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It had been a lazy Monday evening when the idea had occured to him. Eli had already done his homework (as usual), didn't have anything new to put on his bulletin board of Cryptids, and there was no creepslaying mission scheduled for that night. So instead he was just lying on the couch watching T.V. Well not watching, more like flipping through channels in boredom. Steve had been absent from school that day. He had told Eli Saturday that he was going to be absent from school Monday, so it wasn't an unannounced absence that would leave Eli with worries in the back of his head. Still, Steve hadn't explained why he was going to be absent and when Eli had asked he had just mumbled something like 'You'll see'. Steve hadn't texted all day either. Which was fine, it's not like Eli needed to know what his boyfriend was doing twenty four seven. But either way it wasn't exactly helping with his boredom. He didn't bother getting up and going across the street to visit because something told him not to.
Eli had stumbled onto one of those cooking shows that he half paid attention to, something with Gordon Ramsay based on the amount of yelling. (His mother was out so Eli didn't have to worry about her yelling at him for the cursing coming from the screen.) The contestant had done something absolutely horrendous to a carrot and Eli couldn't help but smile as it reminded him of the carrot cupcakes that Steve has made him for his birthday.
Eli had never really thanked him enough for those. Well, unless one could count messy, frosting covered kisses that had gotten Steve yelled at by Eli's mom a thank you. God, it had been at least two months since then and it still gave Eli butterflies. Steve covered in frosting, looking all embarrassed as he had explained that it had been a surprise and so, so red in the face. Redder than Jim's eclipse armour.
That settled it.
He practically flew off the sofa and marched into the kitchen like a man on a mission. Unlike Steve who, bless his heart, was an absolute baking disaster, Eli knew how to bake, and well if he said so himself. Granted, Steve was better at cooking but baking? Lord help the lad. Eli had taken baking classes in eighth grade and even though it was no longer required he still baked from time to time with his mom or when he was stressed.
His boyfriend didn't have a huge sweet tooth like him but that was fine. Eli had the recipe to shortbread, a cookie that wasn't typically sweet and usually had a filling that was. Eli didn't have to doubt that they had all of the necessary ingredients. Flour, eggs, sugar, salt, butter. Pretty basic in terms of ingredients.
Eli hadn't planned on putting sprinkles but they had blue sprinkles. Beautiful, baby blue sprinkles. They were such a match to Steve's trademark blue shirt that he couldn't not use them. He snatched them from the cabinet and got to work.
Mix the sugar and the butter. Then the egg and the salt. Finally the flour. It was like reciting the lyrics of an old song to him. Eli was grateful for the (slight) muscles that he had gained from training and Creepslaying because this kind of cookie mix was particularly tough. They always tasted great at the end but god, at what cost?
Eli couldn't keep the grin off his face as he worked. The idea of making cookies specifically for his boyfriend, the face that Steve was bound to have. It had Eli's heart going giddy at the…domesticness of it. Oh god now he was thinking about what it would be like to actually bake with Steve and Eli was setting himself up for a heart attack. He couldn't help it!! Steve hated the word but Eli couldn't stop calling him cute! Steve getting excited about a Creep slaying mission? Cute. Steve going on about soccer practice and how he had totally won? Cute. Steve cursing at a recipe book and complaining endlessly about the entire process? So cute that just thinking about it made Eli want to run over to Steve's house, kiss him and remind him yet again of how cute he is.
Okay, Eli had to focus on the cookies, he didn't want get distracted and make some stupid mistake.
The mix was definitely done, almost having a playdough like texture to it. It was pretty sticky though so Eli had to be sure to thoroughly flour his workspace and his hands. He always made them in a plain, old circle shape but by this point it was an established fact of life that Elijah L. Pepperjack is a huge dork. Especially when it came to sappy stuff. So he made he made them into little heart shapes.
This kind of dough didn't spread out as much in the oven like most cookie doughs so he felt like he didn't have to worry about the shape being ruined. Still, he had never attempted shapes before and was more than a little anxious. Eli made a mental note to buy cookie cutters. He pushed his worries to the back of his mind as he sprinkled the blue sprinkles in the centre and lined the cookies up on a tray. He stored the left over dough in a container and put it in the fridge to use for another day.
Unlike Steve who would always converse to himself while working in the kitchen, Eli kept silent, any chatter that he might have was stored away into his head. Baking was a science and Eli treated it as such. He supposed that in that sense Steve being better at cooking and Eli being better at baking was a nice parallel to their personalities. One had more freedom in cooking. More adventurous ways to experiment and play. Less restrictions. In baking one had to follow the rules, didn't have as much room to mess around.
After putting the tray in the oven which had been preheating while he made the dough and setting a timer, Eli went back to the living room, much more interested in the show now.Or at the very least in a better mood to watch it.
Soon enough the timer went off and Eli went to open the oven.
He was hit with a hot blast of air, momentarily fogging his glasses. No matter how many times Eli baked he always forgot about that every time. And every time he would snort at his mistake. He slipped on his oven mitts and took the treats out of the oven, setting them on the counter to cool.
Luckily the cookies had kept their shape after all!! Heh, maybe next time he could make them alien shaped. Eli chuckled at the thought.
Once they were cool he put the half a dozen cookies into a little plastic baggie which he tied with some silver ribbon.
