The Imagination Latibule: Moon Knight - The Rise of the Moon

Chapter 3

  "Don't know how many times I have to tell you this. You're not the bloody tour guide, Stevie." You glanced up from the desk, listening with a scowl as Donna unleashed her daily depreciative slander against Steven. He was your best friend, and any insult directed at him was something you took offense too on his behalf. You noticed him a couple minutes earlier, teaching a young girl about the process of mummification. Granted, she was probably a bit young to know the gruesome details of yanking brains out of someone's nose, especially with the slurping sound effects Steven added, but the passion and excitement that he had made him the perfect candidate for tour guide at the British Museum. That was your opinion anyway; Donna certainly didn't feel the same.

"Steven, actually. I am... Steven," Steven said defensively.

"No, you're bloody useless unless you're actually doing what you're paid to do, which is to sell these, to children," Donna said, slamming a basket of sugary treats on the desk. You flinched slightly and Steven caught your eye. You gave him a half smile of sympathy as Donna marched off and he stared after her angrily.

"Bitch," he muttered and your ears pricked – you'd never heard him swear.

"What?" you asked, and suddenly his expression changed, and he acted like he'd said nothing.

"What?" The two of you exchanged a confused glance and you chuckled. "Wish she wouldn't do that," he said. "Slam things. You don't like it." You raised an eyebrow.

"She berates you - puts you down every chance you get but making me jump, that's what takes the biscuit?" you commented. "I wish she'd give you a chance. You're too sweet for her shit."

"That too love. G' morning by the way. Sorry I'm late." He hopped behind the desk and started unpacking the sweets.

"Not a problem –" you eyed Donna, "- for me anyway. Stayed awake again?" You asked in concern, and he gave a half shrug.

"Tried to, otherwise I still wake up every morning feeling like a got hit by a bus."

"It'll pass, I'm sure," you said. "How's the lil' one-finned wonder?" You were referring to Gus; the only thing other than Egyptology that put a smile on his face these days.

"Gus's fuming. Mum sent a postcard, I put it up on his tank. Keeps asking why I don't take him anywhere nice," he chuckled and you laughed.

"Maybe one day, right?" you said, helping him scan the barcode of the sweets.

"He'd love to get out there, but it's a bit hard with one fin, innit." You nudged his arm with your elbow and he smiled at you. Few people ever gave Steven a chance; at first glance he was a shy, timid, nerdy man, ensconced in his own thoughts. But he was a passionate, kind soul; a rarity nowadays.

"Listen love, Donna's got me on inventory tonight, so I'll be late, but I wanna stay awake tonight. I know it's been two days but I - I gotta stay awake, so..." he trailed off.

"Say no more," you said. You knew having company made him feel safer. "I'll be at yours at say... 8pm?"

"Thanks love, I appreciate you – it. You."

***

You knocked on the door to Steven's apartment, a place you'd spent many a night in the month since you'd first stayed over. When you'd told your friends, they assumed it was a romantic thing, but if you'd ever slept in Steven's bed it was because he was awake enough to not need company and you'd taken a mid-watch nap. He was the old-fashioned kind of chivalrous, another thing you admired about him.

"Good evening 'Steven with a V'," you said, poking at his name tag that he hadn't taken off since work as he opened the door.

"Evenin' love," Steven answered, giving you a hug which he awkwardly initiated and then just as awkwardly shuffled out of. You'd gotten used to his awkwardness and thought it was endearing.