Guys I Miss Loid Forger

the fruity four ✨

BENEDICT CUMBERBATCH as STEPHEN STRANGE DOCTOR STRANGE IN THE MULTIVERSE OF MADNESS (2022) | dir. Sam Raimi

Uncle Stephen 

Pairing: Stephen Strange x Reader

Request: The reader has a sister, and she has a child and asks if they can take care of her baby for two weeks, Stephen is not happy about it, but everything changes when after some time the child hugs Stephen and calls him "uncle"

Tags: Fluff, Fluff and more Fluff

Word count: 3k

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“It is only for ten days,” you bargained with Stephen, chasing him around the room as he tried his hardest to ignore you. “I am talking to you, Strange.” You finally raised your tone, standing before him and forcing him to put his book down and look at you. 

“The Sanctum is no place for a child,” his response was short and generical, giving no insight into his desire or lack thereof to be around a toddler. His eyes returned to his book as he stepped aside, continuing his meditative stroll through the room. You, however, did not see it like that, reading between the lines. 

“So, what will we do when we have children?” The question came out in a tone more serious than you wanted it to, causing the doctor to stop in his tracks and look back at you. 

“That is not something we need to concern ourselves with yet, is it?” His eyes scrutinised your face before moving again, continuing the relentless pacing. It was a delicate topic, that of children. You were somewhat on the same page. You wanted children eventually. The day, however, had somehow been frozen in time in Stephen’s mind, continuously seeing the eventually as long from now while you counted every passing year as a step closer. Then the engagement had come earlier this year, and the promise to share the rest of your lives together had been spoken into reality. Having children had suddenly become more of a desire in your mind, yet Stephen seemed to be unphased by the change. 

“She is smart and well-behaved, and I already told my sister she can stay with us, so you’ll deal with it.” You answered before walking out of the room, frustrated at his lack of interest in your niece. Stephen had met her only once before on her first birthday; your sister living far away meant you rarely saw them. She was thankfully moving back to New York but that also meant she needed to look for an apartment and deal with the moving. Hence her request for you to take care of the little girl in the meantime. You had agreed instantly, not thinking Stephen would have any problem with it, but he had refused straightaway and dismissed the topic every time you asked about it. 

…

The day of the little girl’s arrival came quicker than expected. Stephen had been gone for the last couple of days on a mission with Wong and Peter, meaning that you had met with your sister alone to pick her up. She had invited you to brunch, and you had discussed some of the wedding plans and any needs little Cecilia had. Cece was a lively ray of sunshine who was starting to put her first sentences together and loved horses. There was no way Stephen’s heart would not melt as soon as he saw her. 

Eventually, at the end of your brunch, your sister handed you Cece’s bag and gave her a goodbye kiss. The little girl waved goodbye as her mom reminded her that she would be staying with her aunt for a couple of days. You and Cece went on with your day, eventually finding your way back home to the Sanctum. Wong had helped you bring some things she would need to sleep into one of the many empty rooms of the enormous property, making it easy for you to set her up. 

After such an eventful day, she fell asleep, giving you a minute to go to the kitchen and make yourself some late lunch/dinner. As you finished preparing your sandwich, you heard the familiar sound of a portal opening behind you; turning around to meet your sweaty and dirty fiance with a smile. “Hello there, handsome,” you gave him a dashing smile as he moved towards you, his hands cupping your cheeks into a passionate kiss. 

You broke the kiss catching some air, and gave him a preoccupied smile. He was usually only this passionate when something dangerous had happened, and he was terrified of losing you. “Is everything okay? I-“ you tried to speak, but the sound of another portal distracted you. Through it, Peter and Wong came out also looking pretty rough. “Oh god, are you guys okay?” you asked, moving away from Stephen, who stood there exhausted. 

Wong gave you a comforting look, but you noticed a tension-filled silence in the room. “Peter, are you okay?” you asked as the boy looked down with a hurt expression. 

“Oh, he is excellent. He almost got himself killed and ruined our mission, but he is perfectly fine.” Stephen answered for him, forcing you to give the doctor a fulminating look. Peter looked regretful enough; bashing him now would not help. 

