Here you are. Your one at minimum break from me doing horrible things to these characters. XD I hope you like!
"Are you sure I can't just sneak in like I did before?" Steve pouts at Eli as they walk up the driveway to his house.
"Come on, Steve. You wanted to know how to win them over, well, this is your chance!" Eli clenches his fists in anticipation, but his expression is tempered by due concern.
Steve rubs his arm. "I'm not so good at first impressions. I mean…you know me." He shrugs. That is explanation enough.
Eli frowns and sympathy rises in his eyes. "Just be the real you," he nudges Steve with his elbow. "As long as you act the way you do when it is just you and me then you'll make a great first impression." He smiles.
Steve finds it in him to smile back. If Eli believes in him then he owes it to his friend to believe at least a little bit in himself as well.
Eli opens the door and his parents are right there waiting. Because of course they are. He opens his mouth to properly introduce Steve, but he doesn't get the chance.
Steve steps forward and gives a small wave. "Sup, Mrs. P." His gaze flits between the two. "Uh…Mrs. P squared." He gives an awkward grin.
Eli face palms. He can not believe Steve just said that. "Still not what that means."
Laura covers her mouth with a hand to try and hide her giggles.
Angie shakes her head, a smile tugging at her lips nonetheless.
Steve's cheeks color lightly. Oh God that really came out of his mouth. Where's the redo button. There have to be about a million better things he could say.
Eli clears his throat. "So, uh, what's for dinner?"
"Your favorites." Laura motions toward the kitchen. "Your mother made it special since your friend was coming."
Eli looks to his mother and smiles with genuine appreciation.
Angie nods. "Come, let's sit and eat." She leads the way to the table, her gaze never leaving Steve. She won't soon forget the other day. There is both sympathy and fear in her heart. She wants to believe he will be better than what he grew up with, but she knows just as well that people in that kind of environment are prone to repeat the cycle and she absolutely won't have that with her son. So she'll just have to watch him carefully, decide whether she can truly trust him with Eli.
Steve takes tentative steps after the rest of them. He looks around as he moves, taking in just how grand everything is in comparison to his tiny home. From the brief glimpse of the living room he saw there was a massive flat screen on the wall, a gorgeous hand carved cabinet filled with beautiful breakable trinkets – more than a few he swears are Startrek themed – and a litter of game systems are grouped beneath the tv. Already Eli's living room is worth more than his entire house. Then there's the kitchen. It is absolutely immaculate, he'd almost say there is even a shine about it. All the appliances are the latest and greatest and it's just, so…much. "Your house is so nice," he says absently.
Angie smiles. "Thank you, dear." She hands him a plate. "Get as much as you like."
Steve is not shy about taking as much food as he wants. Only as he sits and takes a look at everyone else's plates does he feel a bit self-conscious. He nibbles on the chicken, not quite sure if shoveling mouthfuls is exactly polite. It was more than acceptable at home, encouraged even, but this is a vastly different place.
Laura leans an elbow on the table and rests her head in her palm. "So what are your interests, hon?"
Steve starts to attention. "Oh, uh…I like basketball, I guess." He shrugs. He started because he loved it, but the more time that passed the more he felt obligated to do it because of things his father said. He supposes he still likes it though.
"Do you play on the school team?"
Steve perks. "Yeah, starter player. I'm pretty good at it. I'm good at lots of physical stuff actually," he half laughs.
Angie's eyes light up and her gaze settles on Eli as a possibility comes to her. "So you're the one who got Eli's grade up in gym." She smirks at her son.
Eli ducks his head and his ears turn red.
Steve snickers at Eli's reaction. "Nah, I helped, but Eli did it through his own power and want to succeed. I just gave a little push."
Angie contemplates Steve. His modesty is intriguing. She expected him to be more of a bragger. To puff himself and his ego up at every possible chance.
Laura beams. "Either way, we owe you at least a little."
"It was a trade of sorts," Steve elaborates. "I helped him with gym, he helped me with school. Personally, I think he got it easier." He shoots Eli a meaningful look.
Eli sticks his tongue out. "Math is way easier. Less exhausting."
"Says you, brainiac."
Angie watches with barely concealed amusement as they go back and forth. It's clear this is a routine for them. They really have been around each other just as long as Eli was supposed to be grounded. "What about your plans after high school? Have a major in mind?"
"Mother." Eli scowls and puffs his lips out.
"What?" She crosses her arms. "It's a perfectly valid question."
Steve feels himself shrinking beneath the heavy question. "Eh, well…I don't really know." He pokes at the macaroni, pushing it around on his plate. "I only really think about the present." Getting by. Only recently has he experienced the pleasure of thinking about things a little beyond the immediate.
Angie stifles a grimace. Right. That makes sense. She searches for something else to say. The oven goes off and she finds the perfect question, "Do you like chocolate chip cookies?"
Steve's face lights up and he bounces a little in place. "Heck yeah! Your cookies are the best thing in the universe."
Eli lays a hand over his face. It's not like his mother hasn't figured it out by now, but Steve is doing nothing to keep at least some of it a secret.
Steve notices Eli's reaction and his eyes widen. "Uh, I mean, I would sure love to try one because I've never had yours before." He grins.
Eli shakes his head. "Nice save."
Laura smiles. "I thought more of my cookies were being eaten than usual. I guess that explains it." She giggles. "But I don't mind. I'm glad you enjoy my cooking." She stands and goes to fetch the cookies.
Angie eyes Eli with playfulness. "So that's where all the crumbs came from."
"Mother, if you do not stop I swear." Eli shakes his head.
Angie grins. "You know I love connecting dots. It's all in good fun." Now anyway. Just a few days ago she would have flipped out. But this boy, Steve, he is a pleasant surprise.
"Yeah, Eli," Steve flings an arm around Eli's shoulder. "Lighten up." He jostles Eli slightly.
Eli sighs and smiles despite himself. "Yeah, yeah."
Laura returns with the cookies and sets the plateful at the center of the table. "Take your pick," she speaks to Steve in particular.
"Don't mind it I do." Steve removes his arm from Eli and scoops up two, one for each hand. He pauses halfway through bringing the cookies to his mouth. "Uh…it's cool if I eat more than one, right?"
Laura laughs. "Certainly."
"Coolsies." He shovels them both into his mouth, his previous worry of politeness completely absent.
Eli smiles fondly at Steve as his friend's true nature really begin to shine through. While not prime and proper, it is so much better than watching him make bad math jokes or nibble at his food. He's just glad Steve can be so comfortable even when it isn't just the two of them. It gives him high hopes for the future, that one day he won't need to hide at school either.
I've gotten into a cutesy mood, so if it lasts you might end up getting quite a few simple, sweet updates. And if it's your cup of tea the odds are good that I'll do a few obviously romantic ones too. You can consider them a part of the continuity of the rest of these, again if you love the idea of them together, but if not you can just disregard them and only read the friendship ones. I'll always tell you at the beginning if the chapter is going to be romantic or not, just so you don't end up reading something you hate. So no complaining!
And Steve totally makes terrible math puns when he is nervous, sorry I don't make the rules that's just how it is. Please review!