p1
Take it, baby, it’s okay.
Eddie lets out a small whimper, his fingers tightening on Steve’s skin, and he presses his face into Steve’s neck.
Steve runs his fingers through his curls again, tugs at the roots and scratches at his scalp, closing his eyes and inhaling as Eddie’s hands slide across his scars. He plays with his hair for a while. Until the fire burns away, leaving glowing embers and the occasional soft snap.
“Have an idea,” Steve says softly, tilting his head so he’s murmuring right in Eddie’s ear, twisting the ends of his curls around his finger. “Can you wait here for a minute?”
Eddie sighs softly, nodding.
“I guess.”
Steve smiles, pressing a kiss to his temple before he gently detaches them and tugs the blanket tighter around Eddie. He kisses his forehead.
Upstairs, he flicks on lights to find his parents’ room, his eyes skimming past their untouched bed and furniture to their bathroom. They have the best bathtub, wide and deep and surrounded by pale pink tiles. Steve sits on the edge of it while he holds his hand under the running water. When it’s hot enough he plugs the bath and finds a towel.
“Hey,” he says softly when he gets back to the living room. Eddie’s eyes flutter open and he looks up as as Steve kneels in front of him, gazing up at him. “Come with me.”
“Okay.”
He stumbles slightly when he stands, clutching Steve’s hand, his other hand holding the blanket tightly as Steve leads him to the bathroom.
“I thought— I thought it would help you warm up.
Eddie drops the blanket wordlessly, squeezing his hand, and Steve exhales, smiling at him.
“You want help?”
Eddie nods. Steve smiles brighter, stepping in front of him and gently, tenderly, pulling the hem of his hoodie up, but it comes up with the sweaters, and they get tangled as Steve tries to pull them off. He can hear Eddie’s muffled giggling under the layers of fabric, and he laughs, carefully untangling him. When he appears, his nose is scrunched and his eyes are squeezed shut, his hair messy.
“There you are,” Steve says softly, tossing the clothes onto the counter. “Alright?”
“Cold.” He shivers. Steve rubs his arms before he reaches for the drawstring of his sweatpants. Eddie’s hands find Steve’s shoulders as he pushes them down with his boxers, as Eddie toes his socks off. Steve holds his hand to help him step into the water, and Eddie lets out a soft groan that Steve can feel under his skin. He kneels by the tub, running a hand through Eddie’s hair again.
“Feel good?”
“Christ. Yeah.” Eddie’s eyes are glassy.
“I’m gonna put your clothes in the dryer,” Steve says softly, his fingers gracing Eddie’s cheek. He has a scar there, rough and mangled from the teeth of demobats. “So it’s all nice and warm for you.”
“Come back,” Eddie whispers, tilting his head.
“Always.”
It takes him a moment in the laundry room to pull apart the sweaters and hoodie, the fabric stuck with static, but as soon as the dryer is running, he’s headed back to Eddie, who’s leaned against the back of the tub and slid down until his chin is in the water.
“Hey,” Steve says, kneeling by the tub and touching his face again. “How do you feel?”
“I’d feel better if you were in here with me,” Eddie says quietly.
Steve blinks, raising his eyebrows, his hand pausing on Eddie’s cheek.
“Are you sure?”
“Please, Steve,” Eddie breathes. “Need you closer.”
Steve pauses for a moment, his chest aching, before he says a soft Okay and stands, tugging his shirt off. Eddie’s eyes trail over his chest. Over the scars that cover his sides, his upper arms, his neck. Steve doesn’t even want to hide.
When he’s naked he steps into the bath, the water sloshing in the silent room, distorting their bodies. Eddie reaches out to him, his hand sliding over his arm.
“Come here.”
Steve moves closer.
Their legs wrap around each other again, and Steve closes his eyes, sighing.
“I missed you so much,” Steve breathes.
“Yeah?” Eddie says quietly. Steve can hear his smile. “You cry for me, Harrington?”
“Only every night.”
Eddie is quiet, and Steve finally opens his eyes to find him staring. His eyes are shining like he might cry, his bottom lip caught between his teeth.
“I cried too.”
Steve nods, swallowing thickly.
“Can you touch me, please?” Eddie asks weakly, and Steve reaches out, sliding his hands over his arms, his shoulders, over his chest and waist and stomach and back. The water is warm, and Eddie’s eyes are closed, and he’s swaying with the way Steve’s hands are pushing him around gently, and he lets out a soft, broken noise that’s almost a moan.
