#single dad eddie munson | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

steddieas-shegoes · 9 months

Text

this place is such great motivation for anyone trying to move the fuck away from hibernation

chapter 1: before also on AO3 based on this post Rated E for future chapters

🧰🧰🧰🧰🧰🧰🧰🧰🧰🧰🧰🧰🧰🧰🧰🧰

Nobody thought he could do it, but he did.

He graduated.

He was gonna get out of here.

He was gonna be someone.

The woman he celebrated with reminded him of Steve. He couldn’t lie to himself about it, knew the exact reasons he’d let her flirt with him, let her touch his arm, let her kiss him against the wall of the hallway of the bar leading to the bathrooms.

She was beautiful, of course, her hair a golden brown, eyes a soft brown. She had freckles along her cheeks and one on the tip of her nose.

Easily kissable if he were looking for more than one night.

He couldn’t give her that.

But he didn’t get the idea that she was interested in more than that anyway.

The back of the van was the perfect place to fuck her, and the fact that she didn’t really seem disgusted or annoyed by it further proved that she wasn’t interested in anything beyond tonight with him.

She was good, liked it a little rough, kissed him like she needed his lips on hers to survive.

Eddie was lost in it, not drunk enough to realize they’d forgotten to use a condom, but drunk enough to ignore it.

She was probably on birth control anyway.

It wouldn’t be anything more than tonight.

————————————————————

“Eds, I’m sorry about this, but they called me in for a shift. They’re pretty short staffed lately, so I think I should go,” Wayne said while Eddie was putting on his coveralls for work.

He was bouncing Mia on his hip, smiling down at her as he spoke to Eddie from the bathroom doorway.

“No, I get it,” Eddie replied.

He did. He totally understood.

When Mia’s mom had shown up with her on his doorstep, hospital bracelets still on them both, he’d already felt the shift of his entire life.

There was no denying Mia was his, even at only three days old.

So he held her in his arms, and he cried until Wayne got home from work, and then they figured it out.

He owed Wayne so much even before Mia, but now, as her number one caretaker, he owed Wayne everything.

So, yeah, he understood.

But it didn’t negate the fact that he was now going to have to take her to work with him on a day that the secretary wouldn’t be in to help keep an eye on her.

She was at the age where crawling could happen any day, and she was antsy if she was held for too long or stuck in her car seat or pack and play for more than 15 minutes.

But the shop was no place for a baby to learn to crawl, and that meant keeping her contained in something while he worked his Saturday shift.

“I don’t have to go in for a couple hours, so I could keep her here and drop her off on my way?” Wayne offered, knowing Eddie’s brain was trying to figure everything out.

“No, I may be in the middle of something when you get there so it’d be easier to just go ahead and have her there,” Eddie sighed. “Is her bounce seat in the truck?”

“I can check.”

Wayne passed her off to him, kissing the top of her head before he walked out to the truck.

“Hey, superstar. You wanna come to work with Daddy?” Eddie asked, laughing when she giggled and smacked his face in excitement. “Guess that’s a yes. You gonna behave or are you gonna cause trouble?”

“Ba!” Mia yelled, smacking him again.

“Ba for behave? I sure hope so,” he said quietly.

The guys at the shop were totally fine with her being there, and often turned the music down and watched their language more, but he knew it was an annoyance.

Everyone there had kids, yet he was the only one who had to bring his.

Everyone there also had wives who mostly stayed home or worked at the school so they had someone to watch their kids, but that wasn’t easy to remember when he started feeling bad.

“Better get you in something warm. It’s chilly out there,” Eddie poked at her cheek, where her dimple was on display.

She was a happy baby, hardly cried even when she was a newborn. He was incredibly lucky, would hate to know how much worse off they’d have been if she was a fussy baby.

He brought her into their shared room of the trailer, setting her down on the changing table.

He changed her quickly, buttoning her up in her warmest onesie and sweater, already trying to figure out how he would keep a blanket on her legs when she just kicked so damn much when Wayne walked into the room.

“Bounce seat is in your van. She should be pretty happy in that. Lets her get those legs moving,” Wayne said fondly. “You sure you’re good? Maybe I could try to call someone.”

“No, it’s okay. I’ve got it,” Eddie said with a smile.

“I know ya do, kid,” Wayne patted his shoulder before walking back out of the room.

“Alright, Miss Mia. Time to go start pulling your weight around here. You’ll have to get under those cars and do some oil changes if you wanna pay for those rice snacks you like so much,” he joked, tickling her side.

She giggled, and then started laughing uncontrollably.

It was his favorite laugh.

He couldn’t help but laugh along with her, picking her up and swinging her around before settling her against his hip.

She was his whole life, and if he could spend all of it making her laugh like that, he’d be the happiest person in the world.

————————————————————————

“Right, and I think last time we did mention you would need a cabin filter replacement on your next visit,” Eddie explained to the customer who was irate that they were recommending a cabin filter replacement in his car that somehow managed to still run despite its ignored maintenance.

“And if you remember, I told ya then that was a bunch of horse shit. Cabin filters don’t have to be replaced but every few years,” the man insisted.

“Sir, I do wish that were true, but-“

“Ed? Mia’s gettin’ a little fussy. Want me to hold her while you handle this?” Adam said from the doorway into the shop.

Eddie sighed and wiped his hand down his face, forgetting there was still a bit of oil on it from the last car he’d worked on.

“Sure, thanks man,” Eddie replied with a small smile.

“You either do it for free or I want my car back the way it was,” the man said when Adam went back into the shop area.

“I’m sorry, sir, we just don’t recommend driving it with the old cabin filter and-“

“Where’s your manager?”

Eddie threw his head back and groaned.

Should he have done it? No.

But his least favorite part of Saturdays was that he had to deal with rude customers by himself.

“He isn’t in on Saturdays. I’m the assistant manager. If I take the new cabin filter out of your car and put the old one back, your car is on its last days.”

“That’s what ya say every time I come.”

“Which is often. Because you don’t do what we tell you to do. Look, I’ve got two more cars to do, so if you wanna take the risk, I’ll go put your old filter back in. Or you can just pay us the $20 for the labor and new filter and maybe get another five or ten thousand miles out of that thing.”

That was generous.

This guy’s car was older than Eddie. He’d be lucky to get another 100 miles out of it, even with a new filter.

“Ed, sorry man. It’s just Mia isn’t calming down,” Adam stood in the doorway holding Mia, who was crying and rubbing her eyes, clearly ready for a nap but unable to because of the noise in the shop.

“Yeah, be right there,” Eddie said, and Adam, the best guy he knew besides Wayne, smiled reassuringly at him and went back into the shop with her.

“Why’s there a baby here?” the man asked, arms crossed.

“She’s my daughter. No one else could watch her.” Eddie walked behind the counter and wrote up a receipt showing he was refusing the new cabin filter. “Sign this saying we aren’t responsible for if your car catches fire, which it inevitably will soon, by not changing the cabin filter.”

The man signed it, then huffed about mechanics thinking they know everything.

Eddie barely managed to stop himself from rolling his eyes.

When he went back in the shop, Mia was full on screaming, something she rarely did, even when she was hungry or needed a diaper change.

“What’s wrong, metalhead in training?” he asked as he took her from Adam’s arms. “Sorry guys, she doesn’t usually do this.”

“No, we know man. It’s alright. She isn’t getting sick, is she?”

“Don’t think so. I just think she’s tired. It’s her nap time,” Eddie sighed, looking at the clock.

Three hours left.

He could do this.

They could do this.

“Do you think you can put his old cabin filter back in while I walk with her outside to calm her down?” Eddie asked Adam, noticing a car pulling into the parking lot.

Normally, Saturday mornings were busy, but around lunchtime, things slowed down. It seemed like he wouldn’t be so lucky today.

“Yeah, no problem.”

“I’ll see what this person needs while I’m out there,” Eddie said, nodding towards the front where someone was walking into the shop.

Eddie made his way to the front, ignoring the man pacing the floor as he waited for his shitbox car to be done.

“Alright, Mia, let’s calm down. Daddy’s gotta help a customer, okay? You wanna help me? Wanna wave at them when they get inside?” Eddie was speaking to her calmly, doing his best to get her to calm down.

She didn’t.

And that’s, of course, how Steve Harrington walked back into his life.

He’d left over a year ago, barely said goodbye to anyone, just followed Robin to college like a lost puppy.

He hadn’t really blamed him for leaving, but it still hurt.

He thought they were friends.

Maybe not best friends, but close enough that he would have said bye.

“Steve?” Eddie felt like the walls were closing in, an unexplainable panic at the thought of having to talk to Steve professionally when all he wanted to do was yell at him hitting him.

“Eddie! Holy shit, I didn’t even think you’d still be in town,” Steve said, beaming at him like he hadn’t torn Eddie to pieces when he left.

And, well, he hadn’t exactly known he’d torn Eddie to pieces when he left, but still. Eddie felt a lot of resentment suddenly boiling over.

“Well, some of us didn’t have much of an option,” he said, nodding down to Mia.

He would never let Mia think any of his situation was her fault, but she was too young to understand what he was suggesting, and he maybe wanted to let Steve know that he was a bit hurt.

“Oh.” Then, it seemed to hit Steve what he was implying. “Oh! She’s yours?”

“Uh huh. So, you having car trouble?” Eddie didn’t need to prolong this, not with Mia still whimpering and crying in his ear.

“Oh, uh. Yeah. So I kinda haven’t had an oil change since I lived here and I think my car is trying to rebel,” he said sheepishly.

“It’s been a year since you’ve changed the oil in that thing?” Eddie almost couldn’t believe that Steve would let his car end up like that.

“Well, they’re expensive in the city and I haven’t had time to do it myself. And since I’m in town for a week, I thought I’d just get it take care of here. Is that…okay?” he seemed hesitant, like maybe he was actually realizing that Eddie was a bit pissed off.