“That is enough, Stephen. I will make everyone dinner. Go shower.” You spoke to the three men in an authoritative voice. The spiderboy spent so much time in the Sanctum that he had clothes and an assigned room. Peter and Wong left swiftly, going into their rooms to wash up, but Stephen stayed there, knowing you would want to talk to him. As soon as you were alone again, you spoke, “You cannot talk to him that way. He is just a kid. He is trying his best.” 

“He almost got himself killed. He wants to help everyone, save everyone, but he does not see he will end up killing himself like this.” Stephen’s words were filled with frustration. He worried for Peter's safety; you knew that was the truth. He had decided to let him die once before. He could not make the same decision again. “I have watched him die, and he does not understand that. Someday I won’t be there by his side, and he will actually get himself killed.” 

Just as you thought, he was not mad at the boy for the way he behaved. He was just scared of losing him. It was hard to keep in mind all the time that Stephen had to live with the burden of knowledge. You wondered how many times he had seen you go and how he felt about it, but he never wanted to speak of it. “You are doing your best, and he is doing his best. It is all we can ask for,” you finally answered, inviting him to lay his head against yours and embracing him in a tight hug. “I love you, you know? We all do, and we are so grateful to you for protecting us, but you cannot always keep us safe, and that is okay.” Your left hand caressed his back, hoping to soothe him slightly. 

Suddenly the sound of the baby monitor interrupted your hug as Cece woke up, startled by your absence. “Oh, when did she get here?” The doctor stiffened in your arms, unhappy that you had gone through with your decision. 

“A couple of hours ago. Wanna help me check on her?” You asked, breaking the embrace and giving him a hopeful smile. 

“I am gonna go shower,” he spoke, tightening his lips and looking away from you. You sighed and walked away, still confused about his dismissiveness. The sounds from the baby monitor suddenly changed as the little girl was no longer alone. Confused, you checked the screen and saw Peter approaching her bed. 

“Hello there! Who are you? I am Peter,” the boy spoke, slowly walking towards the sleepy child. “Do you need food?” he asked, and Cece nodded emphatically back, sweetly raising her arms for the boy to pick her up. You watched, amused through the camera, as Stephen left the room, feeling your heart ache from the cuteness. 

…

Peter helped you keep Cece entertained in the kitchen as you made dinner. He told you all about what had happened, and you finally completely understood Stephen’s frustration. The boy had been incredibly reckless, but thankfully nothing bad came of it. Peter was extremely patient with the toddler, who was just around that phase where she asked questions about virtually anything. It was lovely to see them interact. You could not help but imagine how much of an amazing big brother he would have been. 

Eventually, Wong joined the three of you, instantly entertained by the little girl running around the kitchen table, singing some non-sensical song. Food was ready shortly after, but Stephen was nowhere to be found. You excused yourself quickly, asking Wong to watch the children so you could look for the grumpy doctor. 

You opened your bedroom door carefully, spying your fiance sitting on the bed with his head between his hands. You pressed your lips worriedly, unsure of what to say to make him feel better. “Babe, would you like me to bring you your food here?” You asked careful, understanding how tough these missions were for him. 

“Yes, please. That would be great.” He responded, lifting his eyes and giving you a thankful look. 

…

The rest of the afternoon went by quickly as Cece, Peter, and you played with some relics that Wong thought would be appropriate. Eventually, the boy left, and you put Cece to bed, exhausted after such an adventurous day. You checked that the monitor was working properly and went to bed yourself as Stephen was already lying in bed, deep asleep. 

…

You woke up startled, unsure why your alarm had not rung. The bed was empty, and the monitor of Cece’s room was turned off. You tried to turn it on, confused, looking around for your fiance in the bathroom and adjacent office. He was nowhere to be found, and the monitor was not turning on. You decided that looking for Cece was the best decision, scared she had been crying all morning, and you had not heard her. 

The sense of urgency in your steps slowly calmed as you heard Stephen’s voice whisper from Cece’s room. You stopped, hesitant to enter and curious to listen to what he said, “finally, Cece, we managed to get you to calm down. I don’t understand how your aunt understands you. It would help if you spoke more clearly.¨

You giggled at the comment, deciding to enter the room. Stephen seemed slightly startled as you knocked on the door’s wood to inform him of your arrival. “Hello there,” you smiled at him as he quickly backed away from the child. 