“You feel so good,” Eddie says softly, his hands finding Steve’s legs under the water, sliding over his skin slowly.
“Yeah?” Steve breathes, sliding a hand to the front of Eddie’s neck, his palm to his throat. Eddie hums, whimpering, his expression shifting into an almost-frown, like he’s going to cry.
“Steve,” he chokes. “Say it again.”
Steve squeezes his throat gently, watching Eddie’s lips part as he gasps. He leans closer, until their noses are almost brushing.
“Baby,” he breathes. He smiles when Eddie’s lip trembles and his cheeks flush pink. “Is that what you want?” he whispers. Eddie’s breaths are echoing around the room with the quiet slosh of the water as Eddie’s hands slide up Steve’s sides, over his scars. “You wanna be my baby?”
Eddie nods, his lip trembling again.
“I want that too,” Steve whispers. “Want you to be mine.”
Eddie takes a soft gasping breath, and a tear escapes his eye as he nods again. Steve smiles, wiping it away, but he just makes his cheek more wet with the bath water.
“Yes,” Eddie says softly, crying. “Yes, please.”
Steve kisses him.
It’s a short kiss, hard and lingering, and Steve’s fingers tighten on his neck. Eddie gasps when they part, his eyes opening, glassy and tear-filled, and Steve smiles at him, nodding. Eddie stares for a moment, his lips spreading into a slow smile, and he lets out a tearful laugh.
“Holy shit.”
“Yeah,” Steve agrees, laughing softly. “Holy shit.”
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... Will you guys please let me talk about hgduo/gossipduo/mockingjays/ whatever they are called a little more pleaseeeeeeeeee, they make me unwell and I want to get my thoughts about them out of my head- or more specifically about them from Bad's point of view!
There's a familial air to it, but it's just not true to define it like that- and that doesn't make what they DO have any less powerful or significant- They have a unique bond and that continues to be true, even during painful times like this.
Cellbit WAS Bad's responsibility at one point, and that time came and went- he got him through the war and into adulthood ( aka 18 years old or close to it.) They meet again as old friends and generally respect each other as such... but even so Bad can't deny he still feels some duty to watch over the man once he starts crumbling- much like how Cellbit as well can't help but reach out to Bad during this time.
but there's limits.
like- Bad for years had and still wants to protect Cellbit, he's had an influence on him, he taught him how to survive, he himself acknowledges he has some responsibility over Cellbit, looking at Cellbit right now feels like looking in a mirror, he doesn't like having to give up on him, but if it's between him and the kids he's choosing the kids every time... and he knows there is no simple way to save someone who refuses to let themself be saved.
And it hurts! It hurts seeing Cellbit like this! It hurts having to let him burn! It hurts watching someone he cares for falling down the same path he is! It hurts knowing he's hurting others the way it did for him seeing Cellbit like this! It hurts having to choose his kids over his protege/ student/ former responsibility/ the kid he watched over years ago/ old friend/ his 'something'!
Like, cc!Bad brought up this internal mental tier list that q!Bad has- I still deeply believe that q!Cellbit is quite high up there even if he'll never be at the level his kids are at- like he loves Cellbit enough that he ACTUALLY CONSIDERED putting parts of his months long plan at risk to save him- even if it was just during the stress of that moment that still means a LOT from Bad- but he was always going to choose his kids in the end!
Based on what I know of q!Bad (which is admitably not a lot lol) there is next to nothing that'd convince him to give up on his kids- with Cellbit he's able to see that he can't help him because Cellbit sadly does not want to be saved- and for Bad that means he simply has to accept it even if he really doesn't like it- the emotions from that night have processed and he's looking at the situation from a more logical and resolute perspective. If it means him and Cellbit may one day clash, then with a heavy sigh so be it....
but if it was Dapper or Pomme... I just don't feel certain in saying he'd be able to come to that conclusion, especially not after one night. Even if it would be the 'smart' thing to do. It's one of the key differences between the dynamic he has with them vs Cellbit...
But, in a perfect situation, he would've done everything to save them both.
Anyway thanks for reading, posting this at hell hours so my beloved mutuals won't see my hgduo ramblings but tagging this anyway for other people to see LMAO-
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