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“Gone clubbing? What the hell kind of text was that?” Arthur Everest demanded of his sister, having tracked her down to the biggest queer club in the city. He shoved his hands shoved deep into the pockets of his grey hoodie, annoyed that Dot had interrupted what was supposed to be an easy night of patrol.
Instead, he was surrounded by too many people with way too loud noise all because of her.
Dot laughed and threw her arms around Arthur’s neck, taking him a bit off guard. “Steve needs to be having fun, not patrolling.” She chided lightly.
“Uh-huh.” Arthur pulled his hand from his pocket and pushed his thick rimmed glasses up the bridge of his nose, more of a nervous habit than absolutely necessary and frowned, “Seems like he’s having lots of fun.”
The person, well android, in question, he found surprisingly easy. He was on the dance floor, dancing really close to another man. Steve was smiling and laughing. He looked happy and a bolt of emotion shot through him. Was it envy? Was it something else?
“Are you...are you jealous?” She asked suddenly, her eyes narrowing as she scrutinizing him.
His heart jumped in his chest at the word; the implication. “Jealous? What, no.” He denied quickly, “N-no. I’m fine.”
She didn’t look like she believed him. He didn’t believe himself either.
“So where’s the yeti?” Overkill asked Arthur from the seat he was occupying.
If Arthur would have figured Overkill would have stood out like a sore thumb amongst happy partiers but he looked like he belonged. If he didn’t know any better, he would almost say the vigilante was having fun.
“Visiting Goat and Ouma. He would make too big of a scene here.”
While Arthur loved Tick’s presence, this was easier for him to do alone. All of a sudden, Dot let out a little giggle and Arthur raised an eyebrow at her. He studied her for a long moment, taking in her glassy eyes and wide, carefree smile.
“Are you drunk?” He asked her.
She shook her head and said yes, grinning all the while.
Of course, she was. But she looked like she was having fun. Amusement flittered through him. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen you drunk.”
“I always wanted you to see responsible me.” She lifted a shoulder into a little shrug.
“You were always taking care of me.” He admitted softly, “it’s kinda nice to see you like this.”
“I thought I heard your voice.” Steve’s voice reached his ears.
“Yeah, hi, Steve.” Arthur greeted him with a small smile and a nod, “Just wanted to check in with you guys.”
“Thanks!” Steve’s smile lost some of its brightness, “Can I talk to you for a moment...alone?”
“Uh, sure.” Arthur felt a skitter if anxiety through his chest as Steve led him away from Dot and Overkill.
In a little alcove, Arthur shoved his hands back in his pockets again, unsure of Steve wanted. With him, it could be anything. Ever since DB—Steve’s PTSD episode where he almost killed them all and they had had their heart to heart, Arthur felt like their friendship had been slowly treading towards something normal.
But now DB was Steve, was essentially human. An attractive human at that. With a sweet smile and surprising easy going charm. Arthur didn’t know of Steve still loved him beyond friendship or not which didn’t make things easy for him.
“I wanted to tell you I’m sorry that Dot changed our night so abruptly.” Steve’s voice pulled Arthur away from his thoughts and back into the present, “But I don’t regret the decision to come dance. I’m having way too much fun.”
Arthur sighed. “It’s—It’s okay, Steve. I mean, I get why you made the choice. I’m—I’m glad you’re having fun.” And he was; Steve had been through enough in his short years of becoming a sentient AI. Michael’s death. Living with Overkill. Losing his boatself for who knows how long.
“Would you like to dance with me?” Steve asked softly.
Slowly, Arthur shook his head. “I’m not much of a dancer, I’m afraid.”
Steve chuckled softly. “I never danced really, until tonight.”
“From what I’ve seen, you’ve got nothing to worry about.”
A man on the edge of the dance floor, swung his arms up and nearly clipped Arthur in the face. Thanks to Tick’s hero reflex training, Arthur managed to miss it. But just barely.
“Come on.” Steve inclined his head to a small spiral staircase that lead up to the second floor that overlooked the dance floor. It was mostly empty, just a few people resided in a corner booth. Steve led them to the furthest corner where the sound wasn’t quite so deafening.
Steve’s eyes bored into him and Arthur felt his body go on alert. “Can I tell you something?”
“What is it?” Arthur feared the answer but found himself asking anyways.
“A few of the men I’ve danced with tonight have wanted to kiss me.” Steve raked a hand through his blond hair.
“Oh.” Arthur’s heart went into his throat, “Did you? Kiss them, I mean.”
Steve shook his head. “I’ve never kissed anyone before. I always wanted my first kiss to be with someone special.”
The look that followed weighed so significant that Arthur felt his cheeks warm in response. “Oh.”
“I want to be able to move on, Arthur.” Steve said softly, “I know you’ll never love me in return and that’s okay. I’m honestly ready to go out and find someone that will.” He gave him a halfhearted smiled, “I don’t want to lose you. Because no matter what, you’ll always be special to me. You helped me remember what it was like to love again.”
“And I want that for you. All of it.” Arthur replied, “You deserve someone better than me.”
“Please don’t. Please don’t tear yourself down like you’re the scum of the earth for not loving me in a romantic way. It’s just what it is. And I’m sorry for being so pushy. We’re both inexperienced when it comes to things like this.” Steve leaned against the railing, his hands gripping the metal, and looked down at the dance floor, shaking his head, “Did you know those two idiots were trying to spy on us?”
“What?” Arthur blinked at the change of topic and looked down at the ocean of writhing bodies, finding his sister and Overkill wrapped up in each other; not exactly how he wanted to see his sister: grinding on her sociopathic partner, “Ugh.”
“They didn’t even notice we left.” Steve chuckled quietly, “She really is good for him, you know?”
The acknowledgment took Arthur by surprise. “What?”
Steve leaned on his forearms and looked back at Arthur over his shoulder. “She’s what he’s been missing. She doesn’t listen to his bullshit and doesn’t let him get away with turning tail and running away. She makes him try harder. He actually listens to her. He doesn’t dismiss her the way you do. He accepts her.”
Arthur couldn’t say anything, finding himself speechless.
“I know you don’t approve of what he’s become. Of what he does. What kind of life he’s pulling Dot into. But it’s what she wants. It makes her happy. I know you protest because you’re her brother, because you care. You don’t want to see her put her life on the line. But I promise you, he would die for her.”
Arthur swallowed thickly. “He would, wouldn’t he?”
“Yes.” Steve looked back towards the dance floor, “She’ll always be safe with him. She won’t become him. But he may become a little like her.”
Something untightened in Arthur’s chest and he found himself nodded, even though Steve couldn’t see him. “You’re right.” He said softly.
“I know.” Steve continued to look out at the dance floor, a wistful smile on his lips.
Heart pounding, Arthur pushed back the little voice inside that told him this was a bad idea and embraced the one that chose love. He leaned over and pressed his lips against Steve’s cheek. He had expected to find the synthetic skin cold, like the metal that served as Steve’s skeleton but was surprised to feel a pleasant warmth beneath his lips.
“Thank you, Steve.” He murmured, shoving his hands into his hoodie pocket.
Steve pressed his hand to his cheek and let out a quiet, breathless laugh. “Thank you, Arthur.” His tone was warm with affection.
Arthur gave him a nod, a feeling of finality settling into his chest. It was peaceful, comfortable, and he hoped Steve felt the same. Like the moment he walked away from his job and embraced superheroing; he was moving on and it felt good. He made his way downstairs and out of the club.