“She was not letting me sleep with her crying and complaining, and it looked like you needed some rest,” he scrambled an excuse, scared you could suspect he could enjoy spending time with a child.

You hummed in agreement, thankful for his help and aware that he would not admit to anything else anyway. “Do you mind looking after her for a little longer? I will make breakfast for the two of you.” You kissed him and waved at Cece, leaving the room before he could argue against it. 

…

The next couple of days were a back and forth between Cece chasing Stephen around every room while he tried his best to ignore her. He would still manage to wake up before you with the excuse that the toddler was whining and play with her, entertaining her with some magic and making her breakfast. 

Eventually, he gave up on ignoring her and started answering some of her redundant questions. Cece tried her best to speak clearly to him, but the communication problems were still there. She, for example, struggled to pronounce Stephen, which caused both parties a certain level of frustration. 

Eventually, Stephen was called out on a mission again. You kissed him goodbye, and Cece waved at him, saddened. Your fiance tried his best to hold onto his stoic facade as he barely acknowledged the little girl, whispering a quick “goodbye little Lilia, see you tomorrow” as soon as he was sure you could not hear. His heart broke seeing the sad expression of the little child as he left. 

…

Stephen’s mission took longer than expected, taking him the whole week to complete. You had been left alone with Cece to enjoy the blooming spring. Peter had not been allowed to tag along in this mission, so he joined you most afternoons for walks and to play with the girl. 

Cece seemed to miss Stephen almost as much as you did, so you took the chance to teach her how to say “uncle Stephen.” It would be a pleasant surprise even if he would not admit it. 

Sadly, the ten days went by quicker than expected, and Stephen had yet to return from his mission. You met up with your sister to tour the new apartment and give her the toddler back, promising Cece that uncle Stephen would come to visit her sooner than later. 

…

You were lying on your bed that afternoon, enjoying the newly found silence of the house. It had been a great experience to take care of your niece, and it had given you a ton of baby fever, but you could not help but sigh in relief at the peace. The sound of a portal opening in front of you forced you to sit up and smile, excited to see your fiance again. Stephen walked through the portal and towards you, giving you a soft kiss on the lips, instantly scanning the room for the baby monitor. 

“I dropped her off today. She missed you,” you answered the unspoke question. The doctor tried his best to control his expression, but the disappointment in his eyes could not be denied. You caressed his hand, inviting him to sit by your side on the bed, climbing on his lap to stare into his eyes. “You can admit that you enjoyed having her around, you know?” you kissed his nose, cupping his face with your hands, enjoying the long-awaited closeness. 

“I barely tolerated it.” He shook his head, closing his eyes and smiling, knowing his secret was out of the bag.

“Why can you not just admit that the Sanctum feels more like a home when a little babbling creature is chasing you around?” you laughed, dramatically laying your head on his shoulder and shaking it. 

“I don’t want to get attached,” he responded thoughtfully, forcing you to lift your head and look at him again. 

“She is just our niece, babe. She cannot break your heart,” you tried to lighten the mood, hoping he would smile, but he lowered his gaze instead. 

“I have enough people to worry about already, you, Peter, Wong. Every decision, everything I do or don’t, I am burdened with the fear that it may hurt you. I cannot get attached, or I will think of little Lilia too.” 

“Lilia?” You asked, amused at the funny nickname he had chosen. 

“She refuses to say my name right; I shall do the same.” Petty old man, playing games with a little child.

“You don’t need to worry about us, my love. We love you regardless. I don’t want to be a burden in your life,” you spoke softly.

“You are not a burden. I just at times wonder whether the universe would be worth saving if it meant losing you or the kid.” The honesty made his voice softer as the words left his lips like a whisper, ashamed of his admission. “That is also why I have been delaying the ‘children’ conversation. I think I could no longer protect the world once we have children. They would be the only thing that’d matter to me, just them, and our adopted son and you.” He chuckled slightly at his recognition, finally realising that Peter had already become your de facto child. You felt a weight lift from your shoulders as his words brought some explanation to his dismissive behaviour finally. 

“I understand…” you exhaled, trying to put your desire aside and understand the stress it would put him in. “I was going to see Cece tomorrow for breakfast if you’d like to join me.” You tried to change the topic. 

