Chapter Text
It was another day of filming for Ryan’s friend group. They were setting up their equipment inside of Ryan and Trevor’s dorm room for the scene they were going to film, as always. Trevor was leaning against the wall near the door, waiting for Jasper’s arrival. Their slice of life movie wouldn’t be complete without the presence of a lovely, calm cooking scene, as Trevor put in. That’s why he tasked Jasper with making a lifelike stove. It cost too much money to buy an actual one (adding the kitchen utensils as well), and their dorm didn’t have any built in. Ryan forced himself to give in to his suggestion. Not because he felt bad, but because he wanted to pad out the run time with filler.
Ash just finished turning the corner of their room with Trevor’s desktop setup to a passable kitchen (albeit the drawing of cabinets on the wall looked unnatural, it’s fine, he or Trevor will just edit the scene to look more realistic). Ryan was in his director’s chair, giving a nod of approval to his friend when he looked at him for answers.
“Phew.” Ash muttered as he climbed down the ladder and took it along with him. He made his way to Kendrick, who was busy rereading the script Trevor gave them. In full costume as well. “Dude, are you finished? I need to check my lines.” he asked, letting go of the ladder to waltz his way at a seat next to him.
Trevor groaned from the other side of the room. “I told you guys to practice your lines yesterday!” he said, placing his hands on his waist.
Ash hummed, “I did, dude.” he said as he snagged the copy from Kendrick’s hands, which earned a “hey!” in response. “I just need to check if I memorized them correctly.” He opened the script, scanning every line that contained his character’s name. He was mumbling the sentences like a ritual.
Trevor sighed, setting his sight on Ryan. He was busy fiddling with the camera, making sure he hit the right angle to shoot their scene. “What are you doing?”
“Doing what I always do.” Ryan answered matter-of-factly, smiling to himself. He heard Kendrick whisper “so cringe” under his breath. He finally settled on an area near the kitchen cabinets, and where their supposed stove was going to be placed in. Trevor rolled his eyes, looking back at the door.
Suddenly, a barrage of knocks fell upon the door, causing everyone to turn their heads to the sound. Trevor jolted from his position and went for the doorknob. He immediately twisted it, “Stop it, you’re going to smash the door!” he screamed.
As soon as the door swung open, a familiar figure burst through the room, making Trevor fall back and hit the floor. Behind him was a big red wagon, holding the stove they were going to use. “Here she is, guys!” Jasper said proudly, dragging his cardboard creation into Ryan and Trevor’s dorm room. Ryan had to give it to him, it looked very well made. If it wasn’t for the glue dripping near the sides or the cheap acrylic paint that was used. It had fully 3d knobs, grates, burners, even a built-in oven.
Kendrick looked at it in awe as if it was a sculpture, despite the glaring imperfections. “You didn’t have to put in so much effort.” he blurted out. Ash still had his mouth agape.
Jasper snickered to himself, “I even made cardboard cookware.” He held the handle of the oven and pulled it down, revealing a compartment filled with pots, pans, and even utensils.
Even Trevor had to stop running his mouth just to admire the stove. He stood up from the ground. “I actually didn’t expect you to make it like this but…” he bit his tongue. “You did a…” he let the sentence trail off a little too long. Ryan clicked his tongue.
“You did a good job.” He filled in for Trevor, turning his head to his direction with a smug look on his face. “Isn’t that what you wanted to say, Trev?” he relished the days where positive feedback came out of Trevor’s lips. It made everyone feel better.
He could tell from the huge grin on Jasper’s face.
Trevor narrowed his eyes, but eventually let the tough look go. “Yeah.” he simply said before walking up to the stove. He kneeled down, looking at the knobs. “Did you manage to include the-“
“You bet.” Jasper beamed. One of his hands turned the knob closest to him. Fake unmoving fire popped up from the burner. Ryan’s eyes (and as an extension, everyone else’s) widened.
“How does that even work?” he asked, leaning against the back of his chair. He analyzed it carefully, his eyes setting on the grates and the makeshift oven. As soon as Jasper finished positioning the stove, he faced Ryan with a grin.
“I have my ways.” he simply commented, running to Kendrick and Ash as he looked for his costume.
Ryan chuckled, his eyes still on the stove. “If that was real, maybe we could even use it to cook so we don’t have to order takeout everyday.” he said, glancing at Trevor. “Right?”
Mr. Killjoy let out a scoff, walking next to Ryan and picked up the megaphone in the ground. “You mean I could use it to cook.” Ryan’s happy mood immediately turned upside down, but he kept his smile.
Why did he have to mention that?