By this point it was already time for him to start heading to sleep. He checked his phone one more time to see if Steve had texted. He hadn't. Which was fine, he would see him tomorrow morning when they walked to school together.
"He wants you to take him?" Eli repeated, not believing it. Even though Steve and Lawrence were no longer dancing around each other Steve never asked for Lawrence to drive him to school.
"Yeah, surprised me to but its understandable all things considering." Lawrence shrugged.
"What do you mean all things considering?" Eli asked. "He's not hurt is he?" He looked over Lawrence into the house, slightly worried at this point.
Lawrence's eyes widened. "Wait he didn't- oh that's why he- oh shoot!" He facepalmed. He had forgotten that Steve had told him to not answer the door this morning.
"I'm ready to go." Steve mumbled, appearing from behind Lawrence. He froze like a deer in headlights when he saw Eli, mouth snapping shut quickly and face blooming red. Steve glared at Lawrence, giving a closed mouthed scream as he gestured to Eli.
"I'm sorry, sport, I forgot I swear!" Lawrence apologized. He could not function so early in the morning.
Steve gave a muffled groan and facepalmed.
Eli, who was beyond confused, greeted Steve awkwardly. "Hi Steve."
He waved in response.
There was an awkward silence between the three of them. Lawrence broke it. "Since you're already here why don't you ride with us?" He offered.
Steve looked like Lawrence had just suggested that they all do a line of grave sand.
"Ah…" Eli hesitated, looking between Lawrence and Steve. He didn't know how to react. He had the cookies in his backpack but he sure as hell couldn't give them to Steve right now; so instead they sat in his backpack like a ton of bricks.
"I insist." Lawrence said, looking pointedly at Steve.
Well he couldn't say no now.
The car ride was the most awkward experience of Eli's life. Even counting the time that Steve had been in his room and picked up one of his binders, asking what it was. Steve still wasn't talking so Lawrence kept making conversation with Eli, trying to push Steve into the conversation. Steve glared at Lawrence ever time that he did so. Eli kept fidgeting in his seat.
Had he done something wrong? Was Steve angry at him? Eli thought back but his brain provided him with no memory of anything that would cause for Steve to give him the silent treatment like he was doing now. Eli was in the backseat with Steve, turning to him every once in a while, mouth open to speak, only to snap it shut.
Eli couldn't think of anything to say to him for the life of him.
Lawrence dropped them off at the front of the school so he could go around to park in the teacher's area. Eli shuffled in place for a bit, chewing on his bottom lip. "Could you walk me to my locker?" He asked finally. Their lockers were in the same direction either way.
Steve nodded, mouth set in a thin line. The walk was just as awkward as the car ride. Steve grabbed Eli's hand halfway there since they usually held hands while they walked and the sudden contact made Eli jump a bit. Okay so maybe Steve wasn't angry after all.
Eli began to unload his stuff into his locker, notebooks that he wouldn't need for the morning classes, etc. His hands lingered over the bag of cookies. Not wanting to think about it twice he pulled our the bag and thrusted it at Steve with a rushed "Here!"
Steve looked at the bag for a second before realizing what it was. He grabbed the bag, looking it over with one hand covering his mouth.
"Are you angry with me?" Eli blurted next before he could stop himself. Despite the hand covering the bottom half of his face Eli could tell that Steve was surprised at the outburst.
"You haven't said a word to me since Sunday." He continued. "I just- I'm not trying to annoy you or something but you haven't even smiled at me and I- just let me know if I did something. Please?"
One second he was rambling and the next he was pressed into Steve's chest as he hugged him tightly. Eli stiffened momentarily before hugging back. "I'm thorry. I didn't mean to worry you or make you feel- I'm tho thorry." Steve apologized, speaking with a slight but noticeable lisp.
"It's fine." Eli reassured, slightly muffled. He pulled away. "Just…what's wrong?"
Steve looked down, face bright crimson making his barely noticeable freckles stand out more and he scratched the back of his neck awkwardly. Instead of answering he smiled nervously.
Eli gasped and it took all of his willpower to not squeal.
Steve freaking Palchuk…had bright blue braces. Bright baby blue braces paired with a bright red face. "I look thupid-" he began, dropping the smile.
"You look so cute!" Eli's willpower turned out to be pretty weak. At least with this sort of thing. "Oh my god- smile again!"
"No." Steve frowned.
"Please!?" He pleaded, eyes sparkling as he bounced on his heels.
"No." The frown struggled to not turn into a smile.
"Pretty please?!"
"No." He bit the inside of his mouth and he could feel his wall crumbling.
"Pleeaasse, Stevie?"
"…Damn it." He couldn't help it and gave in, smiling and giggling (he would die before admitting that he giggled) at Eli's antics. "Damn you Pepperths."
"You weren't talking because of this?" Eli couldn't believe it. How long had he expected that to work?
"I look like Toby." Steve rolled his eyes. "My dentht inthithed I needed thith even though I jutht went becauthe the other one felt funny."
He huffed out a small laugh. "You look fine, the colour suits you." Eli reassured, getting on his tip toes and giving Steve a peck on the cheek.
Steve smiled again, face still somewhat red. "Thanks for the cookieths, Pepperths. Ugh, I can't even thay my th'th."
Now it was Eli's turn to frown, realization hitting him like a truck. "Oh no, you can't eat these now!"
"I do what I want." He argued, crossing his arms.
"So your mouth doesn't hurt. At all."
"…Thut up."