Chapter Text
It’s been a year since Steven had Jean and Peter in his life and it’s been going great.
Steven did everything for them to feel normal. He made them legal documents so they could attend school again (if they ever did) and Peter’s made a friend now. Although, he also heard Peter’s being bullied and had a huge talk with the school board about it. Steven was not going to stand by some kids with no basic human decency treat any of his kids that way. Their problem isn’t Peter’s nor Jean’s so they don’t get to just free reign their anger at anyone.
Johnny had offered talking to the bullies himself, but Steven’s worried their parents would never be seen ever again so he said no. Johnny’s ways of dealing with things is a bit.. worrisome to Steven, but he’s a great guy nevertheless.
Johnny has been apart of their lives since that fateful night that they’ve met. The rider met up with the kids in the span of a week of knowing Steven and loved those two. Steven had to stop him from spoiling them too much since then.
Every time Peter talks about a new Lego set— it just seems like something new got added into Johnny’s cart. And you’d think this guy’s not that kind of gal, right? Carts? Johnny Blaze shops online? The Ghost Rider? Can you believe that?
Cuz Steven can. He had seen it and received the result of Johnny’s online shopping.
The Brit had to tell the rider to stop before their house get overcrowded with all the new stuff he’s buying for the kids and also for Steven.
This guy is genuinely buying Steven a whole new closet worth of clothes!
A walking closet to be more precise. Steven has no idea what this guy’s issue is but he needs it to stop.
It’s to the point where his co-workers and students had taken notice of his new style.
“Mr. Grant, are you dating someone?”
“Did your lady dress you up?”
“Oh wow, whoever you’re seeing right now has taste!”
“Oh thank goodness, I was so ready to say goodbye to those Hawaiian shirts!”
“Discovered Pinterest, Stevie?”
“Oh wow, someone woke up and chose style finally!”
Wow, was he that bad at dressing himself??? And they’re not exactly wrong about Johnny dressing him up. The rider had a look into Steven’s closet once when he had stayed over for the night and was determined to change everything in it.
And so he did.
Now everything in Steven’s walking closet are things that Johnny had bought and sorted out for him.
The rider had personally pair everything up for Steven— gave him a tour of his own closet filled with new clothes, accessories and shoes, and taught the Brit how to pair things with another. It was funny. The kids finds it hilarious— they were sick of Steven’s Hawaiian shirts too.. now Steven knows which is ouch? It wasn’t that bad. They were cute and also.. very comfy.
But he does like how Johnny dresses him up. Said that to the rider’s face once and ten other set of clothing’s arrived to his door by the end of the week and Steven never compliment Johnny ever again. Not because he doesn’t like the new stuff but because this man hears one positive feedback and take it as a sign to buy things in bulk.
Praise kink much?? Not kink shaming but ay.
Sometimes, the rider would leave for a few weeks or a month to deal with something and would bring back souvenirs no matter how busy he was.
So now their fridge is just covered in magnets from all the places Johnny had been. Told the kids he would take them on his bike one day and Steven had said no almost immediately.
The kids had whined about Steven’s decision, but Johnny reassured them that their mother was just worried about them.
Huh. They had a conversation about the whole ‘mother’ thing actually.
“Why’d they call you mum?”
“I dunno. Their personal choice.”
“You’re motherly.”
“Because I told you to take off your boots and jacket and leave them at the door?”
“See. You nag like one.”
“You act like the kids.”
“Great. I’m still happy unlike someone.”
“Oh, bugger off, bruv.”
Some wonder if they’re together.
They’re not.
How? Neither had an answer to that question.
As of currently, Steven just came back from grocery shopping— getting into the house with arms full of bags, struggling with the keys. Ah, they weren’t even locked.
Oh, Peter and Jean must be home. The two (Peter) have their own set of keys to the house in case they came home from school and Steven isn’t there. Also, a phone for Peter and smartwatches for both. These two invokes Steven’s paranoia all too well.
Steven’s putting them stuff away in the kitchen, facing away from the living room, as he was stocking the cabinets— he heard some noises coming from behind him.
“Peter? Sweetheart? I bought you guys some kind of Pokemon Booster Pack and I made sure they are ‘legit’ this time..”
Steven said mockingly before continuing.
“Also, don’t fight over it with Jean. I bought some for Ned too. Are you going out to—”
“Steven?”
What—?
“Marc?”
Steven finally turned around and there he was. The man, the myth, the legend— okay, the kids are starting to rub off of him too much now.
“What are you doing here?”
When Marc first stepped into the house, it was unrecognizable. There was just so much going on since the last time he had seen it.
The entryway.. there was so much disorganized pair of shoes. Two of them are smaller than whatever a regular size for an adult is. Also, they have cartoons and superheroes on them. Who are these for? Kids? There was also a pair of leather boots besides them and then there was Steven’s usual sneakers.