“Yeah, that’s what we’re here for. Leave the keys and we’ll get it back soon,” Eddie nodded at the counter as he started to walk around the lobby, bouncing Mia in his arms to try to get her to fully calm down.

“What’s her name?” Steve asked from much closer than he expected.

“Mia.”

“She’s beautiful. Is her mom working too?”

“No clue what her mom’s doing. Haven’t seen her since she was born,” Eddie tried not to have an attitude, but the subject was not one he liked to discuss with anyone, let alone the man who unintentionally broke his heart.

“Oh.”

Eddie looked over to see Steve frowning, his brows furrowed, lost in thought.

“Yeah. Sorry for the crying. She wasn’t supposed to be here today and her nap schedule is fucked now,” Eddie closed his eyes. “Sorry, screwed up. She normally is the happiest baby in the world.”

Steve searched Eddie’s face, then looked at Mia with a smile.

“I could hold her if you want. I’m pretty good with babies usually.”

“You have a lot of experience with babies?” Eddie asked, disbelief clear in his tone.

“I babysit a lot between shifts in the city.”

“Shifts?”

“I’m a waiter, which isn’t the best, but it pays the bills and I get a free meal on the clock, so,” he shrugged. “Anyway, I can try at least? Might make it easier for you to work.”

Mia started crying louder again, like she had realized that she still wasn’t asleep for her nap.

“Mia, baby, c’mon. You can close your eyes and go to sleep, I got ya,” Eddie said softly, trying to get her to calm down enough to rest her head on his shoulder.

He was certain she would have some oil stains on her clothes after this, but he couldn’t really find a reason to care right now.

“Eds, let me hold her for a second. You’re getting stressed out. She can tell you’re stressed,” Steve said quietly enough so no one else in the lobby would hear.

“I got it,” Eddie insisted, while Mia seemed to get more upset.

He felt like crying, but he couldn’t.

“I’m sure you do, but it’s okay to have some help sometimes, ya know?” Steve said.

Which is ironic coming from Mr. I Don’t Need Help himself.

“Fine. Here,” Eddie finally gave in, passing Mia over to him.

She slowly stopped crying, looking at Steve with wide eyes.

“Hi princess. Aren’t you so sweet? What’s got you so upset, little one?” Steve asked her, slowly starting to do a bouncing/rocking motion with his legs that had her little head drooping onto his shoulder.

She let out a loud sigh, like the weight of the world was leaving her shoulders, and Eddie felt tears pricking his eyes.

“That’s it, Mia. You can sleep right here, okay?” Steve whispered.

Her eyes were still open, but Eddie could see the long, slow blinks that told him she’d be asleep soon.

“How?”

Steve smiled at him, but didn’t answer.

“I’m gonna go back in the shop, but come get me if she starts crying again?” Eddie was pretty desperate to finish up for the day, wanted to get home as soon as possible and make sure Mia could properly nap.

“Yeah, take your time. Can’t leave without my car anyway,” Steve winked.

Dammit.

Eddie ignored the stupid butterflies in his stomach, ignored the way his heart skipped a beat, and turned to go back into the shop.

He couldn’t let Steve have an effect on him, not now, not after the hurt he’d caused him.

———————————————————————

He told himself that his constant looking through the glass window to the lobby was just to make sure Mia was okay.

He told himself it had absolutely nothing to do with how hot Steve looked pacing around the lobby slowly as she slept on his shoulder.

He told himself that the way Mia was holding onto his shirt and drooling on him wasn’t adorable at all.

He told himself it didn’t hurt that Mia looked like she could be Steve’s just as much as she could be Eddie’s.

“Dude, the oil is spilling,” Jesse said from behind him.

Jesse was their newest hire, worked every Saturday and most afternoons while he got through his certification program at the community college.

“Shit,” Eddie turned back to Steve’s car, rushing to put a new can under it so the rest of the oil could drip into it.

“You good, man? You seem a little out of it today,” Jesse checked.

“Yeah, yeah. Just wasn’t ready for bringing Mia today is all. I’m fine,” he said with his attempt at a reassuring smile.

“I can finish this one up if you want. You can get Mia ready to go since this is the last car,” he offered.

“Nah, it’s that guy’s car anyway. He’s watching her,” Eddie said as he checked over a few other things under the hood.

Adam had turned the music off when he finished his last car, his station almost cleaned up.

The shop was as quiet as it ever gets, which is the only reason he heard the loud laugh coming from the lobby.

His favorite laugh.

He looked over to see Steve dancing around with Mia, bouncing her around, booping her nose, tickling her neck.

Steve was laughing while Mia smacked at his cheeks excitedly.

She was babbling something, but he couldn’t quite hear it through the door and window.

“Can Adam and I head out, then?” Jesse asked, wiping his hands on a towel he kept in his pocket.

“Yeah, man. Thanks for your hard work today,” Eddie said, giving him a pat on the shoulder.

Adam waved from his spot and gave him a wink as he looked over at Steve holding a giggling Mia.

He’d come out to Adam accidentally on his first day. He made a joke about how he probably should have celebrated his graduation with a man so there was no risk of pregnancy, and then froze.

He could have passed it off as just a joke, but Adam looked at him, tilted his head, and said, “yeah, me too.”

They’d been good friends ever since.

Eddie shook his head at him, didn’t want him to get any ideas about Steve being more than just a temporary babysitter.

Adam shrugged, like he wouldn’t push, but that he knew there was more to it.

They both left out the side door of the shop, and Eddie followed to lock it behind them.

He heard the lobby door open and looked over to see Steve walking in with Mia.

“Hey, you closing up?” Steve asked, smiling down at Mia still.

“Uh, yeah. She okay?” Eddie asked as he opened up the bottle of oil he needed to pour into Steve’s car.

“She’s great, aren’t you Mia? Just needed a power nap. Happy as can be now,” Steve tickled her side and then smiled at Eddie.

“Mama! Mama!” Mia was saying, slapping his cheek with her hands.

Eddie paled.

“Uh. Sorry. I didn’t even know she knew that word. I’ll take her,” he rushed to say, trying to wipe his hands off on his pant legs.

“Oh, it’s fine. Babies her age are just trying to put any word together with the sounds they know. She doesn’t actually think I’m her mama.”

“Right,” Eddie sighed. “I’m almost done.”

“Mama!” Mia said again, and Eddie had to turn away to hide his face.

A part of him was hurt, thinking how unfair it was that Mia didn’t have a mom. A bigger part of him was upset that she’d decided to do this with Steve of all people.

And a tiny part of him was jealous that she hadn’t quite put together any form of Dada yet.

“Is that your daddy over there? He works real hard, huh?” Steve was saying to her, and Eddie could feel his eyes on his back as he worked. “You’re gonna be a big helper someday aren’t you?”

“Ha!” Mia exclaimed.

“Yeah, helper!” Steve said.

Eddie hated that he was so good with her.

He hated that he was picturing a future with Steve and Mia, images moving rapidly through his head of Steve and Mia cooking dinner together while Eddie cleaned up after a long day at the shop, of Eddie and Steve having date night while Wayne watched Mia, of all three of them going to the park, dropping Mia off at her first day of school.

He blinked it all away.

Those thoughts were dangerous.

He finished up, closing the hood of Steve’s car and removing the drip pan from underneath. He lowered it to the ground and turned back to see Steve watching him with his bottom lip between his teeth.

“All set. Oil change, filter change, labor is usually $40, but since you were such a huge help with Mia, I can give you 50% off,” he said.

He would probably get questioned about it, but if he ended up having to get the rest taken out of his paycheck, so be it.

Steve, no matter how he felt about him, had done him a major favor today when he didn’t have to. He owed him something and this was the best he could do.

“Oh, I didn’t mind. She’s an angel. Plus, wouldn’t want you to get in trouble.”

“I won’t. It’s fine. I insist.”

Steve shook his head.

“Nah, I’ll pay full price.” He poked Mia’s cheek and smiled at her. “But I wouldn’t turn down dinner?”

Eddie’s eyes widened.

“Dinner? No offense, but I don’t think dinner is really in my budget, man.”

Steve huffed a small laugh.

“No, no. I meant, like I could treat you to dinner. Tonight or tomorrow?”

“How is treating me to dinner payment for you watching my daughter?” Eddie asked confused.

“Just is. Please?” Steve asked.

“Um. I can see if Wayne can watch her tomorrow night?”

The confusion only grew when Steve excitedly jumped up and down, waving Mia’s hand in the air in excitement.

She was giggling and saying “mama” constantly, which was no longer embarrassing, but definitely not ideal.

“That’d be amazing, Eds. I’m staying with the Hendersons if you wanna just call and let me know what time works for you,” Steve said.

Dustin hadn’t mentioned.

Steve was staying with the Hendersons and Dustin hadn’t even mentioned this to Eddie.

Dustin was the only person who knew about his pining for Steve besides Wayne, and he hadn’t even fucking mentioned.

“Oh, Dustin, uh, didn’t say you were staying with him. Or visiting at all for that matter,” Eddie said as he handed Steve his keys.

“Really? He told me you were excited to catch up,” Steve’s brows furrowed.

“Did he?”

Steve handed Mia over to Eddie, looking a bit lost all of a sudden with his hands empty.

“Yeah.” Steve reached into his back pocket for his wallet and took out $40. “Do I need to sign anything?”

Eddie took the $40 and put it in his pocket for now, and watched as Steve transformed from a happy, confident person to a shy, unsure version of himself.

“Nope, all good.” Eddie stepped closer to Steve for a moment, sucked up his pride, and waved Mia’s hand at him. “Say bye to Steve, sweetheart.”

“Ba!” Steve smiled at her. “Mama!”

“Bye, sweet girl. Maybe we can hang out before I go?” Steve turned to look at Eddie, silently begging to see Mia again.

