Chapter Text
You waited sat outside Steven’s apartment door for approximately 1 hour and 42 minutes, waiting for him to get off shift and usher you inside with a worried look, having received the rushed text you’d sent him in the cab and absolutely fussing over you as soon as you came into view, barely giving you enough time to set your vegetables on the counter before you were swept up in the whirlwind of his concern.
“Oh dearie me, you should’ve gone home, what were you thinking falling asleep outside my apartment like that, in your condition?” He held your upper arms softly, not even having put his messenger bag up yet, as he looked you up and down for signs of damage. “Sarah called and told me you’d been taken to A&E, but I couldn’t find out where you were, and you weren’t answering your phone, and- “ His entire frame slumped as he lost steam all at once, and he pulled you in for a delicate hug, his form draping over yours in a comforting embrace.
You could only hold him back, not afraid to squash him harder than he did you - you’d noticed he liked the pressure.
Your response seemed to get him over himself, because he pulled you in tighter, burying head into your neck. “Please tell me you’re gonna be alright?” He said it like it was a question, but you nodded all the same.
“I’m alright now, baby,” You ran a hand through his pretty dark hair and kissed the top of his head. “Even if my feet are sore.”
“Then what are we doing, standing around like this?” That sure got his attention quickly, shooting back to look at you with upturned eyebrows, hands going back to your shoulders and shoving you gently toward his couch. “You go ahead and get settled, I’ll find something comfortable for you to wear.”
You let Steven dote on you without push back, accepting the Colombia sweater he’d stolen back onto your form, now smelling of the organic rosemary and lavender scented washing detergent he used, along with a pair of sleep shorts that Steven claimed never fit him quite right anyway. They had wonky elastic, and hung off you in a weird way, but at this point you were beyond complaining. They were soft though.
You spent a quiet night in, ordering some dinner for delivery and watching one of your comfort movies on the TV, curling into his side and reveling in just how warm he was, head dropping to his shoulder the more tired you got. Somehow, despite spending the last two days fading in and out of consciousness you were still exhausted. Whatever toll this whole thing exacted on you physically, it took a lot out of you, and it would probably be a few more days at least before you felt like yourself again.
You know, if you ever felt like yourself again.
Before you knew it, your eyes drifted shut, and by the time Steven shook you awake, it was dark outside. You groaned harshly at the disturbance and curled against him tighter.
“Aw, love, don’t be like that.” He sounded half-way to laughing at you but you were too groggy to care. “It's getting late, you should go home and get some real rest.”
You just closed your eyes tighter. “Wanna stay here, sleep next to you.”
You felt him stop breathing, the hand on your shoulder tightening slightly.
“You’d hardly get any sleep, the way I am, staying up late and all.”
“Sleep deprivation makes sleepwalking worse, you know.” You opened your eyes and gave him a narrow look. “If I could drag you to the doctor you’d know that.”
“I- well,” He spluttered, apparently not ready to have this conversation turn back on him. “I told you, I’m working up to it.”
“Hmm-hm.” You hummed, smiling softly and ducking back into your spot. “I just wanna hold you tonight, baby. Don’t wanna be alone.”
He let out a slow breath. “I just don’t wanna scare you off, with the sleepwalking. Or wake you up somehow.”
“I promise, even if I wake up to find you staring into the corner like something out of Blair Witch, you’re not gonna scare me off.” You kissed the closet part of his skin your lips could find, in the hollow of his throat, causing him to let out the tiniest, softest squeak that you only heard because you were so close to him. “And I already have multiple nightmares a night. At this rate, I’ll probably sleep better with you next to me.”
“Oh,” some of the tension he held loosened its grip on him, and he moved his hand to rub at the back of your neck, voice brimming with barely restrained emotion. “As long as you don’t mind, then I’d like that.”
You opened your eyes and sat up just to see him on the verge of tears.
“Oh, sweetheart,” You cupped his cheek, and he leaned into it as he closed his eyes before kissing your palm. “I’m sorry. I can go home if you’re not ready for this, I promise I’ll be fine -”
“No!” The word burst from his lips so fast even he looked surprised that he’d said it. “I. Well, I want you to stay, I just wasn't sure if…”
You swallowed thickly, so overcome with affection (and I dare say, love) for the man in front of you that it would have knocked you off your feet had you not already been sitting. “If…?”
“I don’t know, I’ve never had a real relationship before.” He shrugged, looking away from you and instead focusing his gaze on Gus, somewhere over your shoulder. “It’s scary. I don’t want to mess this up, you know?”
“Hey,” You pressed your forehead against his before meeting his lips in a slow but emotional kiss, holding him against you as if you could communicate all the depths of your feelings overflowing through your chest all at once. When you parted, his eyes were glassy, but he looked at you as if you hung the stars in the sky. “I may have nightmares, but I don’t scare easy. And I don’t plan on running off anytime soon, okay?”
“I love you.”
You froze. For a half second, the moment lasted for a lifetime as you watched a kaleidoscope of fear and affection and love, apparently, flicker across Steven’s face - before you dove back into his lips, clutching at the back of his head and pulling him as close to you as you could.
“I.” You pulled back, just to peck down his cheek and jaw, punctuating your words with tiny kisses that made him squirm. “Love. You. Too. Steven. Grant.”
You pulled back and leveled him with a giddy smile, before you were knocked back against the armrest of the couch with the force of his response, hand curling around the nape of your neck as he pressed his mouth to yours.
…That night, surrounded by the arms of the man that you love (and only slightly tangled in his ankle cuff), you think you slept the best you ever had, and Steven only stirred enough to wake you once.
…
Marc woke up to the full moon lighting up Steven’s apartment, and you in his arms.
His breath hitched, but he didn’t dare move you from where your head laid on his chest, a sense of guilt clawing up his throat, because surely, if you knew it wasn’t Steven you were laying on at the moment, you would slap him.
But, oh, he didn’t want to wake you. So instead of getting up to assuage his own conscience, he brushed hair off of your forehead, and rubbed the tips of his fingers over that spot on your temple you’d told Steven always ached, smiling slightly as you relaxed a fraction more, even as worry consumed him.
Khonshu wouldn’t react well to this new development given his unusual protectiveness over you, no doubt - and if you kept sleeping over he’d have to find a way to slip out without you noticing, which would absolutely be difficult. But the bird seemed to be silent for now.
But those were problems for Future Marc. Present Marc was more preoccupied over what left you in the hospital for two days, and so in need of comfort you’d sat in Steven’s grimy apartment hallway for almost two hours.
Because you hadn’t told Steven what happened. Or, moreover, had skillfully avoided telling him what happened by deflecting and minimizing. It had worked on his alter.
It had not worked on him.
“What's going on with you, doll?” He said softly to himself, staring at the ceiling rather than your pretty face and adorable nose and - “I gotta keep you safe for Steven, you know? Can’t do that if you don’t talk to him.”
He wouldn’t admit he cared, too. He couldn’t.
It would be too much to admit at the moment, when you were so desperately far from his reach and so beautifully close at the same time. Too much too admit when his emotions were so frayed already, between still worrying about Layla every moment he fronted, to trying to find out what was happening with the Ammit cult, to trying to suppress the pangs of jealousy that welled up when you kissed Steven like your life depended on it, even though it sent self-loathing lancing through him. Both for wanting someone that wasn’t his, and for the fact that he was growing too fond of you for someone still in love with his wife.
Naturally, you only responded to his brooding with a tiny snore.
And even that was cute.
Marc closed his eyes and let his head thunk on the pillow with a whumph.
He was fucked.