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The digital alarm clock next to Stede’s bed has 1.30AM glowing red on the display, and so far Stede hasn’t managed to sleep at all. It’s his first night in his university dorm, and everything is just a bit too different for him to be able to really settle in. He’s surprisingly homesick, and wondering if he’s made a terrible mistake going so far away for uni. Maybe he should have gone to the local university with his friend Jeffrey, at least then he’d have someone he knows.
He’s spent the better part of the last three hours lying on his back with his eyes closed, one arm clutching his plush blue plesiosaur, Mary, to his side, but no matter how hard he tries he can’t drift off. Perhaps he should stop trying so hard.
Stede is just starting to feel himself getting fuzzy around the edges when he realises he has to pee. Sighing he pulls himself out of bed, puts on his slippers, and goes out into the darkened hallway to go to the bathroom.
He’s on his way back to his room when he notices the smell of cookies. He wanders down the hall until he finds the source of the smell, which is coming from the shared kitchenette. The room is dark except for the light coming from the oven, and he hopes whoever is using it has set a timer to come back and hasn’t fallen asleep back in their room. Whatever’s in there smells so good that Stede just has to go and have a little look.
“Hey,” a voice says behind him.
Stede tries to stifle a shriek, letting out a strangled squeak instead as he spins around. He can just make out someone sitting on one of the counters. Stede turns on the light to the room, which makes them both squint and blink to adjust.
“Sorry, didn’t mean to scare you,” the other person says. Stede’s vision finally clears and his heart, already racing after the fright, seems impossibly to start beating even faster. “I’m Ed,” the other boy says.
“I know,” Stede replies, then immediately feels himself blushing. “I mean, I remember you from earlier.” Earlier, when their floor had all gathered in the common room for awkward introductions. Earlier, when Stede first saw Ed and was absolutely captivated by him. With his beautiful black curls pulled back into a loose ponytail and deep brown eyes that Stede wanted to lose himself in, eyes that crinkled in the corners when he smiled with his mouth that Stede wanted to… Stede still isn’t sure what he wants to do with Ed’s mouth.
And now he’s here in the kitchenette, alone, with Ed looking at him, presumably waiting for him to say something else.
“You’re Stede, right?” Ed finally says.
Actually it’s Stede, with a d, not Steve. The words are on the tip of Stede’s tongue when he suddenly stops and registers how Ed said his name.
“You remembered my name right,” Stede says.
“Well, yeah, not hard,” Ed says with a little frown.
“Most people don’t remember, and call me Steve.”
“Well, fuck most people then,” Ed says cheerfully. Ed’s wearing a pair of black boxer shorts and an oversized purple t-shirt that says “Feline Sleepy” in curly font over a cartoon cat. Stede thinks about his own pyjamas, teal cotton with golden piping, and wonders if he’s overdressed. Can you be overdressed for bed?
“You’re making cookies now?” Stede asks, wincing a little as he realises he’s stated the obvious.
“Couldn’t sleep, feeling a bit homesick. Cookies are my comfort food. My mum makes the best cookies! Though pre-made cookie dough is the best I can manage here.” Ed shrugs, and Stede notices an empty container of Double Chocolate Chunk dough on the bench next to Ed from a brand that he recognises from the supermarket.
“I’ve been a bit homesick myself,” Stede confesses. “I don’t know anyone else here.”
“No friends from school?” Ed asks.
“No, no one else. Just me and Mary.”
“Who’s this Mary then?” Ed asks with a quirked eyebrow.
“Oh…” Stede feels himself colouring. Eighteen-year-olds probably shouldn’t still have stuffed animals. Ed’s still looking at him expectantly, and he can’t come up with anything on the spot. “My stuffed plesiosaur…” Stede sighs at last, looking to his feet.
“Cool. I love marine reptiles,” Ed says enthusiastically. Stede’s heart leaps at Ed using the correct terminology, most people think they’re all dinosaurs. “Meet Doug!” Ed holds out a cuddly looking purple mosasaurus towards Stede. Stede hadn’t noticed it initially, hidden behind where Ed was sitting on the bench.
“A pleasure to meet you, good sir,” Stede says, doing a little bow and reaching out to shake one of Doug’s flippers.
Ed laughs, and it’s a beautiful sound. “You’re funny. I like it.”
“Well, I’ll leave you to it. Hope you have a good rest of the night, or morning, I guess.” Stede goes to leave the room.
“Hang on, these’ll be done in a second. And I reckon you could use a little pick-me-up.” Ed hops down off the bench and goes to peer through the oven door.
“I don’t want to impose!”
“Nah, not imposing. Not like I can eat all these by myself… Well, actually I could, but it’s more fun to share.”
Ed opens the oven door and uses a tea towel to quickly pull the tray out, muttering under his breath. Stede can just make out something about buying some oven mitts for next time. The tray clatters onto the stovetop and Ed drops the tea towel, shaking his hands a little.
The cookies look even better than they smell.
“Well, maybe just one,” Stede says, “once they’re cool enough.”
“Who’s waiting for that?” Ed says, picking up a cookie from the tray and juggling it in his hands. He takes a bite, and half the cookie falls, leaving a smear of melted chocolate down his face before landing on the floor and sending crumbs everywhere.
“Okay, yeah, maybe I should have waited,” Ed laughs, then looks down and grimaces. “What a mess!” Ed makes quick work of cleaning up the floor with some paper towels.
“You’ve still got some chocolate on your face,” Stede gestures with his finger. Ed pulls off another piece of paper towel and rubs at his chin, but only succeeds in smearing it more. “Hold on.” Stede takes the paper towel from Ed and runs it under the tap.
He’s standing in front of Ed, soggy paper towel in hand, about to reach up and clean Ed’s face for him. And they are very very close together. Stede’s heart gives a little jump in his chest.
“Is this alright?” Stede asks.
“Yeah, s’fine,” Ed sounds slightly breathless.
Stede carefully runs the paper towel over Ed’s jaw, until all the chocolate is cleaned off.
“There you go, perfect,” Stede says softly. Ed smiles at him, his eyes flickering down to Stede’s lips before taking a quick step back.
“You know what would be perfect,” Ed says, “some milk to go with these cookies. But guess who bought six tubs of cookie dough and three jumbo bags of Maltesers, but no milk… or bread for that matter? Huh. I should probably go back to the shops in the morning. Didn’t really think that through.”
“I have milk,” Stede says. “In my mini fridge in my room, for my tea. I could bring it out here?”
“Or,” Ed starts, a shy look on his face. “We could take the cookies there? I mean, Doug doesn’t know anyone here either, I bet he’d love to meet Mary!”
“I think Mary would love to make a new friend,” Stede giggles as Ed starts piling the cookies on the plate. Stede carries the plate back to his room, Ed walking next to him and hugging Doug close to his chest. Their elbows brush together as they go, and Stede knows that he’s exactly where he’s meant to be.