Chapter 5: Dinner at the Parker's

Today was a big day for Steven.

He'd made Marc swear not to interrupt and then spend the whole day preparing, agonizing over what to wear, buying flowers and chocolates and practicing what to say. Marc had grown so annoyed he just retreated to somewhere deep into their mind at some point.

Today Steven would go to dinner at the Parker's.

It was Steven's third date with May and arguably the most important one (according to him). After all he would now get to know her nephew. It was a sign of trust and a willingness to maybe start something long-term that May would invite him to her home and Steven was desperate to make a good impression.

You weren't terribly interested in Steven's love-life. After their coffee meeting and a trip to the cinema had gone well, Steven had lost most of his awkward stammer. It was less amusing to watch him now and you were no longer as concerned about his little heart getting crushed. Therefore, whenever Steven had the body these days, you mostly retreated to your hammock. You'd taken inspiration from one of Steven's old habits back when he was trying to stay awake as long as possible and gotten yourself a puzzle cube. They weren't as easy to solve as they looked! Now and then you still glanced at the monitors, listening with one ear to the conversation.

The flowers and chocolates had apparently gone over well and Steven and Peter had sat down at their kitchen table while May was busy in the kitchen. Peter, a lanky teenager with brown hair and perceptive blue eyes, was across from Steven, awkward and clearly uncomfortable with the whole situation. A 17 year old watching his aunt, who'd raised him like a son, date some new guy—yeah, you got why Peter would feel weird about it. Steven was trying to make conversation with the boy, trying to get him to like him.

"So, Peter," Steven started, smiling that awkward but sincere smile of his, "your aunt tells me you're a bit of a science whiz, yeah?"

Peter shifted uncomfortably, staring down at his plate. Tension rose at the table as Steven waited for an answer, his heart beating just a little faster.

"Uh, yeah," Peter mumbled, barely looking up. "I like science."

Steven chuckled, trying to keep the mood light. "That's brilliant! I, uh, was never much for science myself. More of a history geek, me. Ancient Greece, the Roman Empire, Egypt and all that, fascinating stuff."

Peter's response was a grunt, not even a word. You couldn't help but feel the awkwardness radiating through Steven.

You focused back on your puzzle cube, rolling your eyes. This isn't going well, you thought. Steven was too nice, too eager to please. He always wanted everyone to like him, and when they didn't, it ate him up inside. You watched him fumble, trying to steer the conversation, his nerves building.

May walked in then, saving him from further embarrassment. She placed a pot of stew on the table, the rich smell of beef wafting through the air. Well, that was awkward. He didn't even have to speak for you to know what was going through his head.

"You forgot to tell her, didn't you?" you whispered, smirking. Steven had this thing about not wanting to cause a fuss, and now he was stuck, staring down at a dish he didn't want to eat because he was too polite to mention that he was vegan.

May sat down beside Steven, smiling warmly. "Hope you're hungry," she said, ladling out generous portions of stew for everyone. "It's an old family recipe."

"Oh, always," Steven replied with a smile, though you saw the strain in his expression. He picked up his fork, hesitating for only a split second before taking a bite. His stomach would be twisting in discomfort, but he masked it well. He didn't want to disappoint May.

The conversation started with light topics as they ate, the awkwardness between Peter and Steven lingering like a heavy fog. Peter, for the most part, kept to himself, answering in short phrases, barely engaging. Steven asked polite questions, trying to get the kid to open up. Peter talked some about his school work and his friends Ned and MJ.

At least May was steering the conversation when Steven's efforts fell flat. At one point though, she brought up the Snap, which made you and Steven both shift uncomfortably.

"Yeah, I… I was actually gone a while because of that too", Steven said and laughed nervously. "It didn't have that much of an effect though. I wasn't really close to anyone at the time so I just picked up right where I left off."

"Was there nobody that missed you? Friends? Family?" Peter asked with a scowl.

"Uh…" Steven made. "Not real close with my family, to be honest. And I moved a lot as a child so it was hard to keep friendships."

"What did you do before you started working in that bookshop?" May asked.

Steven stared at her for a moment, scrambling for an answer.

"Ah, I was, err. Military", he said at last. "Marines. Didn't much like it though. Did some freelance work after. Liked that even less. I had a job working in a museum a while back and that was great. But then, you know. Death happened. Lost that too."

