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]

"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."

[kolodnoykovki]

"She taught me a lot about taking care of you. It made me feel good, that I could do that."

[justakidfrombrklyn]

"Now I'm learning how to take care of you too," he said, sounding... pleased. Even a little proud. The shampoo went into his hair and Steve started massaging it into his scalp, careful to keep the suds from falling into Jim's eyes.

[kolodnoykovki]

Jim closed his eyes and tipped his head back, sighing contentedly and unafraid of the trust he was putting into Steve's hands. Instead, he nearly purred, "Oh God, that's nice..." Two hands in his hair and he wasn't afraid of pulling himself bald.

[justakidfrombrklyn]

Which meant that Steve took his time, making sure that the shampoo got to the roots, the scalp, massaging a little mostly because he could.

"You're giving me ideas for next month," he admitted with a little grin twisting his lips.

[kolodnoykovki]

"Mmh, Stevie, you don't know how good it is," he sighed. "S'just... damn nice."

[justakidfrombrklyn]

"It's nice to be able to do something like this for you," he said honestly, "but a different kind of nice, I suppose."

When he'd gotten every spot, every hair, he redirected one of the heads to start carefully washing out the shampoo, scrubbing his fingers lightly through it to ensure that it all came out as he moved the water stream.

[kolodnoykovki]

"I could go to sleep like this." And he could - between the warmth and the sensations and the water and the love, he was more relaxed than he had been in...

Well. Since he could remember, even in his spotty memory.

He didn't even realise his arm was about to vent heat until it did it, and he had to move his hand away from Steve until the panels slid shut again.

"...And there's reality coming back again."

[justakidfrombrklyn]

Steve just shifted a little and kept going, thoroughly washing out the shampoo.

"Reality," he said, his tone matter-of-fact, "is that you and I had an amazing evening and that we're in a shower together now and I'm getting you washed up. Part of that is your arm venting and another part is you starin' at my johnson like it's gonna rear up and bite you..."

He accompanied that with an impish smile as one hand reached for the tiny bottle of conditioner.

[kolodnoykovki]

"Hey, I'm feeling a little shorted over here," he laughed. "Really, I don't know what part of the serum you got that made you hung like a goddamn horse, but they didn't put that in me, the bastards. Now I've gotta deal with being down an arm and being down a couple of important inches down there."

[justakidfrombrklyn]

"Perfectly proportioned idiot," he reminded him with a quick kiss to his forehead before he started in on the conditioner.

"And what's between my legs is pretty much between you and me. So if you like it so much, it's all yours."

[kolodnoykovki]

"Damn straight." But then, swallowing a laugh, he added, "...Or should that be 'damn bi,' now?"

The laugh didn't stay swallowed for long.

[justakidfrombrklyn]

"Entirely up to you," Steve says, the laughter more than a little infectious.

"You call yourself what you like. As long as it's still me and you."

He started in on the conditioner, sticking mostly to the ends but letting his other hand massage a little at the scalp again since Jim seemed to like that.

[kolodnoykovki]

"It's always gonna be me and you, Steve," he promised. "To the end of the line, right?"

His eyes half-closed with the touch of Steve's hands. That was a feeling he wasn't going to get over easily.

[justakidfrombrklyn]

"To the end of the line," came immediately. He leaned in close and took a kiss then, since the conditioner had to sit on for a minute or two anyway.

[kolodnoykovki]

A contented sigh and he returned the kiss. Here, now, he felt safe. Just the two of them, nobody to call names or threats. Nobody to say he's less of a man for who he loves. His arms wound up around Steve's shoulders and he held on, letting himself soak in bliss.

[justakidfrombrklyn]

Steve took his time kissing him before pulling back and gently tipping Jim's head to start washing the conditioner out as well. Jim got a couple of kisses along the jaw while that was taken care of, mostly because he could.

"Feel better?"

[kolodnoykovki]

"Mmm. Mmhm," he nodded, smiling contentedly. "I feel amazing. You're... You are damned good at this. But now it's my turn."

[justakidfrombrklyn]

The smile he got in return was pure sunshine.

"Wouldn't dream of stopping you."

[kolodnoykovki]

The sight had Jim smiling in return. "You've always had the best smile." And then he was lathering up a cloth to get started.

His touches were long and smooth, curving lovingly over first his shoulders and then his arms. Every contour was traced, given a gentle soaping before he let the water rinse the suds away so he could bestow a warm kiss.

[justakidfrombrklyn]

"I'm going on the record to say you're biased," Steve said softly, keeping his eyes closed to soak in the touches, the experience. He was utterly pliant; if Jim needed to move him, he could.

[kolodnoykovki]

With Steve's arms propped on his own shoulders, he started his work on Steve's chest. He'd done this before but it was so very different then. Much narrower, swabbing away sweat and trying to give some kind of ease to all his coughing...

Soap or not, he leaned in for a kiss to Steve's collarbone, loving and grateful at once. He was well. He was healthy. And now, he'd always be. While that made a part of him feel useless, it made more of him so happy. Steve had what he'd always deserved.

[justakidfrombrklyn]

Steve's breath was slow and even and the smile on his face said he was pretty damn content. Absently, he let his fingers twiddle behind Jim's head, keeping his eyes closed. It was kind of a fun game, letting the touches surprise him.