#ups?

Eating fast food every day sounds good at first. His parents normally don't allow him to eat pizza - we don't want you to become fat, Stephen, what would the people think? - but when he finally breaks the double digits and they deem him old enough to stay home alone, the freezer is filled with frozen pizza. "You know how to get takeout, right?" his mother asks, and then they are gone.

Steve doesn't mention that he needs to get on his tippy-toes to reach the tall table with the phone and nods. And then he is alone.

Tommy Hagan says that he loves it when his parents aren't home. His brother wants to be left alone, and so he is sent upstairs and can watch as much tv as he wants, even the horror movies he isn't allowed to yet. Sometimes, when his brother invites friends over, he can even sneak a bit of alcohol. He loudly proclaims that alcohol is cool and fun and awesome, but one time, when Steve and Tommy are alone, he whispers that beer actually tastes really bad and that it makes him sleepy and sometimes it gives him a tummy ache.

And at first Tommy is right. He can watch as much TV as he wants, even the scary movies his mom hates. (But at night, when he dreams of monsters and demons and blood, there is nobody there to reassure him that it isn't real). He can eat whatever he wants whenever he wants. (One night he puts all the pizza in the oven and plays a game against himself: eat as many slices as possible. The next day the teacher sends him home with a bellyache and as soon as he gets there he runs to the bathroom and throws up until there is nothing left. He can't even look at pizza after that without feeling nauseous)

After that disaster he changes over to takeout.

(The table with the phone is so incredibly tall and every time he reaches for it there is a split second when his heart stops and he is sure that the phone will fall on the floor and break in a hundred pieces and he won't be able to hear it when his parents finally decide to call (they haven't had time yet, his father is a very busy man) and they will find out and they will hate him forever. But he always manages to catch it, so it is fine.)

Hawkins is a small town and Steve's options are limited. His parents left him three pamphlets from different restaurants he can call. The first is Italian. (Steve remembers heaving on the toilet and throws that one away). The second is a Diner. His stomach is already growling and reading has never come easy to him, so he calls without even looking at the third one.

By the time his parents return, he knows the number of the diner by heart and is already on first-name basis with most of the staff. His favorite is Daisy, she always asks him how he is doing and sometimes she sneaks in sweets he didn't order.

It is a relief when his mother starts cooking again. He never really appreciated her craft until he had to go without. He has vague memories of refusing to eat his vegetables when he was small, but the feeling of eating something not greasy is so good he even takes seconds. His parents smile and he feels his heart fluttering in his chest. "See, he is already growing up", his father says, and Steve beams.

He wants to help in the kitchen, but his parents don't allow it. ("Only women belong in the kitchen", his father thunders. "You're just making a mess! For gods sake Steven, leave me alone! Aren't you too old to keep running after your mummy?!", his mother complains.)

Steve isn't sure when exactly he decided that he didn't care. Maybe it was when he went to Carol's house and realized how empty his fridge is in comparison to hers. Maybe it was when he started exchanging his readymade supermarket sweets for other people's lunches at school, so he could eat at least something that wasn't prepackaged while his parents weren't in the house. Maybe it was when Daisy suddenly stopped going on the phone when he called the diner and the new worker (he doesn't know her name) got really annoyed with him when he wanted to talk about his day. (He is scared that he is the reason the she is gone, that all the secret sweets and fries she would add to his order got her fired. But he doesn't know how to contact her, or even her last name, so he can never find out for sure)

All he knows is one day he looks at the kitchen ("men don't belong in the kitchen" "I have everything organized Stephen, don't you dare enter the kitchen just because you want to play around") and knows he can't do frozen or canned meals anymore. Thinks "frick it, it's not like they are here anyway". Then he remembers that if no one can stop him from going into the kitchen, no one can stop him from cursing either, and spends the next ten minutes screaming "FUCK"

Steve goes to the living room and searches the huge bookshelf with narrowed eyes. (He once asked his father why they had so many books if neither he nor his parents like to read. He answered that he should stop asking stupid questions.) He chooses to see it as a good sign when he finds a cook book in the lowest shelf. The bookshelf is even taller than the telephone table, and if it was in the highest shelf he wouldn't be able to reach it even if he stood on a chair.

People stare. A tiny boy dragging around a huge book and an even bigger bag. (He'd never gone to the supermarket before. When his parents leave they always leave him with enough food to last until their return, and when they are home food always seems to magically appear in the kitchen - or he assumes it is in the kitchen, he isn't allowed in there when mother is home. He thought grown-ups just magically knew what they needed to buy, but he took one look at the ingredients list and knew he would never be able to remember everything. When he sees a woman taking a shopping list out of her bag, his tiny mind is blown.) When he can't reach a shelf he stretches and glares until an adult notices and takes pity on him. They offer to help him with the book or with the bag but he refuses. Father says he already is a big boy, and big boys don't need help. It doesn't count when people just do it without asking. He would've been able to reach the flour all by himself if no one had interrupted him. Probably.

His first attempts in the kitchen are disastrous to say the least, and his respect for his mother only grows. He learns what fancy words like "dredging" or "marinate" mean and that you need to preheat the oven before you use it. One time his neighbors even called the firefighters. He was terrified when he heard the sirens nearing his house - was sure that his parents found out what he was doing, that he would go to prison and never walk free again. He didn't mention that part when he told Tommy and Carol about it later. And if he exaggerated the fire a bit, nobody needs to know.

