Again

Chapter 10

Steve returns to his food and tries to shake off whatever that just was.

"So, what exactly were you both up to on the court before I got out there?" Steve directs his question at Corey and Morgan. They look wide-eyed at their plates, then exchange a glance biting their lips back, and then turn to Steve. Bravely Morgan speaks first.

"Well, I was just trying to show him that he doesn't need to be the tallest guy out there if he's got a good team around him."

"You know what, Morgan, you're absolutely right. Thank you. Though I'm sure it won't be an issue for long, Cor, you're only eight. You've got loads of time" Steve smiles hugely at the boys and looks pleased. Even though their generation seems to be in the throws of glamorising violence, extreme sports and derogatory behaviour, it was great to see two kids being kind to one another.

Mouth half full of food, Eddie speaks, "And how exactly did you do that, hmmm?" The boy's beaming faces turn to alarm, and Eddie turns calmly to Steve, "Vague answer. They're hiding something" Eddie pokes at his food again and takes another bite. Then, turning back, he looks between them, putting down his fork and steepling his fingers to his mouth, "Let's break this down, shall we? Something around height and other people...sooooo, ah, you threw him up in the air at the basket" Morgan looks very nervous again and is flanked by Beans.

"Flipped", Corey adds with a smirk, and Eddie returns an impressed eyebrow raise.

Steve puts his knife and fork down and says slowly, almost like he's trying to comprehend it simultaneously, "You were flipped through the air at the hoop?!" His hand rubs at his chest.

"Told you it would give you a heart attack" Corey laughs and shakes his head.

Steve feels awkward. Yes, the thought of his boy getting flipped through the air like a pancake at a metal hoop was terrifying, but he didn't want to seem like a complete spoilsport. Neither of them was harmed, and he guessed Morgan was probably only doing it to win over Corey, at which he had succeeded where many had failed. Steve feels Zee staring at him and turns to see a slight pleading look in her eyes. Steve swallows, "Well, you know, neither of you is hurt, so I'm not gonna make it a big thing. Just um, maybe something less risky next time, right guys?"

"Right," the boys say in unison, but one with defeat and the other with relief.

Steve turns to Eddie and mouths silently, "Was that ok?" He could feel the worry creasing on his brow. He knows how to speak to his kids but doesn't want to overstep with Morgan. Eddie looks at Steve with a sweet smile, and under the table, his knee nudges Steve's leg.

"Perfect", he mouths back, and Steve grins back like he won the jackpot or something.

The meal goes by with them generally chatting about school, D&D and music, mainly letting the kids take the lead on conversation until it's time for dessert. Eddie dabs his mouth with a napkin and asks, "Kids, think you can clear the table for dessert if we go get it? I mean, Steve did kinda do all of this."

"It's fine, really. It won't take me five minutes," Steve says, quickly reaching for some of the dishes. Corey slaps his hand away.

"He did a lot today, didn't he?" Zee agrees with a beaming smile, but not without a small amount of teasing, "Sure, why not, right?" She looks over at Morgan, who agrees immediately, which prompts a shrug from Corey, who starts piling up some plates.

"Onward! To the castle! To retrieve the dessert in distress!" Eddie booms, leaping out of his seat and tugging at Steve's arm. With a jolt, Steve follows him out to the motorhome.

Eddie pulls out the steps and opens the door waving Steve inside first. Ascending the stairs, Steve is quite unprepared for the beautiful aroma that hits him from a space occupied by one grown man and a teenage boy. Was that peaches? Once inside, Steve takes the place in, and guiltily he thinks this place is a lot tidier than he was expecting. Eddie wasn't gross or disgusting, but he was, as it said on the outside of his home, a hurricane. Steve remembers piles of utter chaos around his room in the trailer, and sure sometimes he might forget where something was and get wound up about it, but eight times out of ten, he could walk straight up to one of the said piles or boxes and reach in and find exactly what he was looking for. This place looked terrific, sure the teal furnishings were a bit much, but Steve could see that Eddie mostly tried to cover those with throws or cushions made out of band flags or crocheted material. Above all else, he's surprised about how roomy it was besides the narrow mini hallway towards the back.