That was one way to put it. And a clever way to twist the truth too, seeing as Steven had lost the museum job because of his Ammit-related death, not his Snap-related death.

"Peter and I both left and returned together," May said softly, stirring her stew absentmindedly. "I don't know what we would've done if it had been only one of us. I already lost a husband once. My Ben, may he rest in peace, died from a heart attack a few years before the Snap. I couldn't bear to loose another family member. Sometimes I still wake up thinking it was all a bad dream. But then I look outside and five years have passed. It's strange. To just… miss such a chunk of life."

"I know what that feels like…" Steven muttered, staring at his food.

When dinner ended, Peter made his escape under the guise of working on some school project. The kid clearly didn't want to stick around. You weren't surprised.

After he left, May turned to Steven with a teasing smile. "You didn't really like the stew, did you?"

Steven blinked, startled. "No, no, it was lovely!" he stammered, though you knew that was bullshit.

"Steven," May said, her smile softening, "it's okay. I noticed."

Steven let out a small sigh, running a hand through his hair. "I'm sorry. It's not the stew, really. I'm, uh, I'm vegan. I should've mentioned it earlier, but I didn't want to be rude."

May laughed, the sound light and unbothered. "Vegan? Why didn't you say something? I would've cooked something else!"

"I… Really, I just forgot to mention it", Steven admitted, his cheeks flushing slightly.

"Can I ask why you're vegan?" May wanted to know.

"Uh, just for ethical reasons, you know? The treatment of animals, the working conditions in the industry…"

May waved a hand dismissively. "I don't mind. Next time, I'll make sure to cook something vegan for you. It just surprised me, is all. I wouldn't have expected an ex-marine to be vegan."

"I… was another person back then", Steven said quietly.

"Well I like the person you are now", May said and winked at him.

Steven's tension eased, a small smile forming on his lips. He was grateful, relieved even, that she didn't seem to think him weird. The mention of a next time probably helped too.

"I hope the evening wasn't too awkward for Peter", he said.

"Oh, he'll have to get used to it", May decided. "I did grieve for my husband for a long time and I didn't really have time to think about dating when raising a child. But Peter's almost an adult now. I want to move on. – Oh no, leave that to me", she said when Steven started to help her gather the dirty dishes.

"Oh, I don't mind", Steven made but she waved him away.

"That's sweet but I am a bit particular about my kitchen. You know what, why don't you check on Peter if you're concerned? Maybe it's easier if I'm not around?"

"Oh, uhm, okay. Sounds good", Steven made and turned away, walking up the stairs.

He hesitated outside Peter's bedroom door, unsure if this was a good idea. The kid had been tense and uncomfortable all night, clearly not thrilled about his aunt dating someone new. Steven wanted to make things right, ease the awkwardness. He knocked gently before opening the door just enough to peek inside.

"Hey, Peter? Mind if I come in for a sec?" Steven asked, trying his best to sound casual.

Peter was hunched over on his bed, focused on a PlayStation controller in his hands, eyes glued to the screen as his character shot enemies and dodged explosions in some fast-paced action game. You perked up, but had to sneer a bit when you saw the terrible graphic of the 3D models.

Peter didn't look up when Steven entered but gave a non-committal shrug.

"Sure, whatever," he mumbled, barely acknowledging him.

Steven stepped in, feeling the tension in the room thick as fog. He leaned against the doorframe, watching Peter play for a moment, trying to find the right words. He cleared his throat. "I, uh, just wanted to check in. Make sure you're alright with me… you know, dating your Aunt May."

Peter's thumbs clicked rapidly on the controller, his eyes still fixed on the screen. "I'm fine," he said flatly, his tone making it clear he wasn't interested in the conversation.

Steven shifted awkwardly, not sure how to proceed. He wasn't used to dealing with teenagers, especially ones who clearly didn't want to talk. But he couldn't just leave it at that. He needed to at least try to smooth things over.

"Look, I know it's probably weird. I just want you to know I care about her, and I'd never want to make things awkward for you," Steven said, his voice soft, trying to sound sincere. "I'm not trying to replace what you've lost."

Peter let out a small, almost inaudible sigh, still playing his game. "Yeah, it's not that. It's just… something's off about you," Peter said, glancing at Steven for the first time since he entered. "I can't put my finger on it, but I've got this… feeling. Like you were lying about something back at dinner."