“I would love that,” he confirmed, giving you a crooked smile. You looked into his eyes and wondered how you would live without seeing a mini version of you and your lover walking around this Sanctum. You would never know whether they would get his beautiful eyes with that little brown spot on the right iris. 

…

You spent the rest of the night cuddling with the doctor, talking about his time away and discussing his excitement to see the little monster tomorrow. The morning after could not come quickly enough as you hoped Cece had not forgotten how to pronounce ‘uncle Stephen.’ In the morning, Stephen went out to buy some pastries to take with you, letting you know that Lilia was a massive fan of chocolate croissants. You shook your head at the information, wondering what other unhealthy foods he had been feeding her for breakfast. He reassured you that he had checked his old introduction to paediatrics book, and 26-month-olds were allowed to eat chocolate croissants. 

The two of you arrived at the building at around 11 a.m., ready to see your family. You knocked at the door and were received, disappointingly enough for Stephen, by your sister alone as Cece was still asleep. She had apparently struggled to get used to the new bed the night before. You started catching up as Stephen politely asked about your sister’s moving struggles. Eventually, the commotion of your conversation woke up the little girl, who began to ask for help from the crib. 

You exchanged a look with your sister, who offered Stephen to go pick her up. The doctor refused initially, joking nervously that she probably did not even remember him. Your sister thankfully insisted, and he got up eagerly, walking towards the indicated room. The little girl squealed with excitement as soon as she spotted the familiar face, “UNCLE SFEFEN.” 

The doctor could not help but chuckle happily, hugging and lifting the toddler who held on tightly to the hug. “Hello, little Cece.”

“Lilia,” she repeated, confused at why he was calling her Cece.

“Lilia it is,” he reassured her, re-entering the room with her and keeping her on his lap. 

“They seemed to have bonded,” your sister looked at you entertained, giving you a cheeky smile. 

“Seems like it,” you responded, giggling as you observed them interact. The four of you spent almost the entire day together, and by the end of it, both Cece and Stephen were absolutely exhausted, falling asleep on the couch as they watched some cartoon. You had never seen him so soft and sweet with someone that was not you. It was genuinely heartwarming. The comical way Stephen's head had dropped onto the couch's backrest as the little girl laid her head against his side forced you to think of what an amazing dad he would be.

You shook your fiance's shoulder once it was time to leave, waking him up. The goodbyes were prolonged as Stephen had to promise the little girl to come to visit her again. The doctor was equally as saddened by the separation, but finally, after forty-five minutes, you managed to thank your sister and head home. Once the door was closed, the doctor moved to your ear and whispered, “maybe we should start planning on that first baby.”

-------

Liv's Note

Thank you so much as always for reading my work! If you enjoyed it please please reblog it, it makes sure other people can enjoy it too ♥️

Please feel free to check out my masterlist for more Dr Strange stories and join the taglist to be notified when new stories are posted ♥️

Taglist:

@scandalous-chaos @vipentin @stinkytootsies @diksy1112 @inas-thing @freakyat3am @lucywrites02 @missfalcon @blondekel77 @vexedvalerie @rlupinx @saturdaynightzemo @thewinterpoet2 @stephensidekawa @sherlock-holland @markywithissues @evelynrosestuff @daisesnerd @aephereal @hootoyakawa @luvbcumbers @sherlux @dogboyben @notfaithxo @weepingdreamerpanda @bloodyxsaint @persephonehemingway @gumgum78 @elzabethann @jessyballet @sherlockwatsons @iwishihadabettername @srapalestina @happyiidiot @theyluvjadi3 @sea040561 @put-the-smut-in-the-bag-rn @turkisherlockian @sleutherclaw @Will0wfairy @sharp-cheekbones-locked @crushingonfreddie @aalexdaviess @mytearsric0chvt @yourmajesty13 @fuckthealarm @cottagecore-cat @heartangel1331

i feel like we don’t talk enough about how Dustin literally called el and mike’s relationship “bullshit” in s3. he said, verbatim, “it’s bullshit.”

yknow. like Nancy in the bathroom at the Halloween party. saying “it’s bullshit.” about her relationship with Steve.

