Steve

She had taken Clark’s advice to heart. For over a week Diana had made an identity for herself, bought a wardrobe, signed up for a job at the local museum, and practiced hundreds of times in front of the mirror and with her friends for what she was doing right now. Standing in front of the door of an apartment building, she checked herself over, tried to make sure her appearance was just right as she stared at the front door to HIS apartment.

Breathing in and exhaling slowly, she looked at the doorbell to the left of the door frame and pressed the button…

There were a few seconds where Diana was left with silence, but she could hear movement inside where someone had shifted their weight in the living room and made their way towards the door and turned at least three pad locks before opening the door. Breathing in sharply again, Diana watched as the door slowly swung open to reveal the man she had come to visit.

“Uhm… Hello? Can I help you?”

The sight of him broke her heart. He looked so… Tired. So, defeated. His eyes were half lidded and fatigued; his face bore a five o’clock shadow from not shaving for who knows how long. His hair was unkempt as he combed his fingers over his scalp and looked up at the woman standing sheepishly in front of him.

Repositioning her reader’s glasses over her nose, her hand went over to trace a lock of black hair back over her ear, smiling warmly at the man.

“Hello Steve, its me… Diana.”

A little perplexed by the introduction, Steve Trevor’s eyes opened more sharply to look up at the woman standing outside his front door. Gone were the armor and armaments, the tiara and manacles that shined with a gold and silver luster. Instead, a tall and beautiful woman stood in front of his door with her hands folded in front of her, wearing a pair of denim pants, a dark blue sweater and coat. A simple necklace hung from her neck along with gold star earrings, the reader’s glasses completing the humble attire as she stood before him.

“Diana? Angel? What are you doing here? Why are you dressed like that?”

“Can I come in?”

Blinking, the man nodded and stepped aside, letting the woman into his home as he slowly closed the door behind the two of them, watching as she took off her shoes with some difficulty, not used to the laces or heels. Both walked into the living room, where Diana found he was watching the news, showing the cruise ship rescue from days before. The coffee table had a few empty beer bottles that Steve quickly tried to remove to make his home look more presentable. Wiping the couch clean with his hand, she graciously took the seat as he sat at the opposite side of the couch.

Looking to the broadcast, Steve pointed at the footage of Diana leading a cruise ship back to port in Washington. “See you’ve been busy, would have loved to have been there.”

“How have you been Steve? Since the transfer?”

Shrugging, the man looked down at his hands, mincing his fingers together as the subject became a bit touchy.

“It’s been…” Looking over his right shoulder, he tried to find the right words. “After you had me transferred, I managed to get a job at the VA, no other agency would take me in after working with the Justice League. They thought I was too much publicity. Heh… Imagine that.”

“I’m so sorry Steve.”

Waving his hand to brush off the apology, Steve Trevor made a face as he got up to his feet and moved over to the refrigerator in the kitchen. “It’s not a big thing. I’m not sure it’ll stick; I’ve been looking at other prospects just in case. Would you like a drink?” He called out, plucking out two beer bottles from the refrigerator and returning to the couch. Accepting the drink, Diana looked down at the bottle and watched the lager fizzle behind the glass.

“So, what’s with the get up? I’ve never seen you dress like, well…”

“Like everyone else? I’ve been speaking with friends, GOOD friends, back at the League. They suggested I try to be someone other than the princess of the amazons.” Putting down the bottle and tugging at the sleeve of her sweater then bring her hands to her glasses, Diana smiled softly. “I… I like it, it has shown me a side of the city I never knew was there, not looking down at it from up high. I’ve put a resume in at the local museum. They’re looking for someone to be curator.”

“A curator? That’s… I’m happy for you Diana.” Looking down he took a swig from his beer. “I’m really happy for…”

Caught off guard, he felt a gentle pair of hands cup his face, pulling him to look up and stare into her eyes as she gave him a sad look. “It pains me to see you like this, Steve Trevor. I wanted to keep you safe, instead I became the cause of your pain.”

Frowning, Steve gently pulled her hands away from his face. “You pushed me away. It took me a while to understand why. But I do now. You outgrew me. You don’t need me, you never did.”

“Steve…”

“I mean, you stand shoulder to shoulder with people who can toss a cruise ship or can watch a sunrise across the other side of the planet just by running there. What do I have compared to that you’d want?”

