Chapter Text
“ A day sooner you said? No! That’s great!” Steven has the phone on speaker, his hands busy with applying hair dye to his roots. The lady at the store he talked to had tried to convince him that the grey was cute- that it would make him look ‘rugged’- but Steven politely declined the advice.” That just means I need to hurry up and get off my ass to clean- its not that bad! Just a few book towers that need, er, sorting?”
Layla’s laugh pops through the speakers.” Marc said he’s going to buy you a new bookshelf for them all- but I don’t even think that will be enough.”
Steven sticks out his tongue while applying the dye, his hands shaking a bit.” Oh, he doesn’t need to do that. I’ve got a plan!” He sets the dye brush down and reads the back of the dye box. It was rather cheap, maybe because the woman he spoke with either fancied or pitted him, but it was getting the job done. Only a few layers in and the grey was already gone, now he only has to wait for it to set.
“ Besides, he’s right,” Steven looks over his shoulder at the mess he made earlier. It took almost an hour just to sort the books from ‘A to C’ and now all the rest were scattered across the floor.” I don’t think there’s a shelf big enough to house all these books…might need to get rid of a few. If I’m being honest.”
Layla hums.” What about Marc’s storage place? Couldn’t you put some there?”
Steven sighs.” I couldn’t. That-that’s Marc’s space. My books belong with me, anyway…” He feels a little bit silly tying a plastic bag over his head, but the internet used it in a lot of hair dying examples. Though, it’s a good thing he saw the video of the girl dyeing ‘Walmart’ into her hair, or else he would have used his ‘Harrods’ bag. The only other plastic bag he has- beside the grocery one on his head- that he’s ever collected.
There’s a pause on Layla’s side, her voice going quiet as Steven adjusts the bag.
“ Whats that noise? It’s very loud.”
Steven fumbles.” Oh, oh- sorry dear. Just putting a few things away at the moment, getting the bathroom all tidy.”
The shame rises as fast as the guilt. There’s no point in lying about something as trivial as this- dyeing hair- but Steven…somehow felt the need to.
It’s not like Layla would ever know he was lying, it’s the tiniest white lie, and his hair would be fixed anyway. So, lying? Yes. But does it harm anyone? Only himself.
He stops messing with the bag.” Is that better?”
“ Yeah- hey, can I call you back? I have to go pick up Marc from work.” Layla’s tone quiets a bit as she moves around.” We’re having a little dinner date and I really don’t want to be late for our reservations.”
Steven itches at the plastic bag.” No- no! I will call you later, you two go have fun! Eat a steak for me, yeah?”
Layla’s laugh triumphs over the guilt in Steven heart, bringing a splitting smile to his lips.
“ I’ll tell Marc you said so. Love you! Laters-“
“ -Gators.” Steven finishes, the phone line going dead. He feels a bit of weight lift off his shoulders, bringing with it an ache of having held them up for so long.” Jeez, I’m getting stiffer in age.” Steven rubs a hand behind his shoulder and turns the light of the bathroom off on his way out.
“ Now, I wait an hour? Thirty minutes? Maybe.” Steven fumbles trying to set a timer on his phone, a yawn bringing tears to his eyes.” Thirty minutes. Long enough for a short nap…” The timer is set and Steven leaves his phone on the pillow beside him.
Steven sighs into the mattress and closes his eyes.
It feels like only five minutes have gone by before the timer goes off- awaking Steven with a jump.
“ Bloody— hell?” The timer rings a few times before a new tune takes its place, a slow jingle that has Steven flipping to grab his phone. He squints at the screen and shakily presses ‘accept’. A new call timer now counting up.
“ ¡Hola mi mitad más corta!”
Steven fondly rolls his eyes.” Hey Jake— haven’t heard from you in a while?” Steven says through a yawn, sitting himself up.” What’re you calling for?”
Jake scoffs.” Am I not allowed to call my favorite part? Do you have something against me?”
Steven laughs and puts the phone on speaker as he re-enters the bathroom. The lights slowly warming up with the flick of a switch. “ uh-huh? I thought Marc was your favorite half.”
“ He was last week,” Jake says quickly.” Now, it’s you! ¿No te sientes honrado?”
“ Oh,” Steven gasps dramatically.” Am I— now I have something to hold over Marc’s head.”
“ For this week.” Jake quips.
“ For this week.” Steven repeats, rolling his eyes. He picks as quietly as he can at the plastic bag, talking extra loudly to Jake so that the noise does not transfer over. Once he gets it all the way off he pinches it and throws it away.
“ Uh-huh. Marc and Layla said that they’re coming a day sooner- so all of you might arrive at the same time.”
While Steven reads the box, Jake sucks in a breath.” Uh, yeah…about that?”
Steven hums, still reading.” What is it?”
“ I’m already in London.”
The silence of his apartment travels outside, the cars going quiet and people walking about muffled.
Steven turns the shower on.
“ You’re- you’re already here?” Steven turns the speaker up as he hops into the shower, the water already soaking his hair before he could shampoo it.” Where in London?”
Jake sighs, and Steven could practically hear his eye roll through the phone. “ Termina de ducharte y ven a abrir la puerta.”
“ You’re outside my apartment?” Steven asks, a bit strained.” No heads up? No warning? Jake! My apartments a mess!”
“ You didn’t seem to mind it when we were all together-“
“ I didn’t know about you or Marc then!” Steven argues back.” I had an excuse!” He speed runs through the shampooing process and washes it out with shaky hands. “ Oo- Let me dry off and I’ll let you in.”
Jake smiles through the phone.” Yo también te quiero, mi pequeño amigo.”
The phone call drops without Steven having to end it, and he jump starts into hiding the dyeing kit parts beneath his sink. He shoves it all in hastily while simultaneously drying his hair and body.
“ Stupid Jake, coming early,” He kicks the bathroom storage shut and dashes off into the apartment. There’s an attempt to try and make the room presentable, but by the time he’s managed to stack one tower of books, a set of bangs on his door pull him away.
Steven grumbles and sets down the book he has in his hands. The towel used to dry his hair gets tied around his waist, and Steven marches to open the door with a pinched expression.
Though it immediately vanishes once he opens the door.
“ ¡Oh, Dios! Qué gusto.” Jake’s grown his mustache out. It’s nice a thick, barely any patches and it connects nicely with his pre-beard.” Didn’t mean to rush you- but I’m not complaining.” He pushes Steven back into the apartment and sets his bag by the door, allowing him to take a moment to observe the apartment.
“ Damn. This place is a mess.” Jake walks past an oddly quiet Steven and toes at the book tower.” You doing spring cleaning already? Or are you finally getting rid of some of this junk.”
Steven swallows hard.” Yeah, yeah…something like that.” He brushes past Jake, trying his best not to eye the nest of grey curls on the taller man’s head, and picks up a random shirt and shorts.
“ Excuse me while I…” He trails off and points to the bathroom.
“ Make yourself at home.”