“If you want to, sure. I mean, you could also just come over for dinner tonight if you want. I was gonna make spaghetti. Wayne’s at work. I’m sure Mia would love to have someone to play with while I cook,” Eddie knew he’d regret it, but Mia would be happy to have someone keeping her company on her play mat while he worked on the sauce.

“I don’t wanna interrupt your night or anything-“

“You aren’t. I’m not the best chef in the world, but it’s edible. And I’m sure if you’re living with Robin, you’re not eating homemade meals very often,” Eddie lightly teased.

“And what makes you say that?” Steve’s hands went on his hips.

Eddie’s breath left his body.

He’d missed Steve.

He’d missed his bitchiness, his care, his smile, the way he always watched over them all, even when they didn’t deserve it.

“Just figured you two would have been on the news for accidentally burning an apartment building down by now,” Eddie shrugged, trying to appear more nonchalant, but knowing he was failing miserably.

“I’ll have you know I’m a great cook,” Steve said. “I have to be or else we would end up on the news because Robin burnt our apartment building down.”

Steve smirked at him and Eddie was a goner.

He cleared his throat and patted Mia on her back when she startled in his arms.

“So, how’s six sound? I usually have Mia in bed by 7:30 so we have a pretty strict evening schedule,” he said, hoping his voice sounded even and controlled unlike his thoughts that were far from it.

“Six is great! I just have to run by the Sinclair house to bring Erica her gift first.”

“You got Erica a gift?”

“No, Erica picked out the gift, told me not to show my face in town unless I brought it, and then gave me the exact time to bring it,” Steve admitted.

“Sounds like Erica,” Eddie laughed. “What did the queen insist on you buying her?”

“Some D&D book? I dunno, I live near a shop that has a bunch of tabletop game stuff and she said they would have it so I wrote down the title and went there and they did. I may never recover, emotionally or financially.”

Eddie laughed again, but this time, Steve smiled, a light pink dusting across his cheeks like he was proud of himself for making Eddie laugh.

“Well, those can get pretty expensive. I’m sure she’ll be happy to have it though. Anything that helps her kick all our asses is always good with her,” Eddie said.

“That’s what I figured. So six? You still at the same place?” Steve asked.

“Yeah. Key is under the plant by the steps so come on in.”

“Oh. Okay,” Steve nodded, looking down at his feet. “Do you want me to bring anything?”

“Nah, just yourself and your patience for Mia’s antics.”

“She’s your daughter so I expect shenanigan after shenanigan.”

“Hey!”

Steve threw his hands up and walked over to his car.

“Just saying!”

“Do you hear this, Mia? And you call this guy mama,” Eddie said, tone serious.

He was too busy looking at Mia to see the way Steve blushed as he got into his car.

“See you at six!” Steve said before closing his door, starting his car, and backing out of the shop.

Eddie closed the shop door behind him, then gathered up Mia’s things into the diaper bag made just for the shop.

“You ready to go home, superstar?”

Mia snuggled against his shoulder, probably still sleepy from not having her full afternoon nap.

“I’ll take that as a yes.”

He set the $40 on the counter with a quick note saying what it was for, in too much of a rush to do a full receipt for it.

He hit the lights, and locked the front door before making his way to his van.

Mia was asleep on him, her slow breathing and occasional snore making him smile.

“Oh, we’re in big trouble now, aren’t we Mia?” he whispered before he set her in her car seat.

He knew he could just go into this knowing he couldn’t get attached.

But he knew he already was.

He always had been.

Probably always would be.

#steddie #steve harrington #eddie munson #stranger things #mechanic eddie munson #single dad eddie munson #wayne munson #robin buckley

259 notes · View notes

formosusiniquis · 1 month

Text

in the library there lived a hobbit

Steve Harrington has always been a romantic. He spends his time in his head imagining possible futures with strangers, but one in particular has really caught his attention: the mysterious son of Wayne who comes to Baby and Me every week with his granddaughter Lucy.

When opportunity knocks, Steve is quick to suggest that this mysterious dad starts volunteering at the library. Enter Eddie Munson, a high school crush, and now Steve has to deal with the fantasy single dad he'd been imagining being real, in the library, and reading fantasy books to kids twice a week.

aka my fic for the @strangerthingsreversebigbang

Steve Harrington/Eddie Munson; Robin Buckley & Steve Harrington WC: 20k | T | No Archive Warnings Apply | Tags/Themes: Children's Librarian!Steve Harrington; Single Dad!Eddie Munson; Getting Together; Modern AU; Fluff; Fantasy/Daydreams Vs. Reality

It's been an absolute joy to bring to life @oriarts beautiful artwork please, please check it out here

And a very special thank you to @thefreakandthehair for beta-ing this for me, check out her stuff here

There's a snippet below the cut, but you can of course read the full thing now on AO3

They didn't really write advice columns for men who work with kids and suffer from terminal cases of baby fever. He knows: he's checked. Although, the reference librarian who helped him was Robin, so Steve can't really rule out the possibility that she missed something in her haste to write her own article.

Actually land a date, move out, have babies. Love the agonized aunt of your future children, Robin

It isn't like it was information he didn’t already know. Steve is very aware that he isn’t in the place for kids yet, mostly in the literal sense: romantically single, platonically in a two bedroom apartment with Robin with no space for their own stuff, let alone a kid.

So instead, for thirty-five minutes a week, he gets his fix by leading Baby & Me.

“Give you some help settin’ up, Kid?”

Steve’s startled from his mindless rhythm of setting out the chairs in the activity room and brought back from his baby-fueled drifting by one of his favorite story time guests.

“They pay me to do this; not you, Wayne,” he says, not bothering to turn all the way around. “You can fill the silence if you really want to do something though.” Steve’s set him an impossible task: Wayne is a talker the way Dustin has good manners. The only grandpa who comes to story time, he’d been coming for a month before a particularly bold widow and her youngest granddaughter got a name out of him— but not the date she’d been hoping for.

He takes his usual seat in the circle, across from where Steve is still standing, arms crossed and empty.

“Where’s?” Steve asks.

Wayne quirks his brow down. When Steve follows it all the way down to the floor, Lucy is happily making her way to them in a slow and effortful crawl across the room.

“Been doin’ that since the last time we’s here,” Wayne says.

“Is that why you all missed last week?”

“Nah,” he waves the thought away, “Lucy Joan caught a cold. Didn’t think you’d want ‘er spreadin’ it to the rest of the kids. ‘Course her Daddy was a wreck, had to pry him out with a crowbar to get him to go to work this week.”

Pink cheeked with a gummy smile, Lucy is the picture of health today. She’s made it to Steve now, tugging on his pant leg trying to stand. Crawling is going to lead quickly into walking he suspects.

She doesn’t make it to standing, her tugging taking on a new message. Steve has a rule about picking up any of the babies, a need to create personal boundaries for him and them, but her big, brown doll eyes are harder to resist each week.

#steddie #steddie fic #stranger things reverse bang #strvbb #stranger things reverse bang 2024 #librarian steve harrington #single dad eddie munson #my fic #steve and robin #modern era fic #stranger things fic

60 notes · View notes

boogiewrites · 1 year

Text

Hindsight's Always 19/84 - Pt 1

Single Dad Eddie / Reader AU

You left Hawkins in 1984. You had no intentions of ever coming back. But life had other plans. You grew sick of the fake people and conversations, the classism and nauseating academic personalities of your past life. You craved life with its highs and lows, its triumphs and heartbreak over the beige monotony of white-collar progress. Now divorced and happy to be, you move back home. You run into an old friend, Eddie Munson. He was a memory that had haunted you for years. You haven't been the only one whose life has changed drastically. He's working two jobs and taking care of his son alone. You came back to Hawkins to find a new path, but you're faced with your younger self instead. Will you finally give her the answers she's always needed? Are you brave enough to say the things you couldn't before you left? With the growing connection between two broken adults, it looks like you never should've left.

You know what they say, Hindsight's always 20/20.

You walked down the stairs from your apartment onto the street. The sunset painted the town in nostalgia. Muted colors like looking back into your memories surrounded you. It all felt different and somehow exactly the same. You’d been back for about a month now. But with the exception of holidays, you haven't spent any time in Hawkins for over a decade. You didn’t even go to your 10-year high school reunion. You’d had no expectations of coming back here. Certainly not without an exit date firmly scheduled prior. But life is funny that way. You never expect to get divorced when you get married. You never expect to quit what once was your dream job. You never expect to move back to your hometown in some potentially pathetic, you hadn't decided yet, attempt to find yourself. Along with a lot of other lessons you were finally learning, expecting the unexpected was one being driven into your life hard.

So when you wandered the towns Main Street and saw the old record store you hadn't expected, but maybe you should have, the man standing behind the counter to be the boy who helped form most of those happy memories you’d come back home to revisit.

“We close in like 5 minutes. I can check you out if you know what you want but at 9 you’re getting kicked out.” He didn’t look up from the book of numbers he was staring at on the checkout desk.

“Oh shit. I didn’t look at your hours on the door. Sorry. I’ll leave.” You rush out, not even looking at the guy, his hair hiding his face as he leaned on the counter. You’d barely taken in the familiar space before feeling like a burden.

But then you hear your name called to your back as your hand sits on the door handle. That voice. You hadn’t heard your name said like that in so long. Not just from him but in a way that made it sound like someone was genuinely happy to see you.

“Eddie?” It leaves your slightly parted lips before you even verify the owner of the now much deeper, voice. It’s still cracked and popped when you heard it last. A young man with his training wheels freshly off was now grown before you. He looked so different. And just like the town… somehow exactly the same.

“Holy shit it is you!” his face lit up, it was a wonderful sight. Eddie was always a big emoter, being absolute shit at hiding how he felt on his face. And right now he was happy to see you. Your face was a bit more hesitant, only for the heavy smack of memories you were drowning in as you shared a silent smile, eyes very boldly meeting one another's.