Steven froze for a moment. His hands started to fidget as he wondered what Peter had sensed. He knew Peter was smart, maybe too smart. He had to tread carefully.

"Lying?" Steven echoed, doing his best to appear calm. "I never lied about anything."

Peter paused the game and set the controller down, turning to face Steven with narrowed eyes. "Yeah, but I don't know. There's something… off. Like, why would a British guy like you move to the States just to work in a bookstore?"

Steven swallowed hard, his mind racing to come up with a believable answer. You smiled a bit pityingly. He couldn't exactly tell Peter the truth—that he'd had to flee from the police back in London because said police was infiltrated by a crazy cult that his alter ego had fought in the name of an Egyptian deity. No, that wouldn't do.

After a few awkward moments of silence, Steven finally stammered out, "Uh, well, there was… a bit of trouble back in London, actually. A crazy cult tried to recruit me, and when I said no, they, uh, didn't exactly take it well. Kept stalking me, harassing me. So I figured it'd be safer to come back to the States. I was born here originally, anyway."

You blinked, surprised. Steven actually had told the truth? Yet in a way that still didn't reveal what really happened. You weren't sure that was a very smart move on his part as it opened up more questions than it answered.

Sure enough, Peter's eyes narrowed even further. "A cult? That's… kinda specific. And weird."

Steven nodded, trying to act casual but feeling more nervous by the second. "Yeah, you know, London's full of eccentric people. A few of 'em were a bit too fixated on me."

Peter didn't look convinced. He leaned back on his chair, arms crossed, studying Steven closely. "That doesn't really add up. If they were just some crazy cult, wouldn't the cops have handled it? Why'd you have to leave an entire country?"

Steven was starting to sweat. He didn't know how to dig himself out of this one. Peter's questions were sharp, too sharp, and every answer seemed to only make things worse.

"Well, you see, the, uh, the authorities weren't exactly helpful," Steven stammered, rubbing the back of his neck. "They didn't take the situation seriously, and I… just figured it was better to make a fresh start, y'know? Less hassle."

Peter stared at him for a long moment, his eyes suspicious. "You're not telling me everything."

Steven could feel the walls closing in. He wasn't good at lying, not like you or even Marc. And he definitely wasn't good at deflecting under pressure. In the past, pushing Steven up front had occasionally been a great way to distract people from whatever trouble Marc had maneuvered them into. But that had relied entirely on Steven's cluelessness. He'd never needed to learn how to lie. It was his honesty that was the lie.

As Steven fumbled for another answer, you sighed and got up from your hammock. This was spiralling out of control, and you could practically feel Peter's suspicion deepening with every awkward sentence Steven uttered. You couldn't let this go any further. Not if you wanted to keep things from getting messy with Peter and May.

You adjusted your VR glasses on your nose and hit the button on the frame. Steven didn't even see it coming. His consciousness faded into the background, and suddenly, you were in control of the body. You blinked a few times, rolling your shoulders as the sensation settled in. Time to put on a show.

Peter, meanwhile, was still staring at you, suspicion carved into his young face. You relaxed your stance back to something casual, giving him a small, almost sheepish grin.

"Look, I know it all sounds stupid. Maybe I didn't explain it right" you said, using Steven's voice but with your own confidence behind it. "I was living in a rough part of London before all this, and there was this community group, right? They were all about rehabilitating criminals, using religion to help 'em out. It sounded like a good idea at first—actually was, for a while. Made the streets feel safer, you know? But things took a turn. They started pushing out anyone who wouldn't join their faith, demanding more from people than they had any right to." Peter listened closely now, his initial skepticism melting away, replaced by genuine interest.

"One night, I'm walking home, and some of these cult folks decide to jump me," you continued, leaning forward slightly. "I go to the police, thinking I'd get some help, but turns out the cult had their people in the force too. It was a nightmare. Then the Snap happened, and… well, when I came back, it felt like a fresh start was in order. Jobs everywhere, people rebuilding, so I decided to reconnect to my roots. Came back to the States. Seemed like a good idea."

Peter nodded slowly, the story making more sense to him now. "So that's why you moved here," he said, his tone softening. "I guess that… explains it."

