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“Steven… you remember I asked you to let me have the day to myself last week?”
“When you were acting all weird and mysterious and cryptic and probably just wanted a wank without me looking?”
“I did not… look.” Marc presses his hands together. Sometimes having a headmate is reassuring and means you’re never alone.
But it also means you’re Never Alone. And sometimes you might want to be.
“Could you just… I said trust me, didn’t I?”
“And I’m pulling your leg. About you pulling… alright, alright. You want more time?”
“No.” Marc sets his jaw. “I want to show you what I did with it.”
“Oooh.”
That has his attention. Marc tries to not look too smug. “You ready?”
***
“Marc, this isn’t funny.”
Steven tries to drag their heels as he disembarks the bus. Marc had to shadow the damn commute often enough, but at least they’re travelling a little later in the day and therefore avoid most of the more familiar faces.
“Just trust me, already!”
“I smashed the bloody toilets up! I’m a vandal! I’m persona non grata!”
“I came when you were asleep, Steven. I paid off the damage charges, and made a considerable donation. And an apology, saying… we’d just - I’d just - whatever. I said we were bereaved and grieving and now they’re happy to let you go visit again. They were okay with it anyway, if it was in normal hours, but I knew you’d feel better if I spoke to them first.”
“...oh.”
They’re frozen in front of the museum. The posters of the Ennead still hanging (incorrectly) up. The rest of the world oblivious to the pair of them, in one body, fighting a nauseous wave at the concept of being recognised.
“It’s okay.”
“You don’t sound like me. Did you tell them about you?” Steven asks.
“No… I… er. Let’s just say when I try to sound like you I have a… twang.”
“Is that why he kept calling me ‘Scotty’?!”
“Everyone is fine with it. And they should be after the donation… surprised if they don’t offer to name a wing after you at some point.”
There’s an odd silence for a moment. Then:
“That… was… that was really nice of you, Marc.”
“Eh. It wasn’t much. I could take Donna out for you as well if you--”
“Nope, this is more than enough, thank you.”
Marc had wanted to. Quite a lot. Maybe just a bit of intimidation rather than full Fist Of Khonshu level of retribution. He’s sure a lot of those thoughts bled through the barrier, when it was up.
“So. You gonna show me around?”
“You… really want to?”
“Sure. I mean, can’t get much better guide than you. Even Layla thinks you’re The Shit. And Khonshu… let’s just say he won’t get Tour Guide of the Year any time soon.”
“You’re not just gonna zone out or…?”
“You might teach me stuff that’s useful. Look, stop smiling and just… accept the offer before I decide you’re too annoying already.”
But Steven is not annoying. Or - not more annoying than he is endearing. Plus, he deserves something nice after all that hard work.
***
It turns out that Steven has so much to say that they literally can’t fit it all in. Even when he tries to explain things around the sandwich he begrudgingly agrees to for lunch.
Which is yet another Lesson In Compromise, when Marc reaches for the cheese and onion sandwich, only to be reminded that the V was for Vegetarian, not Vegan.
Steven magnanimously allows it, and Marc wonders how it’s going to work long term if they can’t agree on food.
“I can close my eyes,” Steven muses. “When you want to go all Neanderthal.”
“If you close our eyes, I’ll end up with pepperoni pizza all over us.”
“I meant metaphorically. And there’s plenty of good, plant-based alternatives!”
Marc really likes a good fry up, though. It’s one of the actual benefits of this country compared to his hometown. Not all of the food is better, but there’s lots of variety and lots of - well - meat.
“We could… alternate?”
“And… maybe if there’s a vegetarian option we both like, sometimes you could go for that?”
“I think we can work with it.”
It’s even more effort than marriage had been, but then that hadn’t been perfect. Getting there, with a lot of work. Maybe slower than Layla and Steven want, but Marc isn’t about to charge headlong in and hurt either of them. Especially not when there’s still Someone Else to think about.
Steven practically inhales the sandwich, ‘crisps’ (chips) and cookie. If he’s not careful, it’ll give them stomach ache later, but he’s so damned excited to have someone to show all of his favourite things. It’s pretty much impossible to deny him anything.