“It’s me.” you held out your hands in a jazzy presentation of yourself that made him laugh.

“What are you doing here? Oh shit, is everyone okay?” His face went from curious to concerned in a flash.

“Oh yeah, the family’s fine.” you finally stepped forward and dismissed his concern with a wave of your hand. “I moved back.” he could see the way your jaw tensed when you said it. Last he’d heard you were married and working some white-collar job and doing just fine. He certainly hadn’t expected you to walk into his shop on a random Tuesday. He wanted to ask a hundred questions that had all poured into his brain but withheld.

“How long have you been back?” he got away with looking at your hands, checking for a wedding band as they ran through your hair nervously. There wasn’t one. That gave him plenty of answers to sate his intrusive tendencies. Little did he know you’d already looked at his ring finger to see the same.

“A few weeks. Not long. Just got settled into the apartment on 3rd street. Pure luck it opened up when I was looking.”

“An apartment?” he had a playful smile as he quirked his brow. “Would’ve pinned you for a house sorta girl.”

“Needed a change.” you wrinkled your nose, vague answers meant you weren’t ready to talk about it. Which he understood.

“I heard they re-did those recently.”

“Yeah, it’s way nicer than I expected. Overlooks the park which is very cute. And is a hell of a lot cheaper than my mortgage was.” a genuine smile graced your face, and the sense of relief wasn’t missed by him in your voice.

“Tell me about it.” he groaned and slapped the open book in front of him.

“Oh, doing the books?” you leaned forward curiously, intimately familiar with the layout of the paper before him. “Wait. Why are you doing the accounting?” you didn’t hide the confusion on your face as you looked back up at a smirking Eddie. His hair was the same save for the lack of bangs, a change with the times. He had a past 5 o clock shadow and light circles under his eyes. You knew you also had signs of wear and age on your face.

“Because I own the place?” he tilted his head to the side and chuckled. “You don’t have to look SO surprised.” he then broke into a laugh.

“Sorry! I just. Wow.” you shook your head.

“Give me a little credit. I’ve grown up since you last knew me.” a playful defensiveness was apparent in his shaking curls as he challenged your slack jaw at the news.

“I’m sure you have. Sorry. I didn’t mean to -”

“Shut up. I’m fucking with you.” the deepness of his voice bloomed out of a laughing chest. “I do own it but I agree I didn’t scream responsible business owner at 18.” he grinned. “I started working here shortly after you left and ten years later Mr. Orison wanted to retire and well…” he motioned to the room then let his arms slap to his sides.

“Good for you. Seriously. Running a business is fucking hard. People don’t realize it.”

“Yeah neither did I when I bought it.” he bent over and ran his hand through his hair, elbows to the countertop.

“I used to crunch numbers all day for a living so I get it. I’ll leave you to it. It’s past 9 anyway, I think you’re supposed to kick me out.” you smiled brightly, and you felt the strain in your cheeks. It’d been a long, long time since you’d smiled so big.

“You get to be an exception to the rule. You can wander around if you want. I don’t care.”

“No, no. I know you need to focus. I’ll get out of your hair.” you take a few steps back. “I could come back when you aren’t busy?” you offered, a raise of one shoulder to your chin.

“Yeah! Yes.” he cleared his throat and nodded enthusiastically, spooling out some blank receipt paper. “Since you’re back-back we should catch up.” he dabbed the pen to his tongue to get it to work, and a few shakes and grunts later he was writing his number down. “And I don’t mean in that fake reunion - oh my god let’s get coffee sometime kinda way.” he looked up, hang dancing over his papers as a fuller face than you recalled smiled at you.

“Glad we’re on the same page. I need some friends. Not gonna lie.” you chuckle nervously and give a purposely strained smile.

“Lucky for you, we are built-in friends.” he holds out the paper as you step back toward him.

“Good,” you say softly, ripping part of the paper and writing down your own information. “You’re busier than me right now so feel free to call me whenever and we can go not get coffee.” you joke and he accepts it heartily.

“You drink?”

“Not as well as I used to.” you laugh.

“That’sthefuckintruth.” he grumbled. “I’ll hit you up and we’ll go to the old Hideout. We’ll be two old schmo’s reminiscing just like the people we used to make fun of.”

“Sounds perfect.” the relief of something casual and easy flooded you. There was no pretentious pretext, no formalwear to buy, or people to schmooze. Beers, a dive bar, and an old friend sounded close to heaven after the way you’d spent the last decade. “See ya soon.” you wiggle your fingers in a wave before Eddie watches you walk down the street and out of sight, locking the door behind you.

“Well, shit.” he didn’t have to hide his smile now, chuckling to himself, rubbing his face as he walked back to the counter. “She’s back.” he talked to himself, no one else was around, and being alone was a rarity for him these days. He gathered up his books and looked at the mirror in the hall on the way to the back office. “And single,” he said to his reflection before looking over it and frowning at the sight. He looked fucking tired. In all fairness he was. “And you’re a struggling single dad with two jobs.” he sighed and looked away from the mirror. A reality check he needed was cashed to himself. He wasn’t exactly relationship material at the moment with barely any time for himself let alone dating someone. You were used to money and the city and some fancy-pants professor was your ex-husband. What’s a small-town mechanic with a sob story, a kid, and a treading water business going to offer you? He groaned, his annoyance clear on his face as he plopped into the old creaky leather chair. Little did he know, that craving a slice of real life, something raw and passionate, full of imperfections was exactly why you’d left your husband and old life behind. He had more to offer than old romantic nostalgia. He just didn’t know it yet.

Eddie arrived at the trailer he was pleased to call home. A double wide with a room for him and his son and for Wayne when he wanted to stay over. He didn’t live far from his uncle and he didn’t want to be away from him, truth be told. He’d landscaped the place, out in the field away from the clusters of other trailers, a little fence, and a bricked-in foundation. He was proud of what he’d been able to create for his little family.

Eddie was happy to admit now that the calling from his kid as soon as he noticed him walking into the door made every bit of worry fade away for a few minutes.

“Daddy!” a very active toddler ran and stumbled toward him, falling and ignoring the failure to get swept up in his dad's arms.

“Hey little man!” he tossed him into the air, a favorite pastime of his since he was tiny. “I see we had spaghetti for dinner.” Eddie laughed, grabbing a noddle from his shirt and eating it noisily to make him laugh.

“He’s as stubborn as you.” Wayne chuckled, a grunt as he raised from the couch. “Refused anything else. Remember when you’d only eat pickles and ranch with butter noodles for dinner for a while?”

“It’s still good.” Eddie grinned, shifting the kid to his hip.

“Your taste has always been questionable.” Wayne teased. It was always with love.

“It’s a point of pride.” Eddie smiled and shoved a fork into the pot of noodles left on the stove.

“We were about to get settled for bed. Someone had a long nap today and messed up his routine.”

“Did not!” a very adamant and incorrect claim came from the small version of Eddie.

“Terrible two’s.” Wayne glared and wagged his finger as he hunched toward the kid before grabbing his side to tickle him and make him scream.

“How about we go play sea monster?” Eddie suggested, the kid's eyes lighting up.

“YEAH!” his little fists clenched.

“You handle the bath I’ll clean up.” Wayne pats his adopted son’s arm.

Eddie was elbow-deep in bubbles, soap in his mouth, and water in his eyes as his boy thrashed in the water. A rouge rubber dinosaur bonked Eddie in the head.

“Asteroid!” he shouted, slapping Eddie with a wet ball in the face before slapping his hands into the water full of floating dinosaurs.

“I thought we were playing sea monsters?” Eddie asked, a washcloth rubbing behind his son's ears.

“Monster rock! Gahhh!” the little gremlin growled and slapped the ball down again.

“Ya know what? Fair.” Eddie nodded, a resigned purse of his lips as he scrubbed away at his slippery like an eel, arms. “You remember this one’s name?” he picked up a plastic dinosaur.

“Robert!” Eddie bent his head down and laughed, soaping the boy's hair into a little mohawk.

“He’s called a T Rex. Remember their science names?”

“Robert! Ahhh!” he slapped the toy out of Edie’s hand as he kept laughing. He was a bit biased but he thought his kid could be the funniest person to ever exist. He was aware that him having his DNA did make the chances of them having a similar sense of humor high but… he could make Eddie laugh harder than anyone else.

“So we’re choosing chaos over learning tonight.” Eddie nodded, accepting that his attempts to be a good dad who taught his kid things at every available opportunity were going to fall onto bubble covered ears tonight.

“Chay ossssss” he made a grumpy face, doing his attempts at a metal scream, having heard the word growled many times in Eddie’s music choices.

“Oh, it’s gonna be that kinda night, huh?” Eddie perked up. “You wanna sing Metallica?” He asked, soaked hands slapping out a beat on the side of the tub.

“BUM BUM BUM!” he banged his little head, mimicking his father.

“Sanitarium!” Eddie had never held back with his music and his little man. He seemed to love it.

“Leave me be!” he clapped.

“Sanitarium!”

“LEAVE ME ‘LONE!” his little chin jutted up as he declared it to the ceiling with the rage only a small child could deliver.

Sure Eddie’s parenting wasn’t exactly orthodox. But then again who in their right mind would’ve expected it to be?

After a very messy round of monsters in the tub, rubber toys are everywhere, and towels and washcloths are strewn and slapped to the plastic walls of the shower tub. Bubbles floated and faded, clumps in Eddie’s hair. He wrangled his son into his pajamas, reading him to sleep with Lord of the Rings, doing the voices, and living his DM memories in his performance. Soon he was sound asleep, worn out and content. Eddie dimmed the light, ruffling the dark soft curls that resembled his own before a kiss on his baby lotion-smelling cheek.

He came into the kitchen with a loud yawn, stretching before hitting the fridge for a beer.

