Here's to Goodbye
Summary: They've accepted the past and the mistakes and the lingering love, and goodbye is the last thing left to say. Liam, Jinks, a little of the missing scenes from Runaway.
A/N: This fic is less about the sex than it is about the closure. That being said there's still some guy on guy loving, but more teasingly than graphically. Probably what we'd actually be allowed to see on the show if it was just a tad bit more daring.
It's Claudia's birthday and it's a given that he of all people has to be there, and there's nothing in heaven and earth that could pull him away. Still, Liam's offer of getting dinner together is too appealing to completely reject now that they've talked through the issues of their past and have found some sort of...acceptance. And in any case, it feels like a very long time since Steve's had a chance to talk to anyone outside of his Warehouse family, a long time since he's been able to have some semblance of a normal life, and Liam's company – well, he's always been good company to have.
And so it is that he tells Pete and Myka to go on ahead without him, makes them promise to assure Claudia that he will be there tonight, perhaps just a little late. Pete looks beyond thrilled. "Woohoo!" he says. "I knew it, you're gonna be with Liam, aren't you? What a stud you are," Pete grins, happily punching Steve's shoulder.
Steve looks helplessly to Myka for some sort of maturity and support, but even she is grinning far too knowingly, far too suggestively, and she even winks at him. Steve blushes and nearly melts into the ground in embarrassment, and it's with relief that he finally waves goodbye to them and their over-enthusiasm for his love life.
He turns back towards Liam who had been waiting for him. Liam offers him a smile that's shyer than usual, a little more nervous. It's nice to know he's not the only one feeling that way. "Come on, you're driving," Liam reminds him, and Steve returns the smile and pulls the keys out of his pocket.
All in all, dinner's a little too spontaneous to be particularly romantic. In fact, the restaurant they stop at is verging on fast food; Liam orders a burger, Steve gets the house salad, and they make short work of the meal. They talk of the usual things – Steve asks after Liam's family to learn that all is well and that his younger brother will be starting college in the fall, and Liam asks about work – not the secrets of the Warehouse, but just how long Steve's been out of the ATF and if he likes the job he has now.
Steve's just finishing his salad when Liam perks up suddenly. "Hey, you remember that time I dragged you to a Phillies game and you complained the whole time?"
"Ugh, that was the worst," Steve groans. "You knew I didn't like baseball in the first place, and that was the game that neither team scored until the seventh inning, and then that obnoxious guy behind us accidentally spilled beer on me!"
"That's one of my favorite memories," Liam grins, "a truly great night."
"Really? I thought you were pissed I complained so much."
"Nah. It was sweet that you went just because I wanted you to, and you've always been cute when you're flustered. Plus, if I remember right, we ended up celebrating the Phillies' victory pretty well."
Steve feels his face grow warm with embarrassment, but that is a nice memory, after all. "We did," he agrees. "What made you think of that?"
Liam smiles and points over Steve's shoulder, where a muted television is broadcasting the end of a baseball game. "The Phillies just won," he answers, eyes sparkling, and with the memory in Steve's head and the implication in Liam's voice, well, Steve's pretty much a goner from that moment on.
They ask for the check right after that, and the drive back to Liam's hotel is short but charged, and within three seconds of shutting his room door, they're kissing and stumbling to the bed, shirts abandoned in the process. In the back of his mind, Steve knows they probably shouldn't do this – he's never been one for casual sex without strings attached, but this is Liam. Liam who he loved and missed and thought of more than he cared to admit. Not to mention the fact that the way Liam's kissing him is making it damn near impossible to resist.
"I have," Steve manages between kisses, "a plane to catch, remember?"
Liam's voice is half growl, "Transfer to a later one," he says. "You'll still have plenty of time to get home tonight, right?"
Steve inhales sharply as Liam's hand ghosts its way down over the tight muscles of his stomach, and man is he glad he's kept up an active workout routine over the years, because Liam's certainly more buff than ever. "Yeah," Steve manages, "Yeah, I guess I can do that."
Liam smiles and kisses him again, deep and passionate, and there's very little talking after that – just the sounds of panting, skin against skin, the last of their clothes being tossed to the floor, and the easy familiarity of old love rekindled.
And after, once their skin has cooled and their breathing evens out and exhaustion takes the place of lust, Liam pulls him in against his chest, and Steve doesn't pull away. He's honestly never been big on cuddling, but this closeness with Liam feels natural and right. "I've missed you, Steve," he says with a sigh.
"I've missed you too," Steve admits.
"Are you sure you can't stay the night?"
"Mm, I'm sure. It's Claudia's birthday tonight," Steve replies, and as his own words register, he sits up quickly. "Yeah, damn, I have to go -" he says, and suddenly he's reaching for his clothes off the ground and quickly shrugging into them. Liam takes it as a sign to do the same.
"Claudia?" Liam questions as he swipes his own pants off the floor and pulls them up over his legs.
Steve recovers one of his shoes from under the bed. "Yeah, um, she's my usual partner. I'm paired with her more than Pete and Myka, actually, but I think Artie just wanted to keep her with him so there was no chance she'd spend her birthday away from home. She's turning 21," Steve grins, and it's easy for Liam to hear the affection in his tone.
Liam smiles. "Sounds like you've got your own little built-in family, huh?"
"Yeah, something like that."
They've made their way to the door now, and Steve's never been good at goodbye, but he supposes at least he's doing better than last time, so what's he got to lose? "Listen, Liam, I'm...I'm sorry about how we left it last time, me not saying goodbye -"
"It's okay," Liam interrupts, "It was complicated and difficult. For both of us. I get that a little better now."
"Yeah. But I just want you to know, I really am glad we got this chance to...to do it right, I guess."
"Right? You can say that again," Liam smirks.
Steve chuckles, and then turns sincere once again. "And uh, if you're ever in Nowheresville, South Dakota-"
"-Or chasing down another one of your magical mystery items," Liam adds, and Steve smiles.
"Yeah, or that," Steve agrees, and lets the sentence hang just a thread too long, and he realizes suddenly how badly words are failing him now. So instead of speaking, he pulls Liam into an unexpected hug. Liam's surprise lasts only a moment, and then he's hugging back, fingers clutching a little at the folds of Steve's shirt.
"Stay safe, Stevie."
"I'll try if you do."
The moment holds in tender silence and then breaks. Steve lets go and pulls himself out of the embrace, and the door's in front of him now. "Goodbye, Liam."
Liam opens the door for him, touches his shoulder just briefly. "Goodbye, Steve."
Steve steps out into the hall and Liam offers a nod and a halfhearted wave, and it feels like lingering love and closure all at once. It's confusing and strange and awkward and perfect, and Steve feels like he could stay forever if not for the familiar voices in his head, nagging him to come home.
To where he belongs.
It's with this in mind that Steve gives a short wave and smile back, and then turns away and walks down the hall towards the exit. He tries not to look back though he feels Liam's eyes following his progress. It's a few moments later that he finally hears Liam shut the door behind him, and the sound makes Steve think of a final chapter, the closing of a much-loved novel.
He breathes in deeply, lets the feeling fill him up. He's in a better place now than he was a few years ago when he left the last time, that much Steve's sure of. On the way to his car, he smiles to himself and thinks he better hurry up and get to the airport.
After all, Claudia's waiting for him, and he wouldn't miss her birthday for the world.