Archive of Our Own ^beta

Isak stared at his computer screen in a mixture of horror and confusion.

“Fold the eggs in?” He asked himself incredulously out loud.

He screwed up his face and scratched the tip of his ear.

“What the fuck does that mean?”

He was balancing the laptop on the corner of the kitchen counter as he tried desperately to work out how to bake a fucking cake.

‘it was easy’ he had thought. ‘are you kidding? It’s a piece of cake!’ he had said when Eskild laughed at him at the announcement that Isak Valtersen was going to cook his boyfriend the best Birthday dinner in the entire world.

Turns out these instructions were written in a language Isak did not understand.

At all.

I should have taken 18^th century as my foreign language this year, not German, he thought as he came across something that said ‘beat the mixture until it resembles coarse sand’. What in the actual world???

How the hell was he going to pull this off? Even was always showering Isak in delicious meals and treats of all varieties. From pancakes and Tacos, to those weird fruity biscuit cake things that Isak was sure he would hate…but like anything Even created, Isak absolutely adored them.

But the one time he tried to do something, anything, for Even; He can’t even get past the damn recipe.

 He threw his head on the bench in dismay.

I am pathetic. Isak declared, ashamed that he couldn’t get this right for Even. He really wanted to do something special for him.

“Hey Is- oh my god what’s that smell?” Noora snapped him out of his self-pity and back to reality as he finally smelt the awful scent of –

burnt bread.

“Ahhhh shit shit shit” Isak muttered under his breath repeatedly as he scrambled over to the oven. He went to stick his whole hand in before Noora intercepted him and handed him a cotton tea towel.

He pulled the tray that held the charcoaled flat circle that once was his beloved birthday Pizza out of the oven and felt his heart fall as he let it clatter onto the table.

“Well so much for that.” Isak stated as his head fell against his chest. Would literally anything go right?

Isak felt Noora’s hand on his shoulder “Oh Isak, I’m sorry.”

He nodded and then leaned against the counter. “I just wanted to do this one special thing…”

“I know Isak…Look it’s not over. I’ll help.” Noora suddenly stated, determination in her voice.

Isak lifted his head. “Really? But don’t you have plans?”

Noora waved her phone in the air “Yeah but I can just call Eva and-“

She broke off when there was a knock at the door.

Noora winced “and that would be her.”

Isak smiled timidly as the door opened and Eva, Vilde, Sana and Chris all poured in.

“Heeey you ready to go?”

“Hi Isak!”

“Noora must you wear those shoes with that coat?”

“Do I smell something burning?”

Isak could not keep up with them as they all talked at once. Finally, Noora stepped towards them. “Guys I’m not going, I’m going to stay here and help Isak.”

They all fixed their eyes on him in confusion and worry.

“Is everything okay Isak?” Eva asked, worry peaking her voice.

“Yeah he’s just trying to bake a cake for Even’s birthday…and he burnt the dinner.” Noora spoke for him.

Isak rolled his eyes “I didn’t burn…”

“It looks pretty burnt to me.” Sana said as she poked at the black rock lying on their counter.

“Aw no Isak that is so sweet!” Vilde exclaimed as she gazed at him proudly.

Isak resisted rolling his eyes again.

“Okay so we will help.” Chris stated, throwing her bag on the floor.”

Isak shook his head. “You guys really don’t need to – “

“We’re helping Isak, now pass me that giant wooden spoon thingy.” Sana ordered waving her hand at Isak.

“You mean the spatula?” Vilde corrected.

“it is what I said it is.” Sana replied, waving the spatula around like a sword, while Eva began to inspect all the eggs. Oh boy.

“So what does that mean?”

“Beat the eggs…do we hit the mixture?”

Isak looked up at Noora in horror “I thought you knew how to cook?”

“Oh please just because I am a woman doesn’t mean I can bake. Honestly Isak that is so incredibly –“

“Will you please save your lecture? I have a cake to bake.”

“Here Isak, just throw in all the dry ingredients first. Vilde and I measured it all up for you.” Eva interjected as she passed Isak a bunch of cups and bowls full of flour and sugar.

“Wait Eva you know how to bake?” Noora asked surprised.

Eva shrugged. “My mum and I used to do it when I was a kid…when she was home more often.”

“Okay that settles it.” Noora declared. “Eva, Vilde – Cake duty, Sana, Chris, and I will organise dinner.”

“Lets doooo it.” Chris shouted heading for the fridge. Isak checked the time on the microwave as he felt himself getting nervous. Let’s hope Even forgives him for this.

“You guys own literally no food.” Sana stated as her, Noora, Chris, and Isak all stared at the empty fridge.

“We have this random block of cheese.” Noora said, holding the yellow brick in the palm of her hand.

“What can we make with cheese?” Chris asked.

“Eva stoooop it!” Vilde giggled from the other side of the room. They all turned to see brown goo painted on Vilde’s cheek and Eva laughing her head off.

They suddenly saw everyone staring at them and straightened up.

“Okay this is ready to go in the oven” Eva announced.

“Let’s do it.” Vilde replied loudly. And then…

“Oh My God, why didn’t I think of this sooner?” Isak shouted, his hand slapping his forehead in annoyance.