“He had a good day today.” Wayne nodded, sitting at the kitchen table.

“Good.” Eddie sighed with a sip.

“How about my other baby? What day did he have?” Wayne smirked, sipping his mug of coffee.

“You’ll never guess who’s back in town.” Eddie shoved a fork full of leftover spaghetti in his mouth that Wayne had set out for him.

“Rude to leave me hangin’.”

“Remember that girl I used to run around with back in high school?”

“Uh-huh.”

“Seriously? You didn’t need any other information?” Eddie laughed, mouth full of spaghetti.

“No offense son, but you weren’t exactly surrounded by girls back then.”

“Harsh.” Eddie grinned. “But true.” he nodded. “She’s back in town.” he muffled out in bites.

“Her folks okay? I always liked ‘em I’d hate to hear something bad happened to ‘em.”

“That’s what I asked her.” Eddie smiled, being made more aware of Wayne’s influence on him every day since his son was born. “She said her family’s fine.”

“Oh, you talked to her?” Wayne said impressed.

“Walked right into the shop.” Eddie held out a hand in a surprised shrug.

“She married who? A teacher?”

“Professor of English.” Eddie rolled his eyes. “But!” Eddie’s eyes lit up in a way Wayne hadn’t seen in a long while. “She wasn’t wearing a wedding ring.”

“So you looked, huh?”

“I’m no homewrecker.” Wayne’s shoulder shook with a laugh at Eddie’s defensiveness.

“Since when?” he smirked.

“She didn’t say anything. Just said she moved back. But we swapped numbers and she wants to catch up.”

“Well, that couldn’t have gone any better for you could it?” Wayne said supportively. He’d always liked you. You were a bit wild, sure, but so was Edddie and he knew he was still a good kid.

“I mean it could have.” Eddie gave a little snicker and his cheeks turned a bit pink as Wayne snorted and threw a napkin at him.

“What’d she think of you? Business owner, two jobs, a kid. Big difference from when she knew you last.”

“She was surprised by the business. But that’s all I shared.”

“Ed…” Wayne chastised him.

“I know. I’ll tell her, obviously, I just didn’t wanna do that thing I do where I start talking and don’t stop. And next thing I know I’ve told her too much and she’s backing away.”

“Did she have any kids?”

“Don’t know. She didn’t say anything either. I don’t remember hearing that she did.” Eddie shrugged, shoveling the rest of the food into his mouth, bowl tilted up.

“Odd for a woman her age to not have a kid.” Wayne’s brow creased.

“C’mon Wayne. You’re more progressive than that.” Eddie grumbled.

“You know I’m all for people making their own choices, but she was married for a long time. Call me curious.”

“I’ll tell you everything when I talk to her.”

“When’s that gonna be?”

“When can you babysit again?” He smirked.

You were surprised but pleasantly that it took Eddie only two days to call you. You suppose he wasn’t lying about wanting to be friends again. Why wouldn’t he? You were thick as thieves in your teens. You got on like a house fire when you were together. You were hoping that you hadn’t changed so much that he’d find you boring now. You were still in the midst of figuring out who you actually were and how much beige you had unwillingly absorbed from your previous life path. Eddie was still spunky and lively with his alternative clothes and hair, free flow of swears as sentence enhancers without care behind it, and a heart that seemed to still be pinned to his sleeve. You envied that. You hoped it rubbed off on you.

You wore an outfit your ex-husband would hate out to the bar that evening. You’d been making a habit of doing things he hated. It was your new favorite pastime.

So it meant that much more when Edie greeted you with his full attention, pulling out a chair and giving you a charming smile that people took classes to learn how to do in the city. While he was naturally gifted and wholesome and genuine.

“Hopefully it’s okay for me to say this. If not- feel free to twist my ear- but you look really pretty tonight.” It was the wholesome version of what he was thinking. The maxi skirt was made out of some flimsy material that his fingertips itched to touch. It had some Asian-inspired dragons on the bottom, and a tank top matching the color of the trim of the skirt was paired with it. Some chunky sandals that made you almost as tall as him were hidden under the skirt. Little maroon-painted toes peeped out as you sat. He noticed they match your nails and lipstick. You hadn’t been so put together when you were younger. Jeans, the same beat-up sneakers, and a t-shirt were the rotation of choice. You never presented as particularly feminine, not like this anyway. He thought you looked great, but it made him wonder what else had changed.

“Thanks. I really liked this outfit.” Your smile was soft and sweet as you accepted his chivalry of pushing your chair in.

“The dragons are badass.” He gave an approving nod as he sat across from you.

“They’re really trendy right now.”

“Trendy?” He smirked.

“There’s currently an uptick of Asian-inspired ornamental detail right in teen fashion design. related to the rise in popularity of Japanese influence in youth counter-culture.” Eddie blinked a bit befuddled at the sentence that came out of your mouth. You could see it in his very readable face. You’d lost him. You wore the same look around your ex’s colleagues as they discussed the literature of old white men like it was written by God. you’d always been lost and you hated that you’d just done the same to Eddie. “Sorry.” You wrinkle your nose, frowning and Eddie leans in to give you an apologetic look. “We’re gonna be friends right?” Not the smoothest starting point but it’s what came out.

“Uhm. Yeah? I hoped so.” His eyes squinted, uncertain.

“Then I’ll start with being as transparent as possible with you.” You splayed your hands out on the tabletop. “I’m used to talking to people that demand that you constantly impress them with intelligence. It’s awful and I fucking hated it.” Eddie cracked a smile as he watched your face start to give over to emotion. “It’s a habit to say things in a way that’s unnecessary and academic sounding instead of talking like a normal person. I’m trying to break the habit. So sorry if I sound like I have my head up my ass when I talk sometimes.” Eddie was still for a moment, meeting your tired eyes before laughing.

“You did sound very smart.” He consoled you.

“Thank you. I hate sounding elitist. you don’t need to know how to cite references to be smart.”

“I don’t even know what that means.” He gave you a cheesy grin.

“Perfect. You’re exactly who I wanna talk to then.” You reached out to touch his hand before withdrawing it. “I should’ve said yes, dragons are badass. Having them on a skirt makes me feel cool.” You chuckled and tucked your hair behind your ear nervously.

“You still into that stuff? Fantasy? Dragons and Knights and Damsels?”

“I’ve always liked the aesthetic. I haven’t read much since I left here.”

“That’s a shame. You used to read all the time. I still do.”

“I started to hate it after I married someone who did nothing but read. And base their entire existence on it. Sucks all the fun out of it. He was very good at doing that with anything.”

“So… ex… husband then?” He boldly asked, motioning a finger to your naked ring finger.

“Very much ex. Excommunicated I wish.” You smiled. “Exterminated. Expelled. Ex…plodded.” You laughed.

“That what brought you back here?”

“Is it that obvious? I’m just some cliche of a woman now. Coming back home to find herself after leaving a bad man.” You put the back of your hand to your forehead playfully.

“Nothing wrong with leaving a bad relationship.”

“Thanks.” You say quietly. “So now you know I left my old life and moved back here. What’s your story?”

“I’ve been up to plenty.” He turned to laugh nervously. “You started with the biggest thing so-“ he grunted and shifted to pull his wallet out of his back pocket. “Here’s my biggest thing.” He pulled out a photo and handed it to you. It was a photo of Eddie holding a baby. “That’s my little Teddy bear.” He smiled proudly. Your hand shot out to grab his forearm.

“Ohmygod… you have a baby??” Your face lit up and relief washed over him in a chill. “Look at him! Babies usually look like little potatoes but he’s so fucking cute Eddie.” You whined, holding the photo in both hands as if you were cradling it.

“I know I’m biased but I think he’s the cutest baby to ever exist.” he took great pleasure in the fact that Teddy was part him. His sweet dimpled smile made that obvious.

“He could be. A front-runner for sure. He looks like he fell right out of your ass.” You laughed and touched the photo lightly. “I bet mom hates that, huh? All that work and he comes out looking just like you.”

You saw his demeanor shift, the brightness fading ever so slightly. You’d said something wrong.

“She’s not really uh-around.” His eyes wandered the tabletop for a moment.

“Oh sorry. My big mouth.” You wince and hand him back the photo.

“No, no. It’s just… I don’t ever talk about it since it’s a small town and everyone knows already. It’s a real fuckin buzzkill but it’s just facts and you shared with me so I’ll share with you.”

“You don’t have to if-“

“No, it’s fine. Me and Teddy are doing great now. She just uh- she had a heart defect that no one knew about and having Teddy well… it gave out on her.”

“Holy shit.” You let slip out on accident. “Sorry I don’t mean to be so crude about it I’m just surprised. I mean that’s… the worst.”

“We were together but not like-“ his nose twitched and he got the feeling he was about to overshare.

“I’ll answer any question you have if you want. But you don’t have to share with me unless you want to.” It was a heartfelt offer he appreciated.

“I do. We wanted to catch up so this is getting you up to speed.” He shrugged. “It’s been years ago now. Teddy wasn’t planned, we weren’t together when she got pregnant. But she wanted a baby and you know me, I wasn’t going to not be there for the kid after the upbringing I had so I did the right thing and proposed but she didn’t want to get married until after the baby but… yeah. So it could be a lot worse I guess? Is that bad to say? Sorry, it’s been a while since I’ve talked about it. “He shook his head and laughed awkwardly. “Teddy’s none the wiser. I named him Theodore because that’s what she wanted to name him. So Theodore is his middle name and I went with what I wanted, which was Ronald. Well, I wanted Ronnie but Wayne wouldn’t have me naming the kid a nickname. So his official name is Ronald Theodore Munson. But Teddy ended up being what stuck. He’s an affectionate little guy. Also a lot of hair like his parents.” he added with a sad chuckle.”He’ll probably get tired of it when he grows up and go by Ronnie, I figure.” You were gazing at him with a soft smile, seeing him talk about his kid.

