Superman, Firebrand, and the Metropolis Gang in... the World's Mightiest Duckling

[stands_for_hope]

[continued from here]

It took a few weeks, but soon enough, the apartment had become an entirely settled little commune between the five of them. Steve's things had arrived as Clint had promised, they'd been installed in the new apartment, and the group had made the changes they'd discussed for everyone's comfort with one addition: with Steve bunking with Jim, the room he'd initially intended to take had become a general office/library/art room for everyone to use when they felt like a bit of time alone. For as silly as the concept sounded, all of them had ended up using the room a time or two and it had definitely kept things peaceful despite the addition of two new people.

Considering that the apartment was home to four superheroes and a world-famous journalist, it was amazing how easily they all fell into a routine. Jim, Lois, and Clark would usually leave for work around the same time and Steve, always an early riser, had taken to making them something to munch for breakfast on the way after he returned from his morning run. Having also gotten a position at the community center (teaching kids art and art history), Steve would leave with Diana an hour or so after that. Everyone filtered back into the apartment at different times and whoever was feeling up to cooking would usually start dinner when they got in. If no one was feeling up cooking, one of the two 'old' men would treat takeout.

Today, however, Jim's site was currently closed for due to an issue with the plumbing contractors and some unfortunate flooding that had occurred overnight. That was why Clark texted Jim and invited him to come visit he and Lois at the Daily Planet offices and go out for lunch together.

Comments

[justakidfrombrklyn]

Most of him was pink at this point, except for two red spots on his cheeks. Traitorously, the body part in question twitched at the attention and hardened a little. He gave it a flat look.

"I didn't think much about it."

[kolodnoykovki]

It was the look that made him swallow a laugh and reach for Steve's hand, pulling the both of them into the multi-jetted shower. "Mind of its own, huh?"

The laugh was stifled. The smirk, not so much.

[justakidfrombrklyn]

"Always," he said with a little smile before letting his muscles relax in the water. "And I blame you."

Then he was diving in for a kiss.

[kolodnoykovki]

"Mmh--" His arms tightened around Steve and he kissed eagerly in return, fingers stroking down along his back. He could handle this.

[justakidfrombrklyn]

"Your fault for being handsome," he said in between kisses.

"Let me wash you off?"

[kolodnoykovki]

"Already had your hands all over me," he teased. "You might as well." But he was reluctant to step back and make room. Sure, he'd smoked and drank, but this was the real addiction. Kissing Steve Rogers.

[justakidfrombrklyn]

He waggled his eyebrows at Jim before kissing him once more and pulling the washrag and the provided bar of soap into his hands to lather it up. Then he started washing Jim, pressing a kiss first, then washing, and kissing a second time once the soap had washed away. He started at the other man's shoulders and went down.

[kolodnoykovki]

The one shoulder had gotten better, no longer quite as raw and sore as it had been for ages, and that was thanks to Steve being so insistent with the creams and ointments he'd bought. It made Jim smile, those kisses and touches, and as Steve washed, Jim touched and stroked Steve's skin with his left hand.

[justakidfrombrklyn]

Steve smiled at Jim, then up at Jim, and soon he was kneeling to get at Jim's legs, touch gentle and apart reverent. He cleaned everywhere, keeping his movements smooth and making sure not to tease.

[kolodnoykovki]

Jim was very, very careful when Steve was kneeling - touching his hair with metal fingers wasn't something he wanted to mess up at. Not when he knew from personal experience how it could hurt. His fingers were at Steve's temple when he asked, "How did you get so perfect, Stevie?"

[justakidfrombrklyn]

He looked up, a few drops of water caught in his lashes, his hair slick against his head and a crooked smile on his lips.

"I'm far from perfect. But long as you're happy, it's good enough for me."

[kolodnoykovki]

"You're perfect for me," he countered, voice warm. "I'm not sure if you've ever known how good you are for me."

[justakidfrombrklyn]

"Kinda like you're good for me?" He asked, looking up. He was careful to brace Jim as he got his feet.

"I don't like who I am when you're not there," he admitted, a little quieter.

[kolodnoykovki]

"You won't ever have to worry about that again." He reached up, right hand warm against Steve's cheek. "For God's sake, I've even already got your last name."

[justakidfrombrklyn]

"Just gotta get a ring on your finger now and make it official," he said with a grin before coming to his feet, reaching over for the shampoo to start in on Jim's hair.

[kolodnoykovki]

But with Steve so close, he couldn't resist wrapping his arms around his waist, nuzzling against his neck and saying, more seriously than he'd said anything so far, "I do."

[justakidfrombrklyn]

Steve swallowed and leaned in for a soft kiss.

"Then I've, uh... got something for you when we get back to the apartment."

[kolodnoykovki]

After that kiss - which he drew out just a little - he couldn't help his surprise. But it was, he decided, the best kind of surprise. It put something warm just behind his heart, made his skin tingle. "...Really? Did you really, Steve?"

[justakidfrombrklyn]

He ducked his head a little.

"It's uh...it's Mom's ring. Got a chain for it. I wanted to... to give it to you. When the time was right."

[kolodnoykovki]

"...God, Steve..." He nudged Steve's chin up and kissed him deeply, moved beyond words. His mother's ring? He couldn't believe he was worthy of that, but if Steve had made the choice... In this, anyway, he wasn't going to fight it.

[justakidfrombrklyn]

He kissed him back, leaning in closer, smiling into it.

"No one else was gettin' it."

[kolodnoykovki]

"Part of me wants to tell you to keep it, 'cause it's your mom's, but..." But part of him wanted it around his neck, to touch through the day, to remind himself of what he had.

[justakidfrombrklyn]

"And you know as well as I do that she'd want you to have it. Pretty sure she had us figured out before we did."

[kolodnoykovki]

"Pretty sure I remember her pulling the covers up over us one night," he murmured. "Up to my shoulder and up to your chin. Woke me up just enough to remember it, but then I went right back to sleep with you in my arms... Got in trouble for not going back to the orphanage that night."

[justakidfrombrklyn]

"You were the only one other than herself that she trusted me with," he said with a half smile.

"Said you were as good as a nurse when it came to watching over me."