Steven woke up early this morning like he always does.
He still felt tired despite going to bed early. His brain couldn't stop spinning, knowing his lovers are finally returning home.
It was a long month.
With Marc away for work involving an important convention and Jake being forced on another mission for Khonshu, the apartment has been too quiet.
Steven isn't ashamed to admit he felt lonely.
Ever since they got separated, Steven got used to having his two lovers around.
In the morning while having breakfast. After work his alters would be greeting him and they would catch up on their days over dinner. During the evenings as they crawl into bed together.
With Marc and Jake gone the apartment felt too big, the bed was too cold, and the days felt endless.
But now they are finally coming home and Steven never felt happier.
Home.
Where they belong.
Steven cleans the entire apartment after breakfast, his body restless with excitement. He makes sure that everything is put away, cleaned and tidied up.
After that he takes a shower, forcing himself to calm down somewhat. The time won't go any faster if he showers within the time span of 5 minutes.
The warm water helps him relax, forcing the tension in his muscles away.
When he's done, he changes into comfortable but slightly fancier clothes for the occasion.
Steven picks out his most nice fitted jeans and one of his favourite sweaters. The weather outside grows colder the closer Christmas gets so Steven makes sure to dress appropriately.
His sweater is heavenly soft against his skin. The dark blue material hangs slightly baggy of his frame but he prefers it like that.
To top it all off he clads his feet in socks against the slight cold, light blue ones with tiny goldfishes on them.
He's just lightning some candles to set a comfy mood when keys jiggle inside the door lock.
Steven's heart leaps inside his chest and he turns around just fast enough to see Marc enter the apartment.
The first thing he notices is that Marc looks tired. The circles underneath his eyes betray the lack of sleep.
But aside from that Marc looks bloody gorgeous.
His hair is messy instead of neatly combed back with some gel like usually. The top two buttons of his shirt are popped open and the sleeves are rolled up to his elbows.
Marc's dark eyes find his when he closes the door.
Heat shoots through his belly with the way Marc looks at him.
''Steven.'' Marc breathes out relieved.
It's like a trigger word.
Within seconds they find each other, their arms wrapping around each other for a hug. Steven pulls Marc as close as he physically can and sighs contently.
''I missed you.'' Steven murmurs, basking in the way Marc kisses his neck without letting go of him.
''Fuck, I missed you too.''
Marc pulls back enough to cup Steven's face in his palms for a kiss.
He takes the lead like he always does. Steven opens his mouth easily when Marc's tongue sweeps over his bottom lip, whimpering softly against Marc's mouth.
Gods, how much he missed his lover.
His alter pulls him impossibly closer during their kiss by tightening one strong arm around his waist. Again, Steven goes willingly.
His head feels stuffed with cotton by the time Marc lets go of him, brushing the pad of his thumb over Steven's cheek.
They smile softly at each other.
''You look beautiful.'' Marc compliments, eyes roaming over Steven's body.
Steven laughs softly as he feels his cheeks grow hot. He'll probably never get used to his partners complimenting him all the time.
''I look the same as a month ago.''
Marc shakes his head and snakes a warm hand underneath Steven's sweater, softly brushing over his bare waist.
''Bullshit.'' Is Marc's only reply, unwavering eyes staring straight into his soul.
He's still getting used to being loved so fiercely.
That's why he smiles instead of answering. His hands come up to cup Marc's face, carefully inspecting his exhausted eyes.
''You look tired, love.'' Steven comments, ''D'you want to go lay down for a while? Get some rest.''
Marc hums without putting up a fight, obviously too tired to convince Steven he isn't.
''Only if you join me. I slept fucking shitty without you.''
Steven huffs out a soft laugh. ''Only me?''
''Fine. Jake, too. But don't tell him that, his ego will burst through the roof.''
He laughs again and kisses Marc's temple in silent agreement.
**
Marc is obviously worn down.
He falls asleep immediately after his body meets the mattress, not even bothering with removing his clothes and shoes.
Steven carefully removes them for him but Marc doesn't even move a finger.
After that he cuddles up to Marc's back and wraps his arms around his lover. Marc smells like comfort and home and Steven can't resist pressing his nose in Marc's nape to breathe him in.
Despite sleeping poorly last night Steven can't fall back asleep but he's more than content to simply hold Marc.
Only now he realises how much he missed his alters.
Steven must admit that it was easier when they were still sharing one body.
He always felt safe with Jake and Marc lingering at the back of his head. They would always be there to catch him when things got overwhelming and he'd do the same in return.
They still do that now they have their own bodies but it's different.
Steven misses them being near one another all the time.
But aside from that there are positive aspects, too.
Like being able to touch his alters. Sharing a life with them while also having their personal space. Looking them in the eyes during conversations. Entwining fingers during sex.