You flashed him a brief smile, feeling the tension ease. "Yeah. Not as dramatic as it might seem. And, honestly, Peter, I really am interested in your aunt. She's an incredible woman. But listen—if you're not okay with it, I'll step back. I don't want to make anything harder for you."

Peter stared at you for a moment, the suspicion in his eyes now replaced with a kind of wary acceptance. He shook his head. "No, it's… it's fine. I was just… I guess I'm just as protective of her as she's of me."

"I swear, I'd never hurt her", you said, imitating Steven's honest face as best as you could. "Not intentionally, anyway."

An awkward silence settles over you. Your eyes flickered to the paused game on Peter's play-station, the sight oddly distracting.

Peter looked between you and the screen. Then, a thought seemed to strike him, and he glanced up at you again, his tone slightly awkward. "You… uh, ever played this?" he asked, motioning to the game.

You grinned, heart beating faster. Playing a game would be a wonderful way for Steven to bond with Peter, wouldn't it? "Oh, mate. You'd be surprised. How 'bout we give it a go, eh?"

Peter seemed genuinely surprised by your acceptance, but after a beat, he handed you the second controller, a spark of curiosity in his eyes. You took it and settled down beside him on the bed. The game roared back to life, explosions and gunfire filling the room as you jumped into the action. It didn't take long for a little rivalry to spark. You were good—really good—and Peter wasn't one to back down from a challenge. The two of you went back and forth, each level more competitive than the last.

Peter glanced over at you occasionally, his previous wariness almost completely gone, now replaced by the excitement of the game. And honestly? You were having a blast too. For the first time in ages, you felt like you were just… living. No pressure, no high stakes—just a normal moment, playing a game with someone who wasn't decades older than you for a change.

You lost track of time completely, laughing and bantering with Peter until a voice echoed from downstairs. "Steven! Peter! You two good up there?"

You flinched, glancing toward the door. "Blimey," you muttered, suddenly remembering that you couldn't afford to steal too much time from Steven without him noticing.

Quickly, you stood up and shot Peter a smile. "Let's pick this up later, yeah?" you said, standing and giving him a playful nudge. "Don't think I'll let you win next time."

Peter rolled his eyes but smirked. "Yeah, we'll see about that."

With that, you closed your eyes for a moment, focusing inward. You felt yourself slip into the background again as Steven took over, blinking as he adjusted to being in the body again.

"Steven? Peter?" May called from downstairs again.

Peter had turned his attention back to the play-station, ignoring Steven, who shot him one more miserable glance before he left the room.

"Everything alright?" May asked when he came down the stairs.

"Oh, yeah, uhm… I'm not sure. I don't think Peter likes me much", Steven admitted. "You sure you don't need help in the kitchen?"

May smiled amused. "I've already cleaned up everything. You were up there for an hour."

"I… I was?" Steven made baffled. He checked his watch. "Blimey, you're right! I wasn't… I didn't think it was that long."

May patted his shoulder. "If Peter really hadn't liked you, he would've kicked you out earlier."

"You think so?" Steven looked parts relieved and grateful. "Hey, how about I pick the destination for our next date? I've seen this cozy little theater not too far from my place that I wanted to visit for a while. Or I don't know, if it's not too boring for you, there are a few museums I want to visit with really interesting exhibitions. It's always more fun if I don't have to go alone."

"That sounds like a great idea", May said. Then, before Steven had a chance to react, she stood on her tiptoes and gave him a kiss right on the mouth.

You made a face, regretting not having turned away earlier. Steven though looked overjoyed. He stumbled through a few words of how great the evening had been, before suddenly stopping, getting lost in May's eyes. Then he leaned forward, gently touching the back of her neck with one hand, to pull her into another, deeper kiss.

You turned off the screen. Steven wouldn't need you today anymore.

Happily humming, you grabbed your blanket and the new Khonshu plushie that had arrived just the other day and curled up in your hammock for an early night.

XxX

AN: Sweet, sweet romance for our dear Steven!

I've wrote a couple of romance stories before but usually with younger characters. It's nice slip into someone elses shoes for once. Steven is in his thirties and if you start dating at that age, chances are you'll find someone who already has a family. And May Parker was perfect for that role. The byplay of Peter and David adds to the whole delicious mix.

Next up: Marc is going to therapy. No, really, I kid you not. And yes, of course it's bad.

Who do you think makes for the better couple, Marc and Layla or Steven and May? Please leave a comment!