“I requested your transfer back to the League, Steve.”

“What?” Steve leaned back, confused. “Why?”

“Because I DO need you, I always have. If not for you I would have never known the world you came from and all the wonders it offered, that YOU offered. I love you! I love your kindness, your courage, and your tenacity. You were always a gift to me, a gift I squandered out of fear of losing you. Please Steve Trevor, come back to me.”

For a whole minute, the man sat there, looking down at his hands being held in hers. Seeing the nicks and scars on his arms trying to protect her all those times.

“No.”

Breathing in sharply, Diana felt her heart break. Tears running down her eyes as she made to wipe them with the back of her hand.

“I… I am sorry I hurt you, Steve Trevor.” Getting up from her seat, she brushed down her sweater and turned to leave, heading to the hallway to put on her shoes and head out the door when she cried out, her feet catching on something that nearly made her fall over. But something caught her, someone catching her at the last second and pulling her back up. Getting up to her feet and still holding back tears, she found herself in Steve’s arms. Looking up, she found him looking worried, calming down now that she seemed unharmed.

“Steve?”

Exhaling slowly, Steve Trevor looked up into her ocean blue eyes looking back at him imploringly. He remembered the first time he looked into those eyes when he washed up on her home island. So full of wonder. Now? All he could see was the pain she was in.

“Are you alight?”

Nodding, she breathed in, still wiping a tear from her eye, and finding his thumb trace down her cheek to dry a tear. Staring into each other’s eyes, Diana took the initiative and pressed her lips against his. Shocked at first, Steve stood motionless, until his arms slowly wrapped around her waist, the two kissing at the door frame of his home, until he helped guide her back inside and closed the door behind them both. Still kissing in the hallway, Diana’s arms snaked behind his back, holding him close and swooning into his mouth as the kissing grew less **** and more intimate, passionate. Slowly making their way out of the hallway but still kissing, the two collapsed on top of the couch with her on top of him. Kicking off her shoes and fumbling with the buttons of his shirt.

The feel of his hands feeling up her back and reaching down to feel her thighs made her moan again into his mouth, sitting up to pull off the sweater and flick it across the living room as the man sat up, his hands guided to her bra clad breasts and coaxed to squeeze and feel her chest. Their lips caught each other again as they collapsed onto the couch again, rolling off with a yelp and laugh as they ended up on the floor.

A few hours later, the lights from the windows went out.

Sitting on a rooftop watching the entire scene play out, Boston Brand sat holding his head up by the palms of his hands, a smile on his face seeing the two get back together. He felt a presence sit next to him, with a warm purple glow, one that came with the scent of lavender in the air. Deadman didn’t need to look to his left to know who it was, especially when she rested a soft hand to his shoulder.

“Playing the role of matchmaker, I see. It suites you.” Commented the goddess Rama Kushna, sitting elegantly next to the ghost. “Though I will admit, you have taken many daring steps along the way, I do not approve of THAT.”

“My daring steps are why you like me.”

Steeling him a cold stare, the Hindu goddess raised her chin before revealing a small grin. “Indeed. Your plot involving the amazons seems to have come to fruition. I have seen their newly awakened generosity and empathy in full bloom, where once was cold indifference, now beats a caring heart.”

“I knew you’d see things my way… All it took was an eye opener and a chance to work on their inner beauty. That and a toddler helped too. By the way, the Thracy’s fishing boat, was that YOUR doing?”

Giving Boston a coy look, Rama Kushna remained silent.

Raising his hands defensively, Boston nodded back. “Right, right, never ask a god their plans’n all. But hey, it worked right?”

“But at what cost?” She almost accused. “So many dead; all from your attempt to give the amazons their conscience back.”

Lowering his head and shrugging, Boston looked back at the blue skinned woman. “I know it wasn’t perfect, but even YOU’z have to admit that somethin had to be done. If that broad would nearly kill a guy for sayin hello, imagine a thousand of them with the same mindset when they got back for the U.N. signin.”

“All the more reason I approved of your plan Boston Brand, but balance must be upheld, and perhaps you have had free reign for too long to serve my purposes…”

“Whatcha got in mind?”

Standing up to her feet and spreading her arms out wide, Boston witnessed a lavender glow that consumed all he saw… Then the two vanished.