He lets Marc sleep for an hour before he wakes him up. If he sleeps the whole afternoon, he won't be able to sleep later tonight.
Marc wakes slowly, noticeably still tired, and Steven lets him set the pace.
His body is soft and warm when he turns around to face Steven. Sleep is clinging to him like a blanket but he has no trouble taking what he wants now his brain is back online.
Steven has no problem with Marc making love to him after missing him for so long.
By the time Marc pushes inside Steven feels deliciously domestic.
They cling tightly to each other as Marc grinds his hips against Steven's pelvis. His movements are easy, too tired and content to pick up the pace, and Steven can't help but moan with the feeling.
He missed this so much it doesn't take long before Steven unravels.
Marc gently fucks him through his orgasm and whispers encouragement inside his ear.
After that Marc only lasts a few beats longer before he comes. Pleasure makes his movements stutter as he spills deeply inside Steven for much longer than usual.
They laugh breathlessly against each other's mouth as Steven cards his fingers through Marc's hair.
''Shit, baby.'' Marc whispers, ''You still got it.''
Steven giggles. ''You did all the work.''
''No. Only you can make me feel this good.''
A shy smile pulls at his mouth when Marc kisses him sweetly. The feeling warms his chest like warm tea on a cold day.
If there is one thing Marc knows how to do expertly, it's kissing.
He's a great kisser. The one that steals the air from your lungs and knows exactly what to do and when. Steven will never grow tired of kissing Marc.
It's obvious they both missed each other. They cling to each other while they kiss, hands roaming over warm skin as they try to soak the other up.
Steven isn't surprised when the air between them grows needy and stuffy with arousal again.
He lets his legs fall open easily for another round.
**
Evening falls and Jake still hasn't come home. Steven begins to worry when the clock strikes eleven and there's still two instead of three.
''He said he'd come home today, right?''
Marc wraps his arms around Steven from behind and hooks his chin over his shoulder.
''You know how Khonshu gets. He's probably still not satisfied, or something has come up.''
''Hasn't he been through enough?'' Steven whispers.
''Jake can take care of himself, sweetheart. I'm sure he's fine.'' Marc kisses Steven's cheek and cuddles him closer to his chest while they look outside.
Worry coils deep within his stomach as he thinks about his other alter.
Jake is a tough one, that's true, but underneath is someone very vulnerable. If you take the time to carefully peel back every layer (if Jake lets you) then it becomes very obvious Jake isn't a cold, tough and quiet man.
He cares deeply about the people he loves, like Steven and Marc. He's genuinely funny and he is fluent in sarcasm aside from English and Spanish. He would never do anything to hurt the people he loves.
It pains Steven that Khonshu still has power over Jake.
Eventually Marc gently steers him away from the window to the couch where they bundle up underneath the blanket against the cold.
Marc puts on a cheesy Christmas movie and wraps Steven inside his arms.
He can't concentrate with the anxiety about Jake scratching at the back of his head, but it helps that Marc keeps touching him.
His warm hand finds a path from Steven's shoulder to his ribs, over the curve of his waist towards his hip, ending with a soft stroke over his thigh.
The loop keeps repeating until Steven falls asleep despite trying not to.
He doesn't know how long he has been asleep for when he startles awake.
They're still on the couch but the tv has been turned off at some point. Sleep is clinging to him so at first he doesn't know why he woke up, until the noise returns at the front door.
Marc immediately reacts.
He reaches over Steven until his hand finds the bottom of their couch, fingers grasping the gun hidden away for moments like these.
Steven's heart speeds up in fear and he can't help but whimper quietly. His alter shushes him softly, his free hand brushing over Steven's curls.
''It's okay.'' He whispers as he crawls over Steven to stand without making a sound. Steven sits up but doesn't dare to do anything else aside from tightly grasping the blanket.
A loud thud at the front door makes him jump whereas Marc only lifts his gun, pointing it at the door as he quietly creeps closer.
Steven can't help but whisper Marc's name in hopes he'll come back to him, but his lover doesn't react. Instead, he stops right in front of the door with his gun out just when they hear fumbling at the lock.
The front door swings open and Steven clenches his eyes shut in fear, waiting for the loud firing of Marc's gun.
Except it doesn't come.
He slowly opens his eyes and immediately they find the intruder.
Jake.
Steven all but throws himself off the couch and Marc lets out a sigh of relief, tucking his gun in the waistband of his jeans.
''Jake,'' Steven laughs happily, ''you're home!''
His alter doesn't respond. Instead, he drops his backpack and shuts the front door a little too harsh.
Steven comes to a halt next to Marc where they exchange a look.
Jake turns back around and walks straight past them, not even sparing them a glance. He finds his way to the bedroom where he starts to undress.
Marc takes the lead by following him and pulls Steven along.
When they reach the bedroom the first thing Steven notices is that Jake is trembling.