Obsessed with this. It’s so true

Second favorite thing about stranger things is Nancy’s eye makeup getting progressively messier every episode. Favorite is will getting progressively gayer every season.

midnight take out !! ˚୨୧⋆｡

; summary - brian takes you out for a 12am food run—midnight t[m]ake out [ brian + reader ]

[ the most self indulgent, cliche movie type scene i think i’ve ever written ]

━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━

your phone dinged with a new text message.

it was currently 12am, and besides you and your boyfriend, you knew no one else who would stay up this late on a thursday night; so when you saw ‘brian <3’ on the notification, you weren’t surprised.

‘i’m outside’

that’s what the message read. your eyebrows furrowed as you peaked out your curtains—low and behold, your boyfriend’s dirty, black car sat at the curb of your house.

you were about to object, text him back to ask what he’s doing, why he’s there… but before you got the chance, another message popped on screen.

‘don’t ask questions. just come out’

you sighed, putting your phone in the pocket of your baggy jacket (definitely not one you stole from brian a few weeks ago), and walked out your room.

you didn’t have to worry about anyone waking up in your house, there was no one there besides your mom and she was a known heavy sleeper.

you stepped out of your front door, locking it behind you. brian seemed to notice you come out as he was now watching you walk towards his car. his car door slightly squeaked when it opened, you’ve told him so many times to fix that, him always saying ‘he’ll do it tomorrow’.

“hey.” he spoke, looking at you tuck a few locks of hair behind your ear. “hi… what’s going on?” you stared back at him.

brian’s black hair was messy, unbrushed, like always… though it seemed to look tame around his head, even if he never took care of it. a subtle smile played on his lips, which were glossed over from his tongue swiping over them. his signature black jacket was zipped up over a band t-shirt along with black, baggy pants with a keychain dangling from the pocket.

he shrugged, “fast food run?” his dorky smile growing more prominent at the question. “that’s why you called me out here?” you sighed. “come on, you know you missed me.”

“not even slightly.” you said, intertwining your fingers with his. he scoffed, putting the car in drive and taking off.

━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━

it wasn’t long before you made it to the main roads—various stores, gas stations, and restaurants passing you by.

brian’s free hand that you’ve been holding had dropped to your thigh, which you didn’t mind, your own hands had begun to get clammy.

you both hadn’t spoken in a few minutes, listening to the white noise of brian’s music taste as you focused on the scenery from your window. the song ended and a new one from his cd begun to play; your ears perked up at the song as you turned to brian.

“is this the song i suggested to you?” he peered at you for a split second, “yeah, i listen to a lot of the songs you show me.” his innocent comment made your heart skip a beat (in the most cliche way ever) and deep blush burned your cheeks.

“oh…uhm—i’m glad.” you sputtered, your brain trying to recover from it’s malfunction. brian laughed, squeezing your thigh, “such a dork.” if you weren’t so flustered, you would’ve teased back, but you let him have it this time. (you hoped he hadn’t noticed how red your face got)

“where do you want to eat?” you looked up at the restaurants ahead of you, weighing your options. “mmm… mcdonald’s?” he hummed, “you know, the mcdonald’s over on cayenne got robbed two nights ago—they’re saying it’s the third fast food place here to be robbed in the past few weeks.”

“i still want mcdonald’s.” brian laughed, making you smile. “we can get mcdonald’s, but, uh, maybe you should tune down that blush on your cheeks before we go in—don’t want them thinking you’re sick.” he smirked, tapping his cheek to gesture. oh, he was such an asshole… an asshole that annoyingly noticed.

you didn’t reply (was it really your choice to let him ‘win’?) as he pulled into the drive thru, “what do you want?” “chicken nuggets and fries.” he scoffed, “you order like a little kid.” you punched him, playfully, making him whine out ‘ow’, “you whine like a little kid.”

the worker talked through the loud speaker, interrupting your little dispute. brian ordered your food and drove up to the window, not before making a comment about how expensive you are.

when the food was done and dropped into your lap, brian parked the car in the mcdonald’s parking lot. “come on.” is all he said before he got out, taking your hand in his as he dragged you to the side of the road.

you sat at the edge of the sidewalk, feet against black pavement. brian was close to you, legs almost touching from the proximity. cars passed by, but the streets weren’t busy, surprisingly—you guessed most people were asleep for school and work; the californian city you both lived in wasn’t the biggest compared to others—though it wasn’t exactly small either.

