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

[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.

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He chuckled, stepping out of the shower once he was thoroughly washed off, and handed Steve a towel. "Let's both get dried off. Then when we feel like moving, I'll give you a nice dance."

"When I can feel my legs again," he said with a little smile.

Then he was making his way out of the shower as well.

He watched Steve proudly, almost smirking at how wobble-legged he was. He'd done that, and that was a hell of a thing. "Beautiful sight, right there."

"I don't see how me being as wobbly as a kitten is so attractive," he said with a little chuckle. Nonetheless, he was able to pull over a towel and start getting dried off.

"'Cause it's my fault," he grinned. "That's why." He had a towel wrapped around his hips and that was enough for him to walk over and wrap his arms around his Stevie again.

Steve blushed a little, even after all that, and slung his own towel around his hips. Then he was hugging Jim back.

"Smug, I see."

Not that he wasn't grinning a little himself.

"I had no idea we were so handsy."

"It might just be that tonight's a special occasion," he smiled. "Or it might be that I've been waiting for this for years."

"You and me both," he agreed as he made his way towards the bed, "and apparently, hotel rooms do the job that liquor would for other folks."

"Hotel rooms," he allowed, "good food, nice-fitting suits, playing footsie under the table, talking about how long we wanted to do this..."

That got a laugh out of him.

"Right."

He flopped on the bed, tugging the towel off as he shoved the blankets into a vaguely sleep able position.

"Jeez, they pack these tight."

"...Yes, they do," he agreed, watching Steve wiggle. "They definitely do." And then with a laugh, he climbed in with him, left arm draping over Steve's chest as gently as a metal arm could.

Steve gave it a little pat, well used to the metal arm across him considering it was how Jim slept most nights.

"Lemme--" and he reached over to set the alarm nice and early so they'd have time for a short walk and a trip home before work, "there we go. And now we can sleep peacefully."

"Mm." He rubbed Steve's side, nestling close. "Love you, Stevie."

"Love you too," he said softly before letting his eyes slip closed.

He nuzzled into Steve's chest and closed his eyes, smiling. He knew he still had a lot to go, but for now, he couldn't imagine life being better.

Steve was out almost immediately, his adrenaline rush gone, the food well metabolised by their exertions.

So when the alarm bell rang that morning, he mostly just shifted in the covers and curled a little tighter around Jim.

Jim, muttering, squeezed closer to Steve. And when the alarm didn't shut up, he moved just enough to reach it, felt around for it blindly, and when the snooze button didn't work, he just... hit it.

Shattered it in one strike.

And he draped himself over Steve to drift off again.

Steve felt a faint shudder and, mistaking it for cold, wrapped a little further around Jim and pulled the blanket over the both of them further. There. All better.

"Mmm..." It felt like approval - and he liked approval. Eyes happily closed, he slid back into sleep, there where he laid.

[Continued here.]

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

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