(The firefighter asked where his parents were. He said they were on a business trip. Another one asked when they would be back. He answered in a week. The first said he should call his parents, and Steve explained that they didn't like to be bothered. The second one frowned, and Steve asked if he was in trouble but he assured him that he wasn't. The first one said he should call them anyway, that they would want to know this, and so he did.

His father answers the third time he calls. He sounds annoyed - Steve can see his angry frown in his mind - and he quickly explains that he didn't want to call him, he promises, but the firefighter said he should.

"What happened?", his father asks, still annoyed.

And Steve hesitates. His teacher says that lying is wrong, but when he was honest and told his mother he wishes they were home more often she said that he should stop being so selfish, that it's not a good look, that it's ugly. His father never told him that lying is wrong, so he doesn't say that he accidentally charred another chicken (the book said that if it is even a little bit raw it can make you sick and being sick isn't fun when you don't have anyone to take care of you) and forgot to turn off the oven. He knows his parents don't want him in the kitchen. They will probably feel like they should come home early, and of course they won't because father's work is important, but they will feel bad while they are gone and Steve doesn't want his parents to feel bad. So he starts talking about his day, hoping to be able to come up with something by the time he gets to the part where the fire happens. Luckily his father doesn't have time to listen to his ramblings and hangs up before that.)

The next day Steve goes to the supermarket (this time with a list, like a real grown-up) and tries again (this time taking extra care to turn off the oven). He still messes up but it's okay, he's got a lot of time to learn.

Months pass and he finally feels confident enough to cook something for his parents. He prepares everything before they arrive so they can't stop him from going into the kitchen. They don't say anything, but they also don't complain so Steve sees it as a win.

(their next business trip is the first time they delay their return. "I'm so sorry Stephen, but you understand that this is very important, right?", his mother says on the phone. "I know you can take good care of yourself, the dinner you made for us was so good! I promise we will try to return as soon as possible, okay?" Steve nods, and remembers too late that she can't see him. It doesn't matter anyway, she already hang up)

--

After everything is over and they are somehow still alive, Joyce invites everyone over to a We All Survived An Attack By Monsters From Another Dimension/Will Byers Is Back/The Weird Supergirl Needs Friends/Isn't The Sheer Amount Of NDAs We Needed To Sign Literally Insane - Dinner. Steve feels a bit like an outsider - which is ridiculous since his literal girlfriend is also a part of this weird little group (or at least he hopes she still considers him her significant other). But he has nothing better to do and he doesn't want to worry Nancy, so he compromises with himself that he will bring food as a sort of apology.

(he isn't sure what he is apologizing for)

He arrives early to help set up the table, and Joyce places his dish right in the center.

The first one to taste it is Hopper. He takes a piece of the Lasagna and Steve stops breathing as he chews. Hopper's eyes widen. He makes a sound that would not be out of place in a bedroom. The kids stare at him in varying degrees of disgust.

"Holy fuck Joyce, I think I just had an orgasm. I would literally sell my fucking kidney for this lasagna."

The kids look as if Hopper had stripped down and started pole dancing on the table. Steve can't help the small smile forcing itself on his face.

"Oh no", Joyce says, "it's Steve who brought the lasagna". Steve grows red. The entire rest of the table stares at him as if he was the one who can move things with his fucking mind and okay maybe he isn't over everything like he thought he was. At least supergirl also seems to enjoy his lasagna ("holy fuck, orgasm", she says when she tastes it. "Watch your fucking language, kid", Hopper answers)

--

He doesn't know how they found out about his birthday, but when he opens his door there is a gaggle of kids with a box in their hands and stars in their eyes. Steve accepts the present and has to laugh. He doesn't take his new "I survived a Demogorgon and all I got was this apron" off for the whole day.

Chapters: 9/? Fandom: Final Fantasy XV Rating: Teen And Up Audiences Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply Relationships: Cor Leonis & Nyx Ulric, Crowe Altius & Libertus Ostium & Nyx Ulric Characters: Nyx Ulric, Cor Leonis, Libertus Ostium, Crowe Altius, The Kingsglaive (Final Fantasy XV) Additional Tags: Alternate Universe, Fae AU, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, selkie!Nyx, shape-shifter!Cor, Galahdian Culture (Final Fantasy XV), Galahd (Final Fantasy XV), Cultural Differences, Worldbuilding, headcanons, I Blame Tumblr, Fihrie are the Fae of Galahd, Me messing around with fantasy languages, Other Additional Tags to Be Added Series: Part 1 of Fae AU Summary:

the music that i keep listening to: (theyre like my second most listened artist atm)

When Loki’s past was brought up by Thor the trickster feared you would think of them differently and your friendship would end. You notice the change in his behaviour and try your best to show Loki that mistakes he made in the past don't define who they are

GONE FISHIN’.

well, not quite. 

hi i didnt disappear i swear! but i probably won’t be active for a month or so because im house hunting and job searching (i hate being an adult someone make it stop) and it’s taking up more time (and energy) than i originally thought.

i still want to continue my island living gameplay and my legacy at some point, it just won’t be as soon as i hoped. i’ll still be here though! i just won’t be posting because going in game and taking screenshots + editing takes some time