“here you go.” brian handed you your food and you muttered a little ‘thanks’ in return.

eating was quiet for the most part, just keeping each other company; you would occasionally point something out and talk about it, so would he.

“stupid red fucking car.” you giggled, holding your hand over your mouth as you nonchalantly choked on your food. “who drives such an eyesore color?” his banter wasn’t especially serious, but from the times he talks about his hate for car colors being anything but black or grey, you wondered if there was a hint of truth behind it.

“assholes.” you mumbled, mouth full of fries. “exactly. you get me.” he smiled, putting an arm around you. it was hard to focus on eating when brian made you laugh the entire time (he loves the sound of it).

you reached down for the chocolate milkshake between you two, bringing it up to your lips. brian rolled his eyes, “what’s up with you stealing my food?” he took the shake out of your hands to take a drink. “sharing is caring.” is all you responded with, looking up at him.

“hm,” his milkshake was placed on the ground and his arm around your shoulders pulled you closer, pushing you up against him.

“then you don’t mind this?”

his hand reached for your chin, tilting it up as he leaned in, pressing his lips to yours. your heart raced, beating so hard you were scared he could feel it, even through the layers of clothing you both had on.

brian’s thumb grazed your bottom lip as he slightly pulled away, waiting for you to get the message (you did almost instantly). your mouth opened and he slipped his tongue past your teeth, gliding it over yours.

he engulfed you, every part of him, and you let him, you wouldn’t pull away for anything.

it was hard to breathe, you forgot you even needed oxygen for the moment, too focused on the rhythm brian had set for the kiss, too far gone, too entranced. your noses bumped together, almost like their own butterfly kisses. brian’s hand that was once around you, tangled in your hair, cold fingers touching your scalp.

your hands and arms were caged by his body, they grabbed onto where the zipper of his jacket didn’t meet. your whole body was hot: cheeks, neck, tips of your ears, especially so—even your knuckles burned a crimson hue; he was so cold compared to you, but you were sure the inside of him was just as warm as your outside.

brian pulled away, delicately, as if he didn’t want to anyway. the need for air came back to you and you were both panting near each other’s faces. the kiss left you dizzy, lips swollen, heart full. you gazed up into your boyfriend’s eyes, seeing he was already peering down at you. his thumb swiped across your cheeks, a small smirk tugging at his lips when he saw how red you’d become (as if he had room to talk).

“sharing is caring.” he whispered, smug. you giggled between your deep breaths.

“wanna go back home?” his voice was so soft at the moment, you’ve never heard it so gentle. your faces never inched apart, still comfortingly close, noses only left a small distance in between.

you shook your head, pecking his lips, “not yet.” he nodded and you buried your face in his shoulder. a chaste kiss pressed against the crown of your head as brian leaned on top of you.

“okay,” he breathed. “not yet.”

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and they were roommates

Some behind the scenes photos from Wednesday🫶🏻

MR STEVE HARRINGTON TAKING YOUR FIRST KISS WHEN YOU GO TAKE PHOTOBOOTH PICS IM MELTING

cutest idea EVER as soon as you sent it i was like omg

"How many photos are there?" you ask, squishing in against the wall as Steve slides onto the bench beside you. 

"Four."

"How are we gonna pose for four photos?" you ask. 

Steve closes the curtain and clicks on the screen with only a mild frustration when it proves finicky. "Uh, don't worry about it. I'm sure something will come to us." 

The first photo begins. A feminine voice counts down, 3, 2, 1, and Steve has wrapped his hand around your elbow out of frame, leaning into your shoulder. You're both smiling wide, heads inclined, foreheads kissing. 

"That's boring," Steve says after it's done. "We should go Bond for the next one." 

He's already turning, his back pressed to your shoulder. You copy him though you're not sure what he means, spines pressed together. You crane over your shoulder to ask, "Bond?" 

"You know, the spy? Double oh seven?" 

You shake your head and laugh, the two of you with your shoulders digging in and guns upheld. Steve looks at the screen all cool and charming and you've got no clue what to do, looking up at the ceiling of the booth. 

