Work Text:
“Whoa, how did you get those?”
Lars immediately pulls down his sleeves, yelping at the big black eyes staring at him cleaning the floor.
“That’s none of your business!” He snaps.
“Do you need help with them?”
“No, I definitely do NOT need help! Least of all YOURS!”
“Lars!” Sadie scolds, yet at the same time exclaims in concern.
Regardless, the tall teenager abandons everything to flee to the break room all by himself. He’s welcomed by silence and loneliness, the two things he needs the most right now.
Lars peeks inside his right sleeve, realizing how ugly it looks. Of all people, he really never wanted Steven to find out. Now the kid is going to be so annoying about it.
Lars wishes he could’ve gotten a coffee, but he doesn’t want to go back there and face the world. The least he has is his water bottle he barely touches; he only has it due to his medication, and even then he doesn’t follow the “drink 2 liters of water every day” rule.
Does Lars even follow rules?
He’s checking his phone for distraction, listening to music with his loyal headphones. He’s looking for memes as well when the door opens from the corner of his eye. He doesn’t have to look up to know who it is.
Sadie is sitting in front of him, and Lars is aware she must be looking at him with that worried look of hers. Hence why he avoids it.
She doesn’t seem to push him, she’s just… there.
Lars sighs, pausing the loud song and putting his headphones around his neck. He still doesn’t look at his co-worker.
Sadie is tapping on the table, unsure what to do.
“Is…” she clears her throat. “Is there… anything I can do to help?”
Lars frowns.
“No.”
Silence.
“Lars–”
“There’s nothing you can do to help me.”
“Well, I think being alone is not going to help you.”
“What do you know?”
“I know you, Lars. I know you don’t want to be alone.”
The weight of her words… The island…
Lars lowers his head.
“Did…”
He’s going to regret his next words.
“Did Steven say anything?” He asks her.
Although he doesn’t look at her, Lars can tell Sadie might be a little surprised at the question.
Still, “He just asked if you were okay.”
Lars contemplates.
Sadie grabs her chair to sit closer to him.
“Can I hold your hand?” She suggests.
He nods quietly.
She’s gently taking his left hand, holding it with the most care in the world.
Lars allows it.
The next day, Lars is alone at the Big Donut.
Sadie had some things to do for the day with her mother, though she was very willing to cancel her plans to be with Lars. He knows he could very well be selfish and ask her to stay. But he told her not to worry.
She still remembered to text him before getting through with her day. She must be really busy since she hasn’t replied in hours. Lars sighs, deciding not to check on his phone anymore.
Today is very slow. Most days are, especially when it’s not Summer.
But Lars hates that he’s wondering if Steven is coming, since the kid is their number one customer at this point.
(He hates that he wonders if Steven hates him now. Even though that’s quite literally impossible.)
The door rings.
Ah. Speak of the devil.
Steven, however, is not loud like he usually is when he enters the Big Donut. He’s not yelling about a new “cool” thing he can do or has done.
“Hi,” he says merely.
He’s also carrying a small plastic bag…
“What, did you buy breakfast somewhere else today?” Lars jokes, trying not to sound genuinely betrayed.
“Actually…” Steven takes whatever is in the bag. “I brought you a Cookie Cat.”
Lars’ eyes widen at the ice cream handed in front of him. He takes it like it’s the most beautiful gift he’s ever gotten.
“I thought they didn’t make these anymore?” He asks.
“The gems stole a handful.”
“Oh.”
“This is the last one I have, so please cherish it.”
“Don’t YOU want it?”
“No, I wanted to give it to you,” Steven smiles. Then he adds, “Besides, I can’t really have it after eating everything in one go to defeat a giant monster.”
Lars blinks at how natural he sounds, but he decides not to comment on it.
“Well, uh…” he swallows. “This is… cool, I guess.”
Like the fuckup that he is, he can’t even say the right word.
Steven seems to hear it anyway, given the stupid grin on his face.
Lars awkwardly stares at the Cookie Cat, still protected inside plastic. He’s not particularly a big fan of Cookie Cat, but… Steven really went this far to get him a now rare ice cream sandwich that used to be his favorite. He didn’t need to.
Before Lars automatically goes to the break room, he stops and realizes.
Then, he blushes.
“Well, um…” Lars pauses. “Do you want… to join me?”
Steven gasps. “Break with Lars!”
The kid rushes to get some coffee, which admittedly makes Lars snort. Steven also gets another cup for him.
It’s weird, Lars has never called Steven to come with him to the break room before. It’s sort of his sacred place outside of his bedroom, one that only Sadie shares. Well, obviously because she works at the Big Donut, too, but still.
Steven also takes two napkins from the pile like he knows where he’s going. Lars remembers that one time he was wearing the BD uniform, so there’s that.
Lars eats the Cookie Cat in silence, expecting Steven to say something. He’s surprised when he doesn’t. And most surprisingly, nothing about this is awkward at all. Well, except for Lars. Steven, however, doesn’t seem at all uncertain. He’s just… patient. Caring.
Besides the coffee, something else seems to warm his heart.
Lars doesn’t know if he likes the feeling.
Steven smiles at him.