“Eddie and Teddy. It’s too cute.” You sighed out, a short-lived giggle making Eddie’s cheeks flush for some reason. “Please tell me you named him Ronnie after THE Ronnie James Dio.”

“Yeah.” He admitted and looked away before you burst out laughing and reaching out again for his arm. He really liked that you touched him so much. It made him feel a weird hopefulness that didn’t exactly have a target goal he was willing to admit yet.

“God that’s perfect. I love that. No sarcasm. It’s fantastic. A+ name choice. Highly approve.” You gave him a small clap. “I think you should name your kids something fun and interesting. I love that you did that.”

“You have any kids?”

“Nope.” You shook your head. “I never tried. Never wanted to with Chris.”

“So that’s the wet blankets name.” He smirked.

“Yes, it is. And a perfect description.” You commended him. “He’d be a terrible dad. I didn’t want a kid that looked like or acted like him.”

“If you don’t mind me asking. If you hated this guy so much why’d you marry him in the first place?” You gave him an out-of-place smile, grateful for real questions.

“Honestly? He was safe.” You shrug and sigh. “He had a plan and was smart and good with money. Well connected, good family, all that horse shit.” Your eyes shot to Eddie as he let out a chuckle. “I partied my first year and almost flunked out, realized I had to actually try to do well in college. I was having your standard identity crisis and met him. He seemed like he had his shit together. So I hitched myself to that wagon and rode it all the way to a degree and a life I didn’t really want.”

“So that’s why you never came back.”

“Yeah. I was being indoctrinated by WASP’s.” You grumbled. “Made me hate this place and look down on it. Which isn’t right at all. This place is more real than anything they have in their gated communities.”

“So money really can’t buy you happiness?” He lightened the conversation.

“Turns out it’s true. But man it helps.” You laughed. “I was able to deny how unhappy I was for years because of money. But it only lasted so long.”

“What made you finally leave?”

“It wasn’t really one thing that did it. It’s whatever the last straw happened to be. And… it’s stupid.” You looked down and huffed out a laugh.

“It’s you, I know it’s not stupid.” The earnestness in his words made you look away for a moment before a nervous smile appeared.

“He made fun of a book I bought.” you admitted with a monotone delivery.

“Not normally grounds for divorce but a dick move.” A playful judgment was in his nod as he side eyed you. “So he made fun of it but what was the actual reason?”

“You’re still perceptive.” You give him the same smirk.

“A blessing and a curse.” He put a hand to his chest.

“It was one of those cheesy romance novels. A bodice ripper. The guy with the long hair in the wind on the cover and his shirts half open and the woman has fainted in his arms and they’re on a mountain top or some shit.” Eddie laughed and nodded. “I wanted something to enjoy. Have a good time reading it and maybe get a little thrill or something in the meantime. And so we’re in bed and he’s got his notebook and whatever he’s reading and he notices I have a book, which was different and he asks me what it is and I tell him and he does this little face I hate where he’s pretending to be interested like he’s in a fucking infomercial all ‘hmmm interesting yes’” You rub your chin and nod exaggeratedly and it makes Eddie laugh. “Who’s the author? He asked, I tell him. What else have they written? I don’t know. ‘You picked up a random book and bought it?’ Yeah, it looked fun. And he LAUGHS. And this man doesn’t laugh. He asks if any of their work would’ve had articles written about it by his peers and I just snapped.”

“He was doing that shit on purpose.” Eddie poked a finger at the worn tabletop.

“Thank you!” You slapped the table.“He’s got all these stupid questions and I just wanted to hit him over the head with the book. The next morning I went to my lawyer.”

“You work fast.” Eddie sputtered out, surprised.

“I realized that was going to be every interaction for the rest of my life with him when I showed interest in something that wasn’t up to his standard. And I fucking had it. I was done.”

“Good for you.” He says back and raised a hand to the bartender. “I’m buying you a drink on behalf of real readers everywhere.”

“Thanks.” You smile and settle into your seat, calming yourself back down. The wound was still very fresh.

“The fact that you said you went to your lawyer has thrown me for a fuckin loop though.” He grinned. “Never thought I’d hear something like that coming from you. Unless it was for a DUI or something.” He teased.

“When you make money you realize the work that goes into keeping it and turning it into more money and that means lawyers and banks and reps and accountants and specialists and brokers and-“ you groan.

“What the hell kind of work did you do?”

“White collar business. Numbers. Money.” You nod. “The only good thing that came from that relationship was I learned how rich people use their money and I protected myself. Everything was kept separate and since he only had a part-time professor gig since he was on a never-ending quest for more degrees his folks paid some of the bills.”

“Oh god, a trust fund baby? Really?” He cringed. “You knew better than that.”

“I know I know.” You roll your eyes. “But you also understand how scary the world is when you don’t have money. And just a taste was enough to make me sell out. I’m not proud of it. But I’m proud of where I am now.” You sat up straighter. “In a small studio apartment in my hometown. Unemployed, single, and totally fucking winging it.”

Two long necks appear at the table and he raises a toast.

“Here’s to totally fucking winging it.” You happily clinked your bottles together. “Ever since Teddy came earth side and my tentative plans went all to hell with becoming a dad I feel like totally winging it is an understatement.” He sighs. “I worked at the record store forever then suddenly I owned it. I’ve got a loan and very little business knowledge and a new baby and I’m a future spouse short on support and income. And now I’m working days at the body shop in town and holding my breath.”

“I’m not gonna lie that’s a lot.” you gave him a sympathetic pout. “For anyone. Do you need like- help or anything? I mean I did help people run businesses in a past life.”

“Honey, you do not deserve to be dragged into my bullshit circus of a life.” the way he spoke reminded you so much of Wayne.

“Maybe I wanna be?” You shrugged and let the offer hang in the air. “I mean I don’t have a job, you’d be doing me a favor. I can look over your stuff and give you some advice and if you like it you can put me on retainer.”

“I don’t think I could afford you.” He smirked at the underlying double meaning to which your snorted at.

“Friends and family discount.” You nodded. “Or I can just… I don’t know… you need someone to watch Teddy?”

“You’d do that?” He seemed genuinely surprised and it shocked you.

“Yeah. Childcare is ridiculously expensive. I could cut a day or two off a week for you. Use him for ransom so you have to hang with me again?”

His face lit up and he wiped his smiling mouth with the back of his hand after taking another drink.

“Or just ask like a normal person.” He snorted.

“Sounds boring.” You muttered before taking a sip and sending him into another laugh.

“You sure you wanna get mixed up with me? You just got back, you’re dealing with your own stuff I don’t wanna add to it.” He offered you a chance to withdraw. You weren’t interested.

“I’ll come clean, Eddie.” You began and took a deep breath after a deeper swig of beer. “Coming back here, I had a few hopes. And being able to reconnect with you was one of those to be perfectly honest. It’s this new thing I’m trying.” He gave you a crooked smile, a dimple deepening in his cheek that lured your gaze to it. “And the fact that you’re willing and want anything to do with me after I left is more than I could hope for. I came back here to be around real people with real lives. I would love to help you with your business too. I’ll do it for free, I don’t give a shit. Because you’re a real person with consequences for your actions. Not some numbered entity of an LLC bought off a drunk golf game bet.” You took a deep breath and saw his face warm and open, shoulders a little slouched. “So short version- yes. I want to be involved in your bullshit.“

“Good.” A simple answer with a complicated proposition. “I want to be involved with your bullshit too.”

You’d been to six different businesses today. Your feet were tired, having not been accustomed to being in heels all day for months. Your suit felt stiff despite how much you knew the fabric cost. You’d found a few leads but mostly the role of bookkeeper was locked down by someone who should’ve already retired. Change was vital to business survival and these people didn’t seem to care if their taxes had been done the same way for the last 20 years. Small towns, man.

A whistle breaks your grumpy demeanor you weren’t trying to hide anymore since exiting the back office of the noisy Chuck E. Cheese. You blinked, head snapping to the sound of sucking teeth before seeing the playful lit up face of Eddie as the source.

“Sorry sugar, thought you were someone else. You’re clearly a business lady, my mistake.” he wheezed and coughed with his laugh, splayed out in a red vinyl chair among the scattered groupings of parents and kids.

“Fuck off.” you laughed, hissing it at him quietly to not become the witch in a witch hunt the barking of the word fuck in a place like Chuck E. Cheese would surely start. He pulls out the empty chair next to him and slaps the cushion.

“Take a load off fancy business pants.” he grinned deep, smile lines siking farther into his face than they used to. “Your feet have got to be killing you in those shoes. Christ, woman. What are you wearing those torture devices for?”

“Old habit.” you groan, wrinkling your nose as you plop down, crossing your leg over your knee toward him.

“Why are you in a kid’s pizza place in a suit?”

“Been going around cold calling about work today.”

“Old school.” he nodded in approval. “Any luck?”

“Some bites. Nothing concrete. Franchises like this have to get everything approved by corporate before they can even move around where the napkin holders are let alone hire someone.”

“Sounds like a ring of hell to me.” he muttered, leaning in toward you, his face facing the play area.

“Are you here with Teddy or out hunting for single moms?” you snort.

“I can do both.” he laughed, your chests moving the jabs at each other. “I was actually out hoping to bag a lady who can make me look even more like a deadbeat dad than I already do by simply sitting next to me.” he looked you up and down to sell the joke before you understood he was talking about you. “You look like you’re here to supervise a custody visit, man. What is this?” he tugged at the collar of your suit jacket.

“It’s call professionalism.” you sat up and wobbled your head. “But it is overkill in Hawkins.” you sighed and took off the suit jacket, hanging it and your purse on the back of the chair. “I look like I gather “protection” money.” you go ahead and roast yourself. “Do I look less like a narc?” you ask, fluffing your hair and in a button-up shirt with no stuffy jacket with a single button undone. “That better?” you slouched back into the chair, hands crossed on your stomach.

