MoonKnight One Shots/Preferences

Masterpiece

[Steven recently found out about Marc and what he does while Steven is "sleeping".  When he woke up in the evening, he found himself covered in blood, again.]
[Word Count: 1325]
***
"Steven!" I called out into the apartment as I walked in. "I'm back with dinner!" With my foot, I closed the door behind me, as my hands were full with the carry out bags. The aroma made my stomach growl in anticipation.

I placed the bags onto the kitchen table, then proceeded to take off my shoes, leaving them at the door.

"Hi Gus 2.0!" I greeted the goldfish, peering into his glass aquarium. "Where's Steven, huh?" I questioned the googly-eyed swimmer, who was completely oblivious to my presence.

With no apparent answer, I sighed, leaving him alone to go about his business. Steven wasn't in his bed, nor sitting in any of the multiple chairs within the apartment.

And then I heard it. The shower was still running from before I had left.

Oh, Steven...

I followed the sound of the falling water, opening the bathroom door. Sounds of sniffling came from behind the shower curtain and I could feel my heart break in two.

"It's just me, sweetheart." I informed him before sliding the curtain open slightly.

He was sitting in the bathtub with his knees brought up to his chest. His face was buried in his knees and his body racked with a painful sob. The water was falling directly onto his head, his hair drooping and flat under the heavy weight of the constant stream.

His hands were raw, as if he had been scrubbing them for hours and hours, most likely still seeing the horror of the remnants of Marc's night out (and part of the morning) just a few hours prior.

"My love..." I whimpered, my eyes brimming with pained and compassionate tears. Ignoring the water and not caring of the consequences, I reach into the shower to tenderly move his hair from his forehead.

He slowly glanced upward at me, pulling away from my touch. "Don't-don't look at me...I-I'm a...monster." He huffed with blotchy cheeks and swollen eyes.

"You're not a monster. You're my Steven, my gentle love, and the kindest spirit to exist..." I whispered, not wanting to alert him to the burning I felt in my heart for him. Seeing him cry felt as if my heart was being ripped from my chest.

He shuddered with another sob. "You sh-should leave, (Y/N). I don't want h-him to..."

"He will do nothing to me." I declared, using my fingers to raise his chin upwards. When his gaze met mine, I held his cheek, rubbing lightly with my thumb.

Steven nuzzled my palm, his shaking breaths calming significantly. He closed his eyes in peace.

I reached for the towel beside the tub, placing it in my lap, and then switched the shower off. Steven's eyes avoided my own and I now used both hands to rake his hair backwards, squeezing the excess water out into the tub.

"Let's get you out of there, come on." I encouraged, helping Steven stand and wrapping the towel around his waist, and tucking the corner in to stay. His face was extremely downcast, his face puffy from crying for so long.

I hurriedly got him some comfortable clothes and brought them back into the bathroom, assisting him into them.

Before guiding him into his shirt, I kissed his shoulders and across his chest. He gave no response, but I left him with a final, lasting kiss on the middle of his sternum. Then I placed the shirt onto his head.

His hands were like wrinkled prunes from him being in the shower for ages. I took his hand in mine and led him to his bed, pushing down on his shoulders to encourage him to sit.

He obeyed, sitting on the corner, his gaze in a trance. I walked to the bathroom and retrieved a comb, returning to find tears falling down his cheeks.

I knelt before him and cupped his cheek. I lightly kissed the trailing tears, feeling his fluttering eyelashes on my face. I stood once more, beginning to comb his knotted hair carefully and taking my time to untangle the mess from the water stream.

He hesitated, but leaned into my stomach, and gently held my waist, continuing to sniffle.

After I was confident that there was nothing left to comb, I ran my fingers through his still wet hair, directing it away from his face.

"Are you hungry, baby? I got your favorite..." I hummed, gesturing to the kitchen table where the carry out remained.

He shook his head and removed his hands from me.

"Are you sure? You must be starving?" I knelt once again to catch his gaze that was directed at nothing in particular. "What if I just got you a little-"

"No...I can't eat..." He mumbled, rubbing his irritated eyes. He was drained, exhausted, utterly emptied of strength.

"Okay..." I nodded, placing my hands on his knees. "Would you like to sleep?"

"No-No, I'm never going to sleep again because that bastard will-"

I hushed him, noticing how upset he was becoming. "No he won't, Steven." My hands sneaked to his that were cradling his face, and guided him to stand up. I ushered him to the bed where he sat down by his pillow.

Before I could make my way to the other side of the bed, Steven began to reach for the chain on the post next to the bed. He started to wrap it around his ankle.

"No, Steven...stop." I said, removing the chain from his leg.

"I have to, (Y/N). He's going to make me...kill again." He whimpered, his lip trembling.

"Steven." I directed, kissing his hands that I took in mine. Over each knuckle, each scar, every imperfection that I found to be the most beautiful pieces of a masterpiece sitting before me. "Let me be your anchor. Let me be the one to hold you close to me...please."

When I gazed back at him, he was already staring at me. "How can you...still love me?" He questioned, his head tilting in confusion.

"Nothing will ever change how I feel about you, Steven. I love you in your entirety. I love everything you hate about yourself, because all of those things make you who you are. And I love who you are. All of you." I inched forward until I could press my lips into his.

At first, he hesitated, but soon reciprocated, moving his lips against mine in synchronicity. His warm hand tenderly hovered over my cheek until he trusted himself to gently envelope it.

He broke the kiss first, catching his breath. "I love you too, my sweet." His meek voice had livened someone, and healthy color was returning to his cheeks.

"Good, now let's get you situated for a full night of rest." I first laid on my back, patting my chest in offering. He wasted no time in laying on top of me, situating himself between my legs that I entangled with his. He nuzzled into my neck, his soft breaths rolling across my chest.

"What...what if Marc wakes up?" Steven asked, stilling in fear.

"Marc..." I said, lifting his face to meet mine, "Is going to behave." This was mostly directed to the man I knew was listening. And the sudden relaxation of Steven releasing his full weight into me told me that Marc obeyed. "And you will sleep."

He hummed in acceptance, moving closer until his nose rested against my neck. He breathed deeply, grounding himself in peace.

Habitually, I began to run my hands through his hair, lightly twisting the still damp curls. "I love you, Steven..." I whispered to him.

He responded with a soft snore, and it was better than any answer I could have expected.