Steven found himself beyond content with this new domestic heaven of his. He couldn't wait to fall asleep and wake up next to Brandon. Having breakfast together was just as nice, even as Steven mostly used those moments to browse through social media and Brandon to read whichever book he could find laying around.
It had only been a few days, and already their lives had fallen into a delightful routine, their lifestyles fitting together like puzzle pieces. Things would be different once Brandon got back to work by the end of the week, but Steven was positive they would make do with that as well.
"Have you been up for long?" Steven asked, still half-asleep, when he found Brandon from the living room. He was reading some children's book Steven had forgotten he owned, while Fitzgerald purred in his lap. The cat hopped off the couch as soon as Steven sat on it, making it clear who exactly was his favorite human.
"A while." Brandon muttered, hiding his yawn behind his hand. Judging by his ghostly appearance, Steven made an estimation that a while likely meant hours rather than minutes.
He didn't say it out loud though, but turned to look at the book on Brandon's lap instead. "The Little Prince? I made my mom read that to me so often I could probably still quote half of it by memory."
"I have never read it before." Brandon admitted, a bashful smile on his lips. "And it's surprisingly —"
Brandon's words were cut short by the doorbell, and his eyes darted to the door before he turned a panicky gaze at Steven. Steven, who wasn't waiting for any visitors, shrugged and got up, but didn't make his way to the door before giving Brandon's shoulder a reassuring squeeze.
"Oh.. hi." Steven breathed, as he saw who was behind the door, swallowing back what he was about to say: oh fuck. Because 'oh fuck' was the only presumable reaction he could have to his dad and his step mom and his step sister's impromptu visit.
"We thought we should stop by." Nicholas explained, gesturing at Addison, who was holding their daughter, Elodie. "I thought about the beer idea and it was great, just great, but wouldn't it be nicer this way?"
Steven held back his answer, wanting to tell his dad that this was what he had specifically asked not to happen. He had wanted to see his dad alone, just for once so that they could have an actual conversation about things Steven preferred not to say in front of his step mother. But, since they were already there, it wasn't like he could tell his dad it wasn't nicer this way.
"I have a.." Steven began to say instead, then halted as he wasn't sure what to call Brandon. "I'm not alone, my friend Brandon is here."
True enough, Brandon was lurking by the doorway that led to the living room. Though his posture was stiff, he had a complaisant smile on his lips. Hesitantly, he offered his hand to Nicholas, who gave it a firm shake. He introduced himself to Addison and Elodie next, his bravery making Steven bask in pride. If Brandon was anxious or taken aback by the sudden visit, he didn't let it show.
"Do you like strawberry-cream cake?" Addison asked, a white box appearing into her free hand seemingly out of nowhere. Did she have one of those magically enchanted bags? Steven was certain that she had at least some sort of super powers, because no one could have that much energy to bake, clean and fix things otherwise.
She was tall and had an elegant bob cut in her blond hair. Actually, with her light blue eyes and glossed cupid's bow lips her resemblance with Steven's mom, Emma, was striking. Except, of course, the nearly thirty years age difference. Having such a young step mother never ceased to bemuse Steven, especially as he now had a 3-year-old sister.
Speaking of that sister, Elodie had gained her freedom and was currently tugging at the hem of Steven's shirt. She lifted her pink dragon plush toy and spoke with her cute, high-pitched voice: "Dad bought this."
"Oh, that's a fine little dragon, does it have a name?" Steven asked, crouching down to take a good look at the toy. He had no clue how to talk to children, as his only encounter with them was with Eli's sister's children, who were both older than Elodie.
"Pinkie." Elodie told him with a mile wide grin, much like the one Steven's dad sported whenever he got to show off his new wife and child.
"What did you use to color the cream?" Brandon's soft-spoken question brought Steven's focus back to him and Addison. They were admiring the cake, which had a pink frosting and a detailed strawberry decoration. It was, just like everything else Addison ever made, perfect to the last detail.
"I always use gel food coloring, but I can't remember the brand.. I think it started with W." Addison stopped to knit her eyebrows, bringing a manicured finger to her lips.
"Wilton?" Brandon guessed.
"Yes, that one." Addison's face lit up, as she asked him: "Do you bake too?"
"He doesn't just bake, he is a baker. Don't let me get started with his carrot cake. Making something so good should be illegal.." Steven beamed, as proud as ever, grinning as Brandon's face turned red.
While Steven made coffee and tea for them, they talked more about Brandon's job in the bakery. Steven couldn't fight back the smile as he listened to Brandon telling their quests about his co-workers being more like a family to him. It was strange to see Brandon in a host mode, all chatty and seemingly carefree, especially after the difficult few weeks he had had.
"Elodie, come wash your hands." Addison called after Elodie, who had wandered off somewhere in the apartment. She came running to the kitchen and let herself be lifted to the sink so that she could wash her hands all by herself. While Elodie dried her hands, Addison turned to say to her husband: "Nicholas, sit down and put the phone away."
"Yes, yes. There's just this.. Nevermind." Nicholas started to explain, but quickly gave in, lifting his hands up in the air in surrender. His brown hair was already graying from his temples, but he still looked remarkably young for a man in his early sixties. Steven could tell that he had been working out, likely to please his young wife.