“Depends on the connotations of what you’re applying the word better to.” He didn’t look at you when he said it but the smirk was audible in his voice. Your head is noticeably tilted as you lean in toward him, shifting in the seat.

“You’re gonna give me war flashbacks to fundraising dinners talking like that.” you chuckled, looking out to the smattering of kids, seeing if you could pick out which was his. There wasn’t one screaming or chewing through the ropes so that theory was out. “Although they weren’t nearly as flirty as you, you scamp.” you snorted and watch his grin beam across his stubbled face.

“My main outlet for flirting is with women at the shop,” he admitted, turning his head back toward you. “And don’t get me wrong, it’s fun. A bit awkward with how heavy they’re willing to lay it on, man. You’d be shocked at the people that have offered to pay in other ways.” he wiggled his brows.

“You get rid of me and suddenly you’re swimming in p-” you stop yourself and look around with wide eyes, remembering where you are as Eddie cackles loudly and slaps your leg. “I’m not used to being around family-friendly environments.” you purposely wince and watch his laugh take over his entire demeanor. People turned to look at him but he still didn’t care. It was comforting to know that hadn’t changed.

“I’m no pro at it myself. Don’t worry. When we’re not in public you won’t have to hold your tongue so much. The first time Teddy swore I almost hyperventilated I laughed so hard.”

“Speaking of, where is he? Can I meet him?” Eddie turned to find your eyes bright, brows high and hopeful. “Or maybe not. Is that too soon? I should ask permission first, right? I don’t know how kids work, sorry.” Again, that now deep, gravelly laugh gritted out, the years of cigarettes still in his throat as he pat and rubbed your shoulder.

“You remind me of me when I first got him home. What do I do with this thing?” he mimicked fear and holding a baby awkwardly. “He needs to take a break and get a drink anyway.” he sat up, cracking his back and groaning. “Teddy Monster?” He shouted hands clasped to his mouth, startling the other restaurantgoers.

A small screechy roar is heard, a section of ball pit busting up into the air and a curly mop-haired little cherub-faced cutie pie flopped over the barrier with a cackle much like his dad’s. He rolled out onto the foam playmat-covered floor and stumbled a bit before finding his footing and booking it toward Eddie who was running at him full speed, hunched over, hands clawed both growling at each other. He yanked him up as he lept at him fearlessly, tossing him in the air, before pretending to eat his stomach, holding him sideways, raspberrying his tummy before so easily tossing him into one arm and plopping him down on his knee at the table.

You took in the funniest little gasp of air when you realized you hadn’t breathed the entire time you’d watched him. Gulping and regaining your senses, shocked at yourself. Your eyes dilated at the sight of Eddie with his kid. Oh god, your inner voice groaned. Was the biological clock thing actually real? Was this what that was? Did you just ovulate at the sight of your high school crush simply playing with his kid? Should you be ashamed? Because you sure didn’t feel ashamed.

“Get a drink, bud.” Eddie brought the plastic cup to Teddys grabbing hands. “You having fun?” he kissed his impossibly soft curls, slightly damp from sweat.

“Mnfg- yuh- mmffpptt” he spluttered trying to answer and gulp at the same time, he gained a chuckle from you and both the dark-eyed boys turned to look at you in unison.

“Hi!” he said with a wet face and a smile that looked so much like his father's it made your chest hurt.

“This is Daddy’s friend.” Eddie put his hand on your shoulder as he introduced you.

“Hi Miss.” he nodded and waved with one hand, the other still grasping the cup Eddie was balancing for him.

“He calls all the ladies at the daycare Miss.” Eddie explained.

“So polite.” You couldn’t help how you cooed at him. Eddie noticed. “I’m excited to meet you Teddy. Maybe me and you can be friends like me and your daddy are?” With wide eyes, he nodded in agreement.

“He’s super friendly. Never met a stranger. Didn’t get it from me.”

“Dad.” He gasped, raising his t-shirt to wipe his face. A habit he surely picked up from Eddie. “Can she play?”

“Ask her.” He chuckled, smoothing down his waves.

“Wanna play?” He perked up, leaning to put his hands on your knee.

“I absolutely do!” You couldn’t figure out how Eddie ever said no to that face. You reached down to slip off your shoes and a smile Eddie purposely held back on started to grow. “You like the ball pit? It’s my favorite.”

“Me too!” He clapped his hand together and started wriggling out of Eddie’s hold. You pulled your hair back again and gave Eddie a nod. “I’m gonna hurt myself so don’t make fun of me.” You said quietly before standing.

“I’d never.” He put his hand to his chest defensively.

“Come ON!” Teddy’s squatted form growls like a professional metal frontman as he stood waiting for you to catch up.

Eddie sat back, leg bent over his other, hands laced together to fit behind his head. He watched you get tugged mercilessly by his son into the ball pit in a suit that probably cost so much Teddy couldn’t even fathom a number that high yet. You looked expensive but it was clear you were priceless. You slid headfirst into the concerningly sticky ball pit. You were caught up in the cutest kid you’d ever seems energy and found yourself forgetting you hadn’t played in 20-something years and you’d be feeling the ache tomorrow. Eddie couldn’t take his eyes off you, getting jumped on by Teddy, mashed into the pit, and pelted and screamed at. Other kids joined in, happy an adult was getting on their level. Eddie was known to crawl around the tubes on the play area from time to time but got dirty looks from the other parents. Aware that his own reputation now affected someone besides himself he’d pulled back on the public displays of feral behavior.

As he watched he let himself hope for a moment. Seeing a best-case scenario play out in front of him, his worries that you’d be averted in some way from him because he had a kid we’re floating away, replaced with a shameful optimism it could be a pro instead of a con. He’d be a blatant liar to himself if he tried to say as soon as he saw you walk into his shop the thought of being with you again hasn’t popped into his head. However, sex at 17 is a lot less complicated than sex in your 30s, at least for him. Eddie had big feelings. Especially when It came to you. He had a kid and jobs and a life he’d worked so hard to create that bringing someone in without immense forethought wasn’t something he was willing to do. Sure he’d banged his way through some women in Hawkins to pass the time but he had no intentions of being with you physically unless that also came with the emotions attached. There was no you for him without emotion attached. And watching you with the most important piece of his life, slotting into their dynamic with ease made him let out a deep sigh. With the worry of you approving of being in his life in any capacity in relation to Teddy aside. It let the gates open for many other far deeper running concerns.

You had a good run, laughing as you hopped out of the ball pit and stumbled falling flat on your ass, the kids all pointing and laughing. A very sweet little girl came over to help you up but you were also too busy laughing at the situation. Your cheeks hurt from smiling, your knees ached from crawling along the bottom of the pit after a very rambunctious Teddy who really seemed to like hiding and popping out at you as you stalked him through the large rectangle space. Your muscle was awake with freshly pumped blood, cheeks rosy, and hair a mess, half out of its scrunchie as you tugged the rest out before dramatically collapsing into the chair next to Eddie.

“How?” You panted out, still smiling.

“How what?”

“Two things.” You hold up your fingers and steal a drink from his cup. “One, you must be in incredible shape to play with him like that. That’s crazy. And two-“ you took another drink, finishing it off and meeting Eddie’s brightly amused face. “We need to isolate what gives them that level of energy and sell it.”

“Ain’t that the truth.” Eddie chuckled, half muttered and reminding you of his uncle. “A real answer, I don’t keep up.” He admitted willingly. “A true but more boastful answer is work keeps me in better shape than I’d be in otherwise. So that helps. And he slowly got bigger so it’s not like I could throw him around overnight. I’m figuring out what that dad strength people talk about is.”

“Man I’d like some of that if it made my arms look like that.” You blurted out the specific compliment without much thought, happy on endorphins from exercise. You and Eddie were always playful and flirty but you didn’t know where the line was between you now. Or where the line even was within yourself. Did you want to flirt with him? I mean really purposely flirt with bitten lips and side eyes and hushed tones? Because there were levels to this now. It wasn’t heh I like your Metallica shirt let’s make out in the back of your van about it anymore. You kinda wish it was though. Man, you had some good times in the back of his van.

“Oh you bought a ticket I see.” He said with no notion he was joking, rolling up one of his sleeves.

“What?” You blurted out with no flirt to be found in your scrunched face.

“To the gun show?” He asked as if you were stupid as he flexed and you groaned and threw your head back. You were split between two moments in time for a second. You were two obnoxious teens in the diner being loud and completely oblivious that anyone else was around again. He cackled and you slugged his defined arm. More tattoos than you left him with covered the planes that shifted as he ran his hand through his still unruly waves. You felt young again. There were more seen and unseen scars now, permanent tiredness under your eyes, more wrinkles, and less graceful bodies but something felt youthful about being around him. And Teddy now. There was some addictive spark they lit in you. They were the sort of people your ex and his lot would’ve mercilessly insulted and looked down on. And they were exactly the sort of people who seemed to be able to remind you that yes, you could feel happy and have fun. You weren’t broken. There was nothing wrong with you. You simply hadn’t been in the right place with the right people. And now- somehow in Hawkins- a place you’d been so dead set on leaving forever turned out to be that place. Maybe it wasn’t so much the where but the who.

“I can’t even insult you now by saying you tell dad jokes. Any joke you tell is a dad joke now!”

“Oh no she’s figured out my superpower!” He laughed and raised his hands like a cartoon villain.

“Oh no! He’s too powerful!” You coward back in your chair with raised hands as if to block a magic spell cast. He shoved your thigh and almost made you fall out of the chair which only made you laugh harder together. it felt right. You both knew it. It was almost malleable in the air between you as you sighed and wheezed coming down from the interaction. You were so caught up in the moment, cheeks flush and boldly gazing at each other, wondering which questionable thing to say aloud next you didn’t even see Teddy also noticing the chemistry.

