For all that it's shorter, Steve's hair is just as soft and fine as it ever was and Steve's happy enough to lean into the touches like a cat.

"Nah, seems like you got things in hand just right," he said with a little smile.

[kolodnoykovki]

"I mean," he murmured, "if you want me to romance you like a dame..." He grinned, leaning down to kiss him again. "I will. I'll go out, find some flowers, take you out to a movie and then out dancing... Walk on the beach 'til we find a nice private spot in the sand..."

[justakidfrombrklyn]

"Seems like we got a private spot right here," Steve pointed out before tugging him carefully a little closer. There's a kiss or two in there for Jim and Steve's going to give them every one he can, sweet and happy and just a touch playful.

"And you know I'm miserable at dancin'."

[kolodnoykovki]

"You weren't thick as a brick last time you tried, either, Stevie," he murmured through a laugh, slowly pushing Steve back onto the bed. "Bet your chest wouldn't start hurting if you danced now."

Whether it could feel or not, his left hand still stroked down the length of Steve's arm before finding his side. "Might be nice to hold you close with a slow song playin'."

[justakidfrombrklyn]

"You know," he said, quiet and thoughtful and just a bit playful, "I wouldn't mind trying a dance or two in here. Just me and you and some music."

But then he was being pressed down against the bed and his arm was getting petted.

"But right now, I'm kinda enjoying this."

[kolodnoykovki]

Jim smiled down at him, brushing his lips just before Steve's ear. "So am I," he murmured, his hand sliding up beneath the oversized shirt. This, he liked. Kissing, touching, learning the differences in Steve's body. He hadn't had time to even think about it during the war. Other things had been so much more important. Now, though...

"You feel so much warmer now..."

[justakidfrombrklyn]

"Feel like a furnace half the time now," he admitted, a silly, crooked grin on his face as he watched Jim, reached up to cup Jim's face with one hand and let his fingers drift through the strands of hair there.

[kolodnoykovki]

It was so much better than being terrified that he'd wake up to find the cold had gone permanent. "I remember..." Some things better than other, he remembered. But now what was on his mind but, "When I fell asleep on you. Your heartbeat was so much steadier than it ever was before. Used to be a little flutter now and then."

[justakidfrombrklyn]

"Now it only flutters when you give me one of those smiles," he murmured up at Jim.

"Nothing any serum can do about that. Wouldn't want it to either."

[kolodnoykovki]

He smiled - and it was one of his old smiles, wide, lazy, and all charm. "Aww, Stevie."

[justakidfrombrklyn]

And Steve felt his chest go tight just like it used to, and for just the same reason.

That was why he let his hand tug Jim from the back of the neck, down into a soft kiss of his own before resting his forehead to Jim's.

[kolodnoykovki]

His eyes closed as he rested there, hand on Steve's shoulder, the other at his side. It was everything he'd never dared to want for so long. "M'not gonna let go of this," he murmured. "Not now."

[justakidfrombrklyn]

"You and me both," Steve assured him, voice soft, deeper even than usually, from low in his chest around a knot or two.

"All these years, all the-- the everything swirlin' up inside over it."

He took another kiss.

[kolodnoykovki]

A kiss Jim willingly gave, drawing it out to enjoy it. He touched and explored with his tongue, hands sneaking over Steve's skin. It was different, but he was learning he could be attracted to Steve like this, too.

[justakidfrombrklyn]

Steve's heartbeat sped up just a little at the touches, his breath coming a little shorter.

"I'm so glad I'm here. You're here."

His lips twisted in a little awkward smile.

"I don't know how to say it, but you know what I mean."

[kolodnoykovki]

"I know what you mean," he agreed with a soft, warm chuckle. "And the same back at you." The relationship was still new, but the feelings were old, well-worn, and comfortable.

[justakidfrombrklyn]

Except some parts, which were new. And he wasn't keen on being blunt about them, but he didn't want to stumble and muck the whole thing up on the first day.

"D-do you mind if I..." And he reached up a hand in return, not quite touching Jim's chest.

[kolodnoykovki]

"Hm-- Oh. Go ahead." He moved his own hand to draw Steve's against his chest, settling it against his heart. "It's okay, Steve."

[justakidfrombrklyn]

Steve's hand shook just a little as he finally pressed his fingers to Jim's skin, still so careful, intensely gentle but obviously cataloguing every inch with obvious delight. After a few moments, he looked up at Jim's face.

"You'll let me know if I screw up, right?"

[kolodnoykovki]

"I'll tell you if anything goes strange." Leaning down, he kissed Steve's jaw. "Want me to roll over and let you take your time?"

[justakidfrombrklyn]

"I'm good with the kissing and the... touching," and that last part was said with a slight blush.

"But if you'd like me to give you a rub down, I certainly won't say no."

[kolodnoykovki]

"I wasn't really, uh. Suggesting anything more than the kissing and touching," he said. "Just... I have noticed that I've been the one touching more than you have."

[justakidfrombrklyn]

Steve turned a bit pink.

"I didn't mean-- I meant-- just a backrub. Nothing-- I wasn't--"

He laughed a little at his own ridiculousness.

"I wasn't suggesting anything crude. It just seemed like you were kind of knotted up earlier. And I've-- I haven't-- trust me, it's not that I don't want to touch you, you're gorgeous, I mean I--"

The pink went a little closer to red.

"I just... I don't want to screw this up. This is... it's the first time for a long time that I feel like I'm in the right place."