“What?” Noora asked, confused.

“Gimme that.” Isak said as he took the cheese from her and headed for the bread.

“I know what we’re making. Chris get the Cardamom.”

////////////

“Guys this looks amazing. Thank you.” Isak said in awe as he looked at the picnic they had helped him set up on his bedroom floor. His room actually looked tidy, and it was decorated with a bunch of candles Noora found in one of the cupboards. It was beautiful.

Eva and Vilde carried the cake in ceremoniously, the girls clapped as they placed it onto the blanket, right in the centre of the feast of Cheese toasties and cardamom they had set up.

“I still don’t get the cardamom thing, but I’m glad you’re happy.” Sana said, gazing at the cheese toasties suspiciously

Isak grinned, “I seriously owe you guys.”

“you’ll make it up to us.” Eva smiled.

A knock at the door suddenly set them all in a panic.

“Oh my god he’s early! You guys gotta leave.”

The girls scrambled, gathering all their stuff and heading for the door.

“No no no, The back way!” Isak shouted.

Isak rushed the girls out the door and closed it, but not before Sana turned to him and said “Oh NOW you really do owe us.”

He rolled his eyes and sighed as he frantically fixed his hair.

He tried to calm himself and slow down his breathing before slowly walking towards the door.

He released another breath before flinging the door open.

And there he was. The man of his life.

Even grinned at him as soon as he saw him. The way he always smiled at Isak, like he was the sun, shining down on him, making his heart and soul warm and fuzzy and his eyes squint at the light. Even was beautiful.

“Halla” Isak said not being able to contain his happiness at seeing him, he was smiling like a dork.

“Halla” Even replied cheekily before pulling Isak towards him and showering him with kisses.

Isak pulled back surprised, “Hey it’s your birthday old man, shouldn’t I be the one kissing you?”

Even raised his eyebrows, “It’s my birthday, and all I want to do on my birthday is kiss the hottest boy alive.” He said before leaning in and kissing Isak again.

Isak smiled into the kiss “Well we better hurry this up so you can go find him.”

Even pulled back and wacked him on the back of the head “Shut up you dork, I meant you.”

God dammit Isak was blushing again. Even always knew how to set his heart on fire.

“Okay, Okay” Isak giggled pulling back again and resting his hands on his chest.

“I got a surprised.”

Even raised his eyebrows suggestively.

Isak rolled his eyes while smiling “Not that kind of surprise, you old pervert.”

“I am literally only a day older than yesterday” Even muttered as Isak pulled him into his bedroom.

“Isak” Even breathed as he took in his surroundings and saw every single detail Isak had planned. The Message by Nas was playing on Isak’s speakers, the cheese toasties were piled up high, enough for them to live on for a week, and then there was Isak’s laptop with Pretty Woman set up, ready to press play.

Isak looked at Even nervously “do you like it? is it too much? I can- I can”

Even turned to him and pulled him close by tugging on the collar of his shirt. Isak felt Even’s breath tickle his skin as he brushed his cheek against his and then slowly and passionately kissed his lips, his tongue slightly grazing Isak’s. He pulled back and rest his forehead against the golden haired boys as he smiled down at him.

“It is perfect Isak”

“really?” Isak breathed.

“Really.” Even confirmed before cheekily rubbing his nose against Isak’s

“I love you” He said as he brushed a hand through Isak’s golden curls.

“I love you too” Isak said dazed. He couldn’t believe that Even was his and he was Even’s. Completely.

They sat down on the blanket and cuddled together as they pressed play on Even’s favourite movie.

Even paused the movie like 14 times just so he could make Isak say “Kardamomme! On the top of his lungs for his amusement.

It was awful, but they ate every last bite of the cheese toasties.

“I can’t believe you actually baked me a cake.” Even said as he licked the icing off his finger.

Isak squirmed “Well…I did get some help.”

Even’s eyes twinkled “I knew it!”

Isak rolled his eyes “Look I can cook I just-“

“Can’t cook.” Even finished for him.

“Shut up!” Isak laughed as he shoved Even’s shoulder.

Even fell to the ground laughing, and pulled Isak with him.

Isak landed on top of Even and smiled down at him. “Happy Birthday” He whispered, making sure the words were only for their ears.

Even smiled and brushed his fingertips over Isak’s face, tracing his smile, his dimples, his eyebrows.

“Are you ready for your last present?” Isak asked smugly.

Even raised his eyebrows, “Is it what I think it is, or am I gonna be accused of old man perversion again?”

Isak smiled and stood up, pulling Even up with him. “come with me and you’ll find out.”

Even felt the heat creep up his chest. “Oh my god I love you and your thing for old guys.”

Isak laughed and pulled Even towards him, letting them fall onto the bed in an entanglement of limbs.

They kissed and giggled and loved deep through the night, until Even eventually fell asleep in Isak’s arms. Isak kissed the corner of Even’s lips, each of his eyelids, and the dimple in his cheek. He looked at this boy in his arms and he knew, that there was never going to be a single birthday he will ever miss.

This was forever.