“Come on, stop doubting me!” he fretted, “I’m not that bad of a cook-“
“You don’t even know how to turn on a stove, Ryan. What makes you think you could be one?” Trevor questioned, rolling his eyes so hard it reached the back of his head. Their conversation caught the attention of their other friends. Jasper stifled a laugh, before being nudged by Kendrick when everyone else’s eyes settled on him. He immediately went blank, looking around as if nothing happened.
Ryan kept his nonchalant expression when he looked back at Trevor. “First of all, let it go. Secondly, it was because the knob was stuck!” he gestured.
“That’s how it’s supposed to be, dumbass! You almost burned my hand-“
“Ugh, can we not do this again?” Ryan chastised, he didn’t even try to hide the fact that he was getting annoyed. “You don’t need to rub it in every time, Trevor! Okay, I can’t cook to save my life! You happy now?” he groaned, leaning against his chair and crossing his arms. He looked away out of frustration.
“It’s good that you know.” Trevor retorted, turning his head away as well.
“I know.” Ryan responded.
“Seriously, a five year old could know nothing about how cooking works and they could still cook better than you! It’s like your parents never taught you how!” Trevor continued, pure hatred encapsulating his tone. The same words kept ringing in Ryan’s head. Oh my God, shut up. I know. I know. Shut up. I know. I know- “Or maybe you didn’t register their lessons because you’re just so stu-“
“Hey!” God bless Kendrick’s heart that he interrupted Trevor’s incessant yammering. Ryan felt himself grip the handles of his chair tighter when he mentioned his parents. His eyebrows furrowed slightly.
“Can you guys focus?” Kendrick started, getting increasingly more agitated when Trevor opened his mouth. “No, no, no, don’t say anything! The last thing we need is another argument starting between you two!” Trevor pressed his lips together.
“Let’s just finish filming before anything gets out of hand…” Ash stated, putting the script down and dusted off his costume. “Please?”
Trevor and Ryan grunted. “Fine.” Ryan said begrudgingly, “I was going to get his ass handed to him but sure, we can stop arguing right now…” he murmured. Kendrick visibly smiled. Ash breathed a sigh of relief. Jasper’s expression stayed blank, but it was clear he was somewhat glad they resolved their upcoming fight immediately (or maybe he was disappointed it didn’t even start).
“Okay, get in your positions.” Trevor flatly said, walking over to the set to help the others in for their blockings, Did he waste all his emotion in berating him earlier? Whatever. This is Trevor Carmichael. He’s always angry about something.
He was frozen the entire time Trevor was guiding his other friends.
Why was Trevor so pressed about his cooking skills? It doesn’t affect him in any way. Sure, he almost made one of his hands unusable for a few weeks, but that was in the past. Obviously. They should be laughing about that stupid mistake, not pinning it against each other. After all, everyone learns from their fuck ups. It’s not like he didn’t know how to actually turn on a stove. It looked so easy when he watched the maids in his house open them.
He only watched, that is.
“Ryan!” Jasper’s voice snapped him back to reality. He looked around, eventually spotting him in front of the lens of the camera. “Hey dude, Trevor said you could start rolling the camera.” he said as he stepped away, revealing the clapboard in Trevor’s hands.
“Yeah, the film.” he acknowledged.
He glanced one more time at Trevor’s face. He seems disappointed he couldn’t get in one more insult. Then at the stove.
Ryan looked back at the set, his hands on the camera.
“And…” he dragged, “…action.”
While the camera was rolling, he observed how Kendrick maneuvered with the cardboard cookware.
The time was nearing 8 pm when Ryan shouted the last cut. Their dorm was fully cleaned up, and they could go to sleep or do their assignments.
Trevor was hunched up at his desktop, looking through all the footage to add to his editing software. He finished his schoolwork long ago, and this advantage caused him to be the main editor for their recent movie. Ryan didn’t like that, but his grades needed the attention before his passion.
As he was writing down his notes on his bed, he lifted his head to glance at the progress Trevor was making.
His words hung inside of Ryan’s head like a shitty disco ball set up at a sad college student’s party.
He felt himself sweat in his tank top. He swears he didn’t care that much. Trevor was just mad and he wanted to transfer that to him out of pettiness. Like always. They were always going at it no matter the topic. And Ryan always forgot about it the following day, or hour, or minute if he wanted to.
There was something more annoying about this one.
Ryan swam through the memories stored in his mind. That’s right, he knew it. It was all too similar to the way his father talked to him.
He frowned. Looking up to a man who berated him every chance he got was tiring.
Then, he thought of something funny. An idea that would definitely get Trevor to pay. If something funny flooded his mind, he would forget everything about whatever the hell Trevor said about his method of cooking. Or lack thereof.
“Which scene are you at now?” he started, wiping the smirk off his face.
