Marc remembers the first time Steven calls him love.
Not mate, nor friend, chap, or whatever slang Brits had for a friend.
No, love was a special term.
It sits with Marc for a few days, replaying the gentle murmur when he had settled down for sleep after a particularly long job for Khonshu.
Get some sleep love, you deserve it.
Steven, ever oblivious, hadn’t noticed Marc’s slight change in how he paid attention to Steven. How banal conversations now seemed to hold his interest, a new documentary that Marc had dismissed at first now becoming a shared viewing. They were still working on his whole “aware they’ve a condition and have to now properly share a body” thing, but having Marc just quietly observing over his shoulder made Steven feel all the safer these days.
Not to mention, a lot less lonely than he had been before.
Dating had never really been in the books for Steven, even though he had tried his hardest a few times. Bars and clubs weren’t terribly appealing, and the one movie he saw ended up with the poor man escaping his handsy date.
Now?
It was wonderful to have a companion now, although he’d always been there, hadn’t he? Feeding Gus (until his poor demise), doing dishes, just little things to hide from Steven from the fact he had an entire other life. He should have been more upset, but he wasn’t. Marc didn’t have to do those things, he could have kept Steven a prisoner or some other sorry outcome, instead, he tried to make his life seem normal and content for him.
Steven wasn’t surprised when he fell for the gruffy American.
At first, once the world was saved by their actions, Steven was confused. Could an alter fall for another? Or was he falling into territory that society deemed wrong? Several interspersed weeks of discreet research said otherwise, and the invisible weight squeezing Steven’s chest vanished instantly. It’s a few days later he lets the word love slip out when he bids Marc goodnight, and it makes the Brit feel warm inside.
He certainly will always remember the day Marc calls him babe.
Careful cleaning the tank babe, we just washed this sweatshirt.
Steven nearly drops the scraper he was holding and hopes Marc doesn’t see the blush on his face for the remainder of his cleaning job.
Marc sees it in the water, and something flutters in his heart.
“You called me babe…” Later on that day, Steven’s made some sort of vegan ramen (which isn’t as good, but at least the fake egg tastes like Marc enjoys). His hands are slightly trembling when he can feel Marc react in surprise, but he calmly eats his noodles.
If it crossed the line, just say the word.
“Eh? Why would that cross the line?” Steven lies on the innocence thick, and Marc lets out a small grunt.
Really?
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.” Steven grinned behind the bowl, eyes fixated on the small mirror set on the dining room table. Marc meets his gaze, and tries very much not to let Steven know he’s right flustered.
Little shit.
“Mhm, then what am I then love ?” He grinned, and Marc put his head into his hands with an exaggerated groan. Steven’s laughter fills the room, and Marc can’t help but look up.
Gods, you’re cute.
“Oh hush you.” Now it was Stevens' turn to try, and fail, to hide his own embarrassment. “Am not…”
Steven, babe, you are. I believe you called me handsome before you even knew who I really was, which makes you handsome big guy.
“I didn’t mean to blurt it out…” Steven muttered into his noodles, and Marc snorts to himself. “...it’s true though.”
Agree to disagree then? I think we’re both pretty damn handsome, and I’m glad someone like that is picking his sorry mess.
“Oh hush you…I think it’s a good choice. You make me feel so…so alive, more than I can ever remember. So I don’t want to hear you talking down about yourself you hear?”
Message received loud and clear bud.
“Good…now I just need to start working on nicknames.” Marc groaned as Steven resumed eating, mind racing about what names he could call Marc. Marc just listens to Steven chatter away, and can’t remember the last time he was this happy, not even realizing his latent joy was clear as day to Steven.
Oh, he’d do anything to make Marc happy every day, and now he could do so without fear.