His entire body seems to be vibrating with how hard he is shaking. It takes a while before shaky fingers open the buttons of his shirt and even his breathing seems unsteady.
Steven's eyes flicker over his lover and sympathy squeezes his chest.
Marc steps in when Jake tries to open the button of his jeans without succeeding due to his hands shaking too hard.
''Easy now.'' Marc says, carefully wrapping his hand around Jake's. ''Y'need me to help you with this?''
Again, Jake doesn't answer.
His eyes look dull and incredibly tired as he stares off into space. Even blinking seems to be exhausting.
Steven steps closer to press a hand against the small of Jake's back.
They know what to do when one of them starts dissociating.
He looks at Marc and once again they share a look before coming alive, both falling into a practiced routine.
They guide Jake towards the bathroom where Steven turns on the shower, making sure the water is exactly the right temperature.
After that they help Jake undress. Steven frowns in worry when he removes Jake's shirt and the material sticks to his side. He carefully peels the material loose and winces when he sees the obvious stab wound.
There are also blue and purple bruises decorating his skin, particularly nasty looking around his left shoulder and ribs. A few smaller cuts are present as well, standing out harshly against Jake's once fair skin.
It even seems like he lost some weight and Steven feels his fingers twitch with the need to help, fix, save, comfort.
Marc removes Jake's jeans, boxers and socks before helping him step out of them. His dark eyes roam over his alter's body and his jaw sets.
''Shouldn't the suit have healed that by now?'' Steven asks quietly.
Marc's eyes flicker up to his.
''I think Khonshu is punishing him.''
Steven closes his eyes and breathes out shakily. He doesn't know what happened to make Khonshu act like this, but he can't even think of anything.
Jake shouldn't have to go through this.
Their alter keeps staring without seeing anything and his body is still trembling.
Marc and Steven undress as well and together they guide Jake into the shower with them. At times like these is when Steven feels entirely grateful for their huge shower.
Steven takes the showerhead and turns down the water pressure to make sure he doesn't hurt Jake. Especially the wound inside his side looks painful and the last thing Steven wants to do is cause him more pain.
The shaking of his body stops somewhat when the warm water runs over him but it doesn't go away entirely.
Marc makes sure that Jakes doesn't fall as Steven gently cleans the wound. Luckily it doesn't seem too bad but Steven still feels a bit queasy looking at it.
''Do you think this needs stitches?'' He asks.
Marc kneels down to inspect the wound. He shakes his head.
''It's not too deep. Fuckers nicked him before they could do actual damage.''
Steven breathes out a sigh of relief. That's good, definitely better than an actual stab wound like he thought at first.
Jake keeps quiet during the entire shower. It's like he's not completely with them and in a way, he isn't.
There's no telling how long he'll be like this. Maybe he'll snap out of it rather quickly, maybe he'll stay in this state of mind for a whole day or longer.
After their shower Marc takes up the task of drying Jake off.
He keeps his touches gentle and soft where he touches Jake, making sure he doesn't hurt him any further.
It's a process Steven admits he loves to watch.
It's not a secret they love taking care of Steven, they love making sure he is okay and taken care off. Marc once described it as primal instinct, something they both experience and can't supress.
Marc will bundle Steven up in two sweaters when it's cold outside to make sure he won't get sick. Jake will haunt down anyone who makes the mistake of hurting Steven, no matter how. Marc loves to fuck Steven every chance he gets, preferably in missionary position because of how intimate it feels. Jake loves to spend every free morning with Steven riding him, foreheads pressed together.
But there is something so utterly beautiful and pure about Marc taking care of Jake, and visa versa.
They are both very headstrong, so they are the fastest to clash. Steven is usually the one in the middle trying to settle arguments.
Marc and Jake look more alike than they'd like to admit.
It causes arguments, heat and frustration but also an unbreakable bond.
Jake will teach Marc Spanish when he asks, both giggling in their own little bubble because Marc's Spanish is shit. Marc will massage Jake's back when his pains flare up after falling off a rooftop 6 months ago. Jake loves to finger and rim Marc for hours, keeping him on the edge of pleasure before giving him what he needs. Marc loves to fuck Jake laying on his stomach, pressing him down into the mattress with both his hands around his waist.
Even now, watching Marc care so deeply for Jake, proves their love.
Steven stays quiet as Marc dries Jake off, allowing them a moment together. They say three is an uneven number but Steven disagrees. He never feels left out in this relationship. Not even now when Marc only has eyes for Jake.
Marc helps Jake in soft joggers before setting him down on the toilet lid, crouching down so they're on the same level.
He softly brushes his thumb over Jake's cheek before whispering something too soft to hear, but it doesn't matter what he said.
The corner of Jake's mouth ticks upwards either way.