“Is she your best friend?” Teddy asked with a tilted head, as calm as you’d ever seen him gazing up at your dad in a similar way that you were. “Cause me ‘n Wes. We do that.” Such an astute observation for the little man. He was observant and clever just like his dad.

“I’m not your best friend?” Eddie pouted and reached down to bring him into his lap.

“Duh.” His little eyes rolled and you held in a snort at the display of attitude. “At daycare dad!”

“Oh of course.” Eddie relented to his miniatures putting him in his place. “You’re my best friend, Ted, you know that.” He kissed his cheek and the kid pushed him away, making you grin.

“More than one bes friend.” He held his dad's stubble-covered cheeks and spoke to him as if explaining something to well… a child.

“You can have more than one best friend?” Eddie raised his brows.

“Yes!” Teddy said annoyed. “Tell dad.” he looked over at you with his demands and you wanted to do whatever he asked.

“You can have more than one best friend.” You gave him the same attitude his son was and he chuckled, his cheeks mushed by tiny hands.

“No!” A slap to his thighs. “Tell dad you’re bes friends!”

“Oh sh-nap.” You muttered in surprise. “You’re my best friend Eddie.” You said with no hesitation. And honestly… it was the truth.

“You’re my best friend too.” You held eye contact for a moment before Teddy moved his dad's face back to face him.

“Good job!” He pat his cheek and you wanted to puke it was so cute. “Love you!” He chirped and planted a kiss on his face.

“Love you too.” You knew I’d you could feel the truth in his words that Teddy could too. “Are you about ready to go?”

“Aw, man.” He slouched and pouted and you swear it sounded just like Eddie used to.

“We don’t have to go yet. Do you need to go potty or want more pizza?”

“No.” He shook his head hard. “Gonna play.” He stuck his little Tongue out in concentration as he dismounted Eddie’s long legs and went back at it.

“Have fun.” Eddie shrugged as he was left without so much as a second glance. “He’s getting so good at talking now it blows my mind. He’s so smart.”

“Of course he is.” Your tone clearly told him to not say what he was about to. “I’ve heard reading to them helps a lot. And I’d bet you do plenty of that.”

“Yeah.” A closed-mouth smile grew from his pride. “Almost every night.”

“He’s yours of course he’s going to be the smartest little gremlin. He looks just like you, he might as well act that way too.”

“He acts like Wayne sometimes and it’s hilarious. Old man stuck in a baby’s body.”

“You act like Wayne sometimes too.”

“Shit, don’t I know it. More now than ever.”

“I’d you’re gonna act like someone he is definitely one of the better choices.” Eddie nodded in agreement. “How is he by the way?”

“Still kickin’. He retired. He’s still in the park, not far from us. He watches him a lot. Too much. He’s taking away all his retirement but he insists it’s better he watch him than leave him at daycare.”

“Grandpa Wayne.” You smiled contently and watched the kids for a moment. “He’s always had papaw energy.”

“He oozes papaw energy.” Eddie chuckled.

“The offers still open to watch your hellspawn by the way.” You smirked. “Give Wayne a much-deserved day off from time to time. I could pick him up if driving him over is out of the way. I’d like to see Wayne actually.”

“He’d love to see you.” Eddie gave you a soft smile.

“Really?”

“He asked me 50 questions when I told him you were back.” He paused and glanced away for a moment. “He always liked you, you know.”

“I always liked him.” You added supportively. “I got you out of your room and out of his hair of course he liked me.”

“We spent plenty of time in my room when he wasn’t home.” It almost came out as a murmur, he didn’t dedicate himself to letting the small reminder of your past put into the current timeline. He’d toed past the line of friendly Flirting and had brought a slice of nostalgia into the conversation that hadn’t been breached yet. It had to happen eventually. You couldn’t act like you hadn’t spent a chunk of your time inside each other in the past. But saying hey remember how we used to fuck had seemed a bit heavy-handed.

He watched you huff out a laugh, almost embarrassed as you looked down and smiled, mouth opening and closing to figure out your response. Weighing what was appropriate and what would be best for two old friends with heavy lore.

“Yeah.” Your lips twitch and you let out a giggle he’s never heard before. You missed how soft his face got when he watched you hide your face. “Yes, we did.” A slight blush filled your cheeks as you smiled.

“Do you remember… back then?” His voice was quiet, soft as if tip towing around it might make it feel less in your chest. He held his arms crossed over his front like it might shield him from the consequences of his question.

“I do.” Your voice also fell to an almost whisper, unlike you both to be subtle or timid with one another. A smile that tightened your lips, almost a purse appeared, eyes still not meeting his that was far too forward for you to meet just yet. “Do you?” you asked with a jutted-out chin. You weren’t really trying to hide the way his stare made you uncomfortable. You were too busy trying to analyze why it was. His soft laugh answered you before he did with his words. Oh yeah. He remembered.

“Oh! Hey!” you heard feet head your way and were startled. Eddie cleared his throat and shifted in his chair, the tension of the moment broken. “What was your last name again? They couldn’t find you in the database?”

“Oh right.” You said to the person you’d spoken with in the office. “Recently divorced. Might not be updated yet.” You explained and handed them two business cards. “Here’s both versions.” Eddie side eyed the worker, unnoticed a bit miffed she’d brought up your ex. Way to totally kill the mood.

“Thanks! You’ll hear from me soon.” They said rather convincingly.

“Let me see one of those.” He asked with a nod and a wiggle of his fingers.

“You want one?” You gave him a kind smile and handed him a lovely embossed rectangle. He smiled softly, crow's feet deepening at the edges of his eyes, just visible past the fluff of waves.

“It’s got your name on it.”

“No shit. It’s a business card.” You whispered and he snorted out a laugh.

“I mean your real name.” He said with conviction. “You changed it fast.”

“Not legally yet but I wanted to separate myself from his name as fast as possible.”

“I like this version better.” He said with a nod, flicking the card. “I’d hire this lady, I wouldn’t hire the other.”

“Does that mean I’m gonna get all up in your books?” You grin and nudge his foot with yours, still bare.

“Do you have to put it that way?” He snorted out a laugh.

“Yes! I get unrestricted access to Eddie Munson.” You pinched his knee and he kicked you in response. “I’ll need bank statements and your monthly, and yearly records as far back as you’ve got them and your tax returns.” He could see the excitement in your eyes.

“I take it back you’re way too into this.” He pushed your chair away with his boot and you scoot it back again with a playful back and forth.

“I’m in my element, man. And I’m dealing with you, not some rich asshole!” You both giggled as you quickly lowered your voice and hunched over from the looks thrown your way.

“We aren’t meeting here next time you’re gonna get me banned from Charles Pizzaria. Fine Italian Dining.” He pinched his fingers together and did a horrifying attempt at an Italian accent.

“God you still suck at that.”

“You suck.” He bit back and kicked your chair. Another flicker of a time jump, both snorting and laughing in his van, high as hell, shoving each other with insults thrown that never had any malicious intention.

“You wish.” Your 17-year-old self came out of the woodwork. You’d said it so many times in response to his poorly thought-out jab. It’s always ended in more shoves, which led to rolling around and wrestling which led to Eddie on top of you which led to a cocky remark which led to… you could guess. Your ears ran hot at the memory. “I guess I shouldn’t say that to someone I’m working for.” You let yourself snort and shake with a laugh.

“Extremely unprofessional.” He tsked.

“You gonna leave me a bad review?”

“Horrible.” he smirked.

“Can I earn a good review or have I ruined my chances?”

“Make me a millionaire and I’ll consider it.”

“I mean I know a guy. Recently divorced. Millionaire family. He would suck Hemmingway’s dick for SURE so I mean you might stand a chance.” you both sputter out a laugh.

“Oh, tell me more.” Eddie crossed his legs and put his hand to his chin.

“He only has three topics of conversation, you know, like a pull-string doll. He’s only had sex in two positions so you know - consistency right? And he does whatever his parents tell him to!”

“Who would leave a catch like that?” Eddie wiped the beginnings of a tear from his eye.

“Some dumb bitch.” you leaned in and whispered, sending you into another shared laugh.

“I don’t know I think she’s really smart. Whoever she is. Especially for leaving him.” his eyes were sincere, but the smile still weighed heavily on the spectrum of giving you shit about marrying such a douche.

“She’s made a handful of good decisions in her life.” you nodded, a more thoughtful smile falling into place. “More as of late. Maybe she’s getting less dumb.” you shrugged.

“I don’t know.” he shared the same subtle shoulder movement. “I think she made a few good decisions in the past.” A lump in your throat grew and you quickly swallowed it down.

“Yeah?” you tucked your hair behind your ear and felt so hopelessly obvious. “Maybe…one… or two.” Your words sunk to nearly a mumble. You looked the same to him in these fleeting moments he got under your skin, in your head. He knew it was selfish to want to hear it from you that you remembered who you two used to be. Especially so soon. But the memories were still so strongly imprinted on him that he had to know if you’d thought of him as often as he’d thought of you over the years.

“That’s a short list. Must’ve been something really important.” he leaned in so subtly, slowly, smoothly. His elbows to his knees, long fingers, still in rings just like he was still 17, laced together. You stuttered like a fool under his gaze. His eyes were even prettier than you’d recalled. Molten chocolate, honey, and caramel. Just as sinfully tempting and potentially bad for you as the sweets. Your lashes felt heavy and obvious as you slowly blinked, licking your lips, finding yourself as short on words now as you ever had been when he directed his attention solely on you.

As children always have, Teddy decides that now is the best time to get his foot caught in a rope net, interrupting the precious moment. A squawk and scream, unsure if it was pain or amusement carried across the brightly colored space.

“Oh, Jesus Christ.” Eddie muttered as you both bolted toward the little monkey hanging upside down.

The brief scare had triggered his neediness, refusing to be looked at or held by