There was also a leather jacket hang on the rack along with two smaller jackets beside them and Steven’s cardigan that he always argues works the same way as a jacket until he’s shivering his ass off outside in the cold weather. His cardigans were never thick enough. And as Marc goes further inside, he’d see pictures on the wall and on the credenza with people he doesn’t seem to recognize.
A kid with brown hair and brown eyes and another with red hair and green eyes. Who are they? They look happy in the pictures. There are so many of them. So many different variations of pictures of these two. Some with Steven with them, some with this blond stranger that Marc swore he had seen somewhere before. And some of them are just the two being silly and Marc would imagine Steven giggling behind the cameras as they took their pictures.
Deeper into the house, he saw clothes and socks with patterns on them thrown all over the couch, Marc would assume belonging to the two lovely kids he had seen in the pictures of Steven’s house. The coffee table had a story book opened on it with Jenga blocks abandoned next to it. There was also Steven’s books and papers strewn all over it. It feels domestic to look at.
There was display of assembled Lego sets on both side of the TV’s cabinet among other things. It was both from Star Wars and Lego Friends? Is that what they call it? There was also some Egyptian ornaments (probably Steven’s) and one cabinet filled with board games.
Marc stepped into the kitchen and there was a set of cutlery and dishes specifically for these two kids. One’s Ironman and the other’s SpongeBob. Can’t tell which one’s the girl’s honestly.
When he opened the fridge there was meat. Strange, wasn’t it? He had never seen them in Steven’s fridge unless he was visiting with Jake or Layla, but now Steven just.. have them. There was fish and chicken and cow meat— and for the first time it wasn’t for him.
Steven wasn’t strict as a vegan and it is just so in character for him to not force his kids to live life the way he does.
Kids? Were those.. Steven’s kids?
Marc went around the house, checking into rooms and there it was. Two rooms for the kids. Two rooms decorated differently. Two rooms that Steven’s probably put blood, sweat and tears decorating.
Suddenly, he heard the front door opening. Suddenly, he heard that voice he had been missing all this time.
Steven.
And there is Steven. Rambling about Pokemon cards. Did Steven ever know about them before they become their own person? Did Marc ever let him have the freedom to explore those silly things? Did he ever?
“Steven?”
Marc saw Steven’s whole body tensed before he turned around to face the mercenary.
“What are you doing here?”
Good question.
“I was in town.”
Finally after a while.
“Where are Jake and Layla?”
Marc made a face.
“Only one of us could make it.”
Steven’s face soured.
“Then stop visiting. You guys never stay anyway.”
Might as well never see me again was left unsaid. It hurt. It hurts seeing them once in a while just for them to disappear again and again and again with no calls or texts to update Steven about their lives and conditions.
Nothing.
Didn’t Steven told them that he hated being kept ik the dark? Well, now, Steven’s doing the same, but he doubts they’ll stay long enough to care about his secrets.
“Steven—”
The Brit cut the merc off.
“I know, I know. Khonshu’s business. Top secret bla bla bla. Secret, my arse. Everyone knows your identities. What’s updating me once in a while of the situation? Is it too hard? Was it ever too hard?”
Or am I just not worth the time?
“I..”
Steven’s right. What’s stopping them for ever updating Steven on what’s going on? It’s been a year. Marc didn’t notice until Layla told him. A whole year without contacting Steven. Marc honestly almost had a stroke at the news. How could Steven just flew over his damned head like that for a year?
Marc loves Steven. The idea of the Brit not knowing anything about them— thinking they’re dead or otherwise don’t care about him makes him sick.
“I’m so sorry, Steven. I didn’t mean to make you feel like that.”
“Feel like what? Shit? You’ve done a great job at it, mate. May I say spectacular even?”
Marc sees tears welling up in Steven’s eyes.
Steven drives now. Gosh, Steven drives— he saw the car keys hanging on Steven’s pants belt loops. Steven was afraid of driving after the Cupcake Van incident, said he will never ever touch a vehicle ever again and never renew his license (which he doesn’t use much anyway), but now he’s driving.
This was a different Steven that Marc had missed seeing the changes.
“I’m sorry. I’m so sorry. I’ll never leave you again, Steven, please.”
Marc inches closer, bringing his hands to hold Steven’s face.
There was lines on Steven’s face that make him look both tired and happier at the same time. The Brit didn’t look back at him, but let Marc hold him regardless.
“I’m sorry. I’m so sorry. Steven. I should’ve never did that to you. We should’ve never did this to you.”
Marc kept on whispering apologies into the Brit’s ears like a prayer. Steven knew Marc was sincere but it was also a bit hard to sympathize with the merc when he was left in the dark for a whole ass year.
Suddenly, the door opens and ;
“Steven? You home?”
Johnny.