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

[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?"

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

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.

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."

"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.

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.

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."

"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.

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.

"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."

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?"

"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?"

"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."

"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."

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."

"Stevie..." The blush had him smiling, his fingers stroking Steve's side. The shyness, the innocence - how could he help but lean down for a kiss? "Everything's gonna be okay, Steve," he promised, thumb making arcs against his skin. "You're right where you belong. With me, with Clark and Lois, and even with Diana, for all I just met 'er today. I don't think there's much you could do that would screw this up. I've just gotta remember to say if something bothers me, and you've gotta do the same thing."

"Well, to be honest?" he admitted, still a little pink, "I could just... kiss you forever and run my hands over you and I'd already be happier than I know what to do with so... what do you want?"

"I'm good with that," he murmured, smiling and tracing Steve's cheekbone. "I am perfectly fine with that. Long as you don't mind me enjoying this shirt on you. Somethin' about you in clothes that're too big..."

He ducked his head a little, the fabric puffing up at the movement.

"Nothin' I'm not used to. I used to swim in anything I put on, after all."

He breathed in and he could feel it, the warmth and weight in his chest.

"Can't complain that... that you always found me worth lookin' at."

And then, because he was all out of words or at least out of any half-decent words, he tugged Jim down to continue the kissing. He was actually getting to be reasonably good at the kissing.

"Mmm." The kiss started with a smile, then melted into something soft and lingering. Jim's eyes closed and he could feel his eyelashes brushing Steve's -- and that was new. He'd never felt that with anyone else, but it was so unique, so small and amazing, that he didn't doubt he'd remember that feeling for the rest of his life.

[cutefluffyfade and continued here]

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

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