**
They wrap Jake up between them in blankets and watch him sleep.
He falls asleep easily, as if his unconsciousness seems to realise he's safe.
Marc holds Jake from behind with strong arms keeping him warm. Steven keeps an eye on Jake as he sleeps from the front, watching his eyelashes flicker against his cheeks and shallow breaths leave his mouth.
No matter how tired he feels, he doesn't fall back asleep and Marc doesn't either.
He reaches over Jake to hold Steven's hand and they smile softly at each other when their eyes meet.
Jake sleeps. He sleeps without moving around like he usually does when he's searching for the nearest person to hold.
Despite the state Jake is in, Steven is more than happy to have him back home.
He's relieved to finally see him breathe. He finds comfort in touching Jake while he sleeps. He missed Jake's familiar yet entirely different face.
Around nine in the morning is when Jake wakes up.
His body takes its time. At first he mumbles something incoherent into his pillow, catching their attention. After that his fingers start twitching and his ankles crack underneath the blanket when he stretches.
Jake flutters his eyelids open and tired eyes land on Steven.
Marc falls into protective boyfriend-mode the second Jake wakes up.
''Hey,'' He cuddles closer to kiss Jake's cheek. ''you with us?''
Their alter hums softly. Sleep lingers in his eyes but he seems much better in comparison with last night.
Steven shuffles closer when Jake reaches out, the tips of his fingers brushing over Steven's arm.
''How are you feeling, love?'' He whispers, brushing a curl away from Jake's forehead.
''Tired.'' Jake admits. ''Sore.''
It's a bit unsettling to see him this fragile. Jake likes to put up an act as if everything is okay, as if he has everything under control even while everything is crumbling down around him.
He must be feeling quite out of it when he answers so honestly.
Steven can't help but feel like he's looking at his reflection.
''Do you remember anything about last night?'' Marc asks.
This time it takes Jake a minute before he answers.
''No. I don't even remember coming home.''
''That's okay.'' Steven soothes, ''You were pretty out of it.''
Jake doesn't answer. Instead, he closes his eyes again and sighs deeply. It sounds disappointed in a way.
Steven cuddles closer, carefully reaching out until his fingers brush over Jake's temple.
''Are you okay?''
He's forced to scoot back when Jake suddenly sits up. Marc tries to reach for him but is too slow, his fingers barely grasping his shoulder.
''Jake-''
''I need to go back.'' His face scrunches up in pain when he stands. ''I wasn't done.''
Steven stands up and so does Marc, keeping their distance until they're sure which is the best way to go.
''I'm sure you did everything there was to do.'' Marc says, slowly inching closer. ''Don't you think Khonshu would have already been here to retrieve you?''
Jake murmurs something Spanish underneath his breath.
His knees wobble every time he takes a step, the wound inside his waist pulling painfully. Steven can only watch quietly as Jake tries to bend down for his shirt before his knees buckle again.
Marc is there to catch him before he actually falls and hurts himself, quick and silent as the mercenary he is by heart.
Their alter tries to push him away and curses when he's unsuccessful. He's too weak to fight back, a fact Jake seems to realise himself, too.
He sags back against Marc's chest. His breath comes out shallow as if he ran a marathon and his body shakes from exhaustion.
Steven kneels and takes Jake's hand.
''Don't do this to yourself.'' He murmurs, ''Please.''
Jake chooses not to speak again but the frustration is written all over his face.
''I don't want that fucking pigeon to show up here. Mierda.''
'I don't want him to come here and drag you two into this.' goes unsaid, not unheard.
Marc shushes him.
''Let him. He'd have to go through me first.''
''And me.'' Steven adds, smiling when Jake looks at him.
Jake huffs out a weak laugh but doesn't protest.
They're quiet for a while as they settle.
Jake may be stubborn but he knows when he is defeated. Marc gently rocks him back and forth while Steven kisses Jake's knuckles.
''We missed you, darling.'' Another kiss. ''I missed you.''
Jake's eyes soften.
''And I you, mi amor.''
''Hey, what about me?'' Marc asks, feigning hurt as he kisses Jake's cheek.
''You know I only love you for your body.''
Steven snorts and laughs when he sees Marc's face. He's happy that Jake seems a bit more like himself, like he's settling back inside his body.
''If that's how it is, you can ask Steven to massage your back from now on.''
Jake tilts his head back on Marc's shoulder to look at him, a fond smile pulling at his mouth. Steven watches them look at each other with so much love it makes his insides clench.
''As long as you'll be there at the end.''
Marc huffs out a laugh and shakes his head, brushing the pad of his thumb over Jake's cheekbone.
''Obviously.''
His eyes flicker up to Steven and he holds out his hand. Steven takes it and shuffles closer so they're pressed together, all three of them wrapped safely inside their personal world.
''It takes all three of us to create a perfect ending.''