"Not like that! You look like a nun!" Steve says urgently, laughing. You whip your head forward, embarrassment like the heat of a flame licking over your skin. 

3, 2, 1. The shutter clicks. 

You scramble up, heart racing with no clue what pose to pull next. Steve throws up a peace sign as you giggle and place your hands under your face like a cherub angel. He approves. 

"Perfect," he says. 

The time counting down for this one feels longer. Steve's thigh to your thigh becomes a heating pad, his naked arm brushing yours an explosion of firecrackers under the skin. This close he smells like cedarwood and bergamot, an intoxicating, heady scent that you can't help but drift towards. He throws his arm around your shoulders in response and again your faces draw close. You imagine the warmth irradiating off of his cheek and onto your own.

3, 2, 1. The shutter clicks. You blink, affronted by the flash, the bright white eating at the centre of your vision. Steve's arm slides back but his hand stays on your shoulder, lithe fingers squeezing tight flesh. 

You can't help laughing with nerves and a lot of happiness, pleased to be here with him taking silly couple's photos with a thousand contiguities between you, breathing the same air, hidden away from everyone in the world but each other. 

You turn to Steve. He's alarmingly handsome this close, his warm, soft eyes and their fluttering lashes peering at you with an emotion you could describe but don't, too afraid to admit what it is to yourself in case you're terribly wrong. 

A smile plays on his pretty mouth. 

"What?" he asks, having watched your staring. 

Get ready! 

"You just look really handsome today. Every day," you say, turning away from him with a big photo ready smile. 

You can feel his gaze, hear his smile. "You think so?" His hand slides over the back of your neck, skirting around to hold it in a hot, firm grip. 

"I'm gonna kiss your cheek for this one," he says. "Okay?" 

"Okay," you say weakly, sounding as nervous as you feel. 

He leans in towards you, his face bringing with it a wave of goosebumps. They start at the base of your neck and sweep your entire body, shivering as his lips touch your cheek. He shifts in his seat to get close, really truly kissing you and you go a little blind, worse as the lady counts. 

3. Steve brings his other hand up, firm but kind to the side of your face. 

2. Your eyes close on instinct as he turns your head towards him. 

His lips press to yours. Chaste, smooth, you find yourself forced back a half inch at the connection, a flower of warmth blossoming from the center of your chest outwards, all over your body, your tummy becoming a melted pool of heat. Your hands grab for his elbows. You don't return the kiss so much as let yourself be kissed. 

The shutter clicks. A bright white flash. 

Steve pulls away like he doesn't want to. You take in a big breath and open your eyes, find him staring at you with worry lining his expression. 

"Sorry," he says. "I thought you-" 

You nod and lean forward again, clumsily pressing your lips to his for a second kiss. Your enthusiasm gives him a confidence he didn't quite have the first time, his hands greedy where they rove over your neck and shoulders. What was chaste becomes less so, his lips slightly parted over yours, kissing you with an aching ardency. 

Please exit the booth.

Steve breaks the kiss and drops his forehead against yours as you giggle breathlessly, sucking in keenly missed air. 

"Sorry for freezing up the first time," you say, sounding even to yourself like a giddy, dizzied mess. "No one's ever kissed me before." 

"That was your first kiss?" he murmurs, though his surprise peeks through. 

You shudder as his hand rubs over your upper arm roughly. "Yeah. My second, too." 

He kisses the corner of your mouth with a brilliant grin and pulls away from you. "And your third." 

Steve throws open the curtain and you follow him out of the booth, bumping shoulders in a rush to see the photos as he pulls them out of the drop box. He takes your elbow into his hand, an unnecessary, irreplaceable closeness as he turns to show you the photos. 

Standing with your heads angled down together, you brush your fingertips over the captured moment of your first kiss. Your surprise. Steve's clear affection. 

Your eyes move up. In every photo he's looking at you. Even the Bond one, a lopsided smile as he corrects your position. 

You try to take it from him and he won't allow it. 

"I'm keeping it," he says. 

"How's that fair? It's my first kiss. You've had loads of kisses." 

"Not with you." 

You try to glare at him and fail, especially when he gets a mischievous look about him and says, "We'll just have to do it again." 

You let him push you back into the photo booth with little protest.