They settled at the table, each having a slice of the strawberry-cream cake. Steven and his dad were the only ones having coffee, as Addison had caffeine sensitivity and Brandon preferred tea. Elodie only had water, but it wasn't a beverage she was after, not when there was cake on her plate.
"It looks really nice here. Really nice." Nicholas mused, glancing around in the kitchen. He was wearing glasses, from one of those expensive brands Steven had modeled for a year or so ago. He was making most of their fortune, working ceaselessly as a corporate lawyer. So ceaselessly in fact, that he kept glancing at his phone even after Addison told him not to.
"Thank you." Steven smiled, bringing a forkful of cake to his lips. He was feeling oddly melancholic, as he watched his dad's new family. He knew Nicholas wasn't avoiding seeing him without them because he wouldn't have cared about Steven, but because there was always a certain awkwardness between them.
"This is really good." Brandon joined the conversation, his eyes wide as saucers as he smiled at Addison.
Steven was a little puzzled, knowing that Brandon wasn't that enthusiastic about the eating part of cakes, until he felt Brandon's leg pressing against his. Only when Brandon brought the sides of their thighs and their knees together, Steven realized he had been bouncing his leg. Brandon wasn't really praising the cake as much as he was trying to drive away the awkwardness and to give Steven some much needed comfort.
"Yours is better." Steven mouthed as the others were looking away and gave Brandon a grateful smile. Brandon answered the smile by giving Steven's knee a light nudge, before turning his focus back to their guests.
While Brandon and Addison did most of the talking, Steven pretended that the cake was the most interesting thing he had seen in his life. It tasted bland, but at least it was pretty to look at. He hadn't been lying when he said Brandon's baking was better. Once the cake was gone, Steven made himself join in the conversation.
It could have been the sugar, or simply having Brandon there with him, but gradually Steven's spirits started to lift. He no longer felt irritated by his dad's fear of awkward silences, or hurt by his new, oh, so shiny family. They weren't bad company, quite the contrary, Addison's liveliness worked as a mood booster and Elodie was a cutie with her giggles and constant flood of questions.
"Sorry, I need to take this. Sorry." Nicholas sighed, getting up and disappearing to the bedroom with his ringing phone.
Elodie was the next to go, running into the living room with such vigor it made her braided blond hair bounce against her back. Steven made to get up, thinking that he should make sure Elodie didn't hurt herself in the non child-friendly apartment. Brandon beat him to it, though, and followed after her, leaving Steven alone in the kitchen with his way too young and perky Backup Mom.
Steven stared at Brandon, as he picked up The Little Prince and started leafing through the pages with Elodie. It filled his chest with a warm, happy bundle of emotions as he watched the duo. And yet, even from a distance, he could see that Brandon's eyes had dark blotches underneath them, how pale his skin was in the natural light flooding in from the big windows.
"Hey, Addison." Addison's eyes widened and her gaze darted to Steven, like she hadn't expected Steven to talk to her. "Do you know if it's possible to get cheap therapy or counseling somewhere nearby?"
"You need someone to talk to?" Addison asked, tone gentle and eyes filled with the sort of warmth that was going to come handy once she started working as a therapist. She was finishing her master's in counseling in just a year or so.
"No, not me." Steven's gaze strayed back to Brandon without him meaning to do so. "But a friend of mine."
"There are a few options, actually." Addison said, smiling. When her eyes followed Steven's and landed on Brandon, understanding softened her facial features even further. "But online therapy would definitely be the cheapest." Addison picked up her purse and rummaged through it until she found her phone and a small notebook. "Here, you can start with these websites, and if you want, I could ask around?"
Like always, she seemed to be most at ease once she had a project at hand, and for the first time Steven was grateful for it. He picked up the paper and folded it, before thanking Addison, who pulled him into a warm, mom-like embrace. If he closed his eyes, he could ignore that Addison was way too young to be his mom. Steven was starting to think that maybe she wasn't so bad after all, and decided to give her another chance.
The paper weighed in Steven's pocket, and he could almost swear that he could feel its outlines against his skin through the fabric. A part of him worried how Brandon would react to his suggestion to seek professional help, while another part was relieved enough to soar in the sky to finally have a concrete way to help Brandon. Too long he had ignored Brandon's worsening mental health, tried to deal with it alone, and it was about time to really do something about it.
"It was nice to meet you, Brandon." Addison chirped at Brandon, not showing any signs of her and Steven's earlier conversation. She surprised Brandon by embracing him like he was already part of the family, while Nicholas gave Steven's shoulder a manly pat and congratulated him about the Vanity Fair shoot again.
"You too." Brandon smiled and handed Pinkie to Elodie, who hugged the plush toy tightly to her chest. Only when the door clicked shut and it was just Steven and Brandon left in the apartment, Brandon let the smile drop. He let out a long, exhausted breath and raked his hand through his hair.
"That exhausting, huh?" Steven asked, letting out an amused chuckle.
"Uh, sorry, of course not, I just —" Brandon rushed to explain and swirled around to face Steven.
The sentence was cut short by Steven, whose body was so full of gratitude and affection, that it moved before his brain could think better of it. His head was overwhelmed with feelings, both positive and less so. He leaned down, his hand taking a featherlike hold of the nape of Brandon's neck and brought their lips together.