So they go back to the exhibits, and Marc Learns More Things. Until it’s almost closing time.
***
“You want it.”
“I’m a full-grown man, Marc.”
“Yeah, with disposable income. And you want it.”
“She’ll laugh at me.”
Marc sighs. “Fine. I want it.”
“...you do?”
Sort of. Also sort of not. But if it means Steven can indulge their Inner Child or whatever and get the weird souvenir merchandise from the Gift Shop, then he will say he does. “Yeah. And you can scare the bitch if you want to.”
“Ooooh.”
“Go on. Go mad.”
Steven doesn’t need telling twice. He moves around like a man on a mission, picking up the hippo (Taweret, Marc, you know her name stop pretending you don’t) in plushie form, a snowglobe with the Great Pyramid in (but it’s snowing), a mug which has the Rosetta Stone on and three different pencils.
Marc feels Steven hesitate over a necklace, and swallows a bit. “We can find her a nicer one somewhere else. You know?”
“Yeah. You’re probably right.”
“We’ll go one day next week. Before Date Night.”
“You know her better,” Steven concedes. Marc isn’t sure it’s right.
But he does have a power-mad supervisor to scare shitless. And that’ll make them both feel better. Just have to do it so they don’t end up on a watchlist again, because there’s only so many times you can apologise to Security.
***
Marc is exhausted when they finally call it a day, and he’s pleased with that. It’s the kind of exhaustion you get from Doing Things and Having Fun. And whilst no one else knows he’s spent the day with his - his - whatever you call Steven… they think he’s been wandering around and talking to himself. But in reality, he’s had a really nice time and enjoyed Steven’s company and knows several new ways to protect them both as well.
Steven is just beaming like a lunatic, and Marc doesn’t correct the expression when he’s in front. He just lets the contentment and satisfaction wash through them both, and maybe he gets to have a bit more fun than ‘normal’ people, at times. Maybe he can have a best friend who lives in his head, and actually exists. It’s… nice.
Back at the flat, they drop a quick message to Layla and find places for all the new things. Which is harder than it sounds, because the clutter is apparently ‘organised’ and Marc just lets that one slide for now.
They drop onto the couch, and he’s aware that Steven’s feeling… shy. Shy like he normally gets when he wants to say nice things to Layla.
“What?”
“I just really enjoyed today. That’s all.”
“Yeah. Well. You didn’t finish the Greek and Roman shit so we’ll have to go back. If you want to.”
“I do.” Steven grins even more. It’s making his cheeks ache. “And then I need to find out what we can do for your trip.”
“My… what?”
“It’s a bit far to get one of your ball games, but… we should do something you enjoy, too. Maybe get a few beers, or… we used to like cheesy movies.”
“You are not a ‘cheesy movie’, bud.” Marc feels oddly defensive about that point. Stupid Fake Doctor Harrow be damned.
“No. I’m a cult classic. But I really enjoyed today, so I want to do something you’d like, too.”
It would be a little embarrassing if Marc were to admit he had an awesome time too, but Steven does have a point. There’s more stuff they could do for fun. They could have fun. The concept is almost alien to him, having spent what feels like forever being busy on mission after mission after mission.
He has other interests, right?
“You… want to invite Layla?” Marc suggests, squirming slightly at the idea of being the focus of attention.
“Sometimes. But not always.”
Steven grabs the remote, and flicks through the options until he finds a really trashy movie they’d always, always loved. God, Marc had forgotten that one existed. Cheap CGI and wobbly sets and a whole lot of derring-do.
“I’ll let you come up with the plan, what do you think?”
“I think I’ll have a hell of a job making one better than today… but Challenge Accepted. Now I’m going to put some popcorn on, and we are going to watch the shit out of this.”
Marc smirks. “Butter popcorn?”
He’s teasing. “Wash your mouth out, Marc Spector. And not even because I’m a vegan.”
Marc pats the plushie hip-- Taweret and lets Steven stand them up. “Alright. But slower. You’re giving us indigestion.”
Steven laughs, and goes to the cupboard. It has been a nice day.
And they can have many, many more.