Trevor stopped hovering at the screen to respond. “Nearing the end.” he replied, “I’m just finding good scenes with the cabinets in frame. They look so damn fake.”
Ryan rolled his eyes. “Ash drew it on the wall, of course they’re gonna look fake!” he stood up, walking up to Trevor’s chair and placed his hands on the top, leaning in to see his work.
“Why did you tell him to paint cabinets on the wall?”
Ryan ignored his friend’s question. He never commented on it when they were filming, why did he start caring about it now? Typical Trevor. “I mean, you could edit them in a 3d software to-“
“Do I look like I know how to work with 3d software?” Trevor cut in, continuing to move clips around. His eyes were still on the screen.
“Then let me edit it!” Ryan suggested, swooping by Trevor’s side and grabbing the mouse. Trevor was unamused, lunging his elbow at Ryan’s face. But he dodged the hit and crammed himself into the little space in the chair with Trevor. “Come on, Trev. Trust me. I’m an expert at this!”
“No you’re not.” he quipped. He tried pushing Ryan out, but the other fought back.
“Yeah I am. Instead, you can do my notes while I model the cabinets!” Ryan snickered.
He groaned in annoyance. It was clear Ryan wasn’t letting his guard down anytime soon. But he knew Trevor wouldn’t give up that easily. “Face it, Trev, you are terrible at editing! Even a five year old who has no experience could do better!” He maneuvered his body to ram into Trevor’s.
Trevor’s mouth stayed open when he heard the words he said earlier being spat out right back at him. “Petty fucker! Are you only doing this to piss me off?” he asked aggressively, placing his hands on Ryan’s chest in an attempt to push him off.
“Everything I do is to piss you off!” Ryan responded with a laugh. He eventually pushed Trevor off the chair with a shove to his side. He landed flimsily with his hands slamming against the floor. “I’m just giving you a taste of your own medicine.”
“Ugh!” Trevor turned around on his body, looking at the cocky bitch above him. Ryan softened his look, leaning back against the chair. “What are you even doing?” Trevor said through barred teeth while standing up. He stretched his arms outward in disbelief. “Okay, I'm sorry! I shouldn’t have said that! You happy?”
“That sounds so fake.” Ryan dragged, leaning against the chair while he yawned. Trevor groaned loudly. “If you’re really sorry, you would do my notes right over… there.” Ryan continued, pointing at his side of the bed.
Trevor’s eye twitched. He eventually sighed in defeat. “Fine. Whatever. Just don’t do anything stupid or I will seriously kick you out.”
“Don’t forget who pays for this dorm!” Ryan exclaimed before sitting up straight. Messing with Trevor was always entertaining. And it got rid of any bad vibes parading around Ryan’s head. Maybe.
The time was 1 am. Trevor ended up sleeping on the top bunk. His head was flattening his notebook, and Ryan was sure he was drooling on it as well. He couldn’t be mad, he was the one who made Trevor do his stupid notes while he struggled to model a box on Blender. He only hoped Trevor wouldn’t throw a fit on how he edited the movie.
Ryan threw himself on the bottom bunk, letting himself sink into the covers. He was tired, obviously. Usually, he’d be fast asleep. Nothing filled his mind when it was time for bed.
It seemed that his little stunt earlier didn’t work. The thoughts didn’t leave his mind at all.
He shifted to the side facing the wall, staring at it like a blank slate. He couldn’t sleep without thinking of Trevor’s stupid face telling him how horrible he is at cooking. How Kendrick used the cardboard cookware like he was a world renowned chef. How he would watch his mother carry him and take him away from the stove-
That was random.
Not knowing anything about household chores was an embarrassment in itself. As a child, he would always flaunt that he didn’t have to do anything himself, that he had workers to do the heavy lifting. But he’s not a little boy anymore, he’s a grown man. Everyone expected him to know the basics.
Was watching people work enough for him to understand? It wasn’t a pretty sight when you get scolded by your father for slicing your finger with a knife, or when you almost burn your friend’s hand. Their trust in him deteriorated every attempt, like he was meant to be a spoiled brat who relied on others for comfortability. But their complaints about his supposed laziness rang in his ears. He didn’t know what they wanted him to be. Knowing everything and nothing simultaneously felt like an impossible task.
But despite others opinions, one stuck to Ryan like a fly on a glue trap. He swore he wasn’t stupid. He could cook. Hell, he could even start learning how to wash his own clothes without a washing machine ir iron them without relying on Trevor. A few mistakes aren’t enough to stop anyone from trying.
Another idea surfaced into his head.
He pulled out his phone from the pocket of his shorts and went on google. Maybe then, he’ll learn. He’ll prove Trevor wrong.
It wasn’t just that idiot in his mind.