Silently.
Lars… smiles back.
And it’s so awkwarddddd.
He’s a mess.
He wants to ask so many things.
But in the end…
“Are you okay?”
Steven looks confused.
“Um, yeah, why?” The boy replies.
Lars wishes he could punch himself.
“Like… y’know. After… yesterday.”
He’s only making things worse.
“Oh. Don’t worry about me,” Steven smiles again, for a moment, then it fades. “What about you?”
Lars sighs, finishing his Cookie Cat.
“Ah, y’know. Same ol’ crap.”
Steven hums.
Lars exhales, deeper.
“Okay, look… it’s not gonna make any sense, but I…”
He hesitates.
“... I do this to myself, okay?”
Lars expects thousands of questions, like little kids tend to do.
But Steven just looks sad. Not even surprised.
“Like… I dunno,” Lars groans. “I feel better doing it.”
“How come?” The younger boy asks simply.
“It’s just…” Lars pauses. “I know I’m a mess. A disappointment. That’s why I have to do this. That’s the only thing I have left.”
He’s never said this to anyone. Not even Sadie.
After thinking on it, Steven is scooting closer to him, though not touching him for now.
“I don’t think you’re a disappointment, Lars,” he reassures without hesitation.
Lars laughs darkly.
“If you really knew me, you wouldn’t say that.”
Now it’s Steven’s cue to leave.
But he doesn’t. Obviously.
Yet it still surprises him.
“I might not know everything about you, but I know you’re just someone who’s hurting a lot,” Steven says. “You’re not a disappointment.”
Lars could very well convince him otherwise. He could tell him about school, about the bullying. He could tell him about his medication. He could tell him about the crippling loneliness that haunts him at night. Or he could just tell Steven to butt out like he usually does.
He does none of this.
Instead, his hand is the one reaching Steven’s.
Shyly.
But it tries.
Steven squeezes it back.
“You know I love you, right?” He asks.
Lars sighs. “Yeah.”
Steven grins. “I’m proud of you.”
Lars frowns. “Why?”
“Because you let me in. That’s a huge step for you.”
The older teen feels his eyes watering.
Nothing really comes out of his eyes, but…
Indeed, it’s a huge step forward.
“Try not to be alone when you need someone, okay?” Steven suggests.
Lars gulps and nods. “Okay.”
Someone so young being this patient… he wonders if he’s had experience with this before. After all, he has so many adventures involving monsters and aliens out there. Steven really just wants to help everyone. Sometimes he can be overbearing, but right now he’s completely calm, even if sad for Lars.
The older boy feels bad making a kid listen to his problems like this. He feels bad that someone as innocent as Steven saw his horrible arms. Then again, after everything Steven has seen, he doesn’t seem as horrified or unsure what to do.
He’s really… mature, if you could say that. A young boy who sees the best in everyone.
Lars doesn’t know what he’s done to deserve this.
(He doesn’t know what he’s done to deserve Steven.)
Steven gives his hand one last reassuring squeeze before turning back to his coffee, though still remaining close to Lars, who’s lost in his own mind.
He finds himself staring at his arm. Now no longer afraid of others seeing it, Lars is pulling up his sleeve. The wounds aren’t as red as yesterday, but they still burn slightly.
Steven is watching quietly.
Lars inhales.
“Hey, um… can your powers help me here?” He wonders.
Steven looks to the side, awkward.
“Well, I have healing powers, but…” Steven tells him, “they’re kind of gross.”
Lars raises an eyebrow. “What do you mean ‘gross’?”
“Like… I have healing spit.”
Lars blinks. “Healing spit ?”
Steven nods. “So I’d have to either apply spit to your arms, or… kiss them?”
“You’re joking.”
“No, I’m not.”
Lars groans.
“What the hell, Steven?”
“I’m sorry! I wish I had healing tears, but that’s all I have. I know I’m not as good a healer as my mom used to be.”
Steven sounds so suddenly self-depreciative, that Lars’ complaints fade away entirely.
He sighs. “Okay, okay. But no kissing.”
“Oh! Okay, sure!”
Steven licks his hand…
And he slowly applies to Lars’ arm. The latter can’t help shuddering at the touch.
It… glows.
The burning sensation is gone.
The wounds become white.
They don’t disappear. They’re still there.
Lars feels… kind of disappointed.
Not at Steven, of course. But… he wanted to be normal. He didn’t want to have to look at them anymore.
Still… at least it doesn’t ache.
Steven repeats the same process for the other arm.
Lars gazes at the white cuts. You know, at least they’re not as noticeable as before. People might only see if they take a good look at it.
Yeah… maybe it’s good enough.
Lars touches his skin, no longer feeling the scratched, stinging cuts. He squeezes his own arm.
“... Thanks.”
The word completely slipped out.
Without any hesitation.
Steven’s eyes are glowing.
He’s doing the chest touch.
“You’re welcome, Lars.”
Lars returns it, smiling.
“... You’re a good healer, Steven,” he says.
The other looks like he might cry of joy.
Steven is…
Hugging him.
Lars freezes.
Ah, screw it.
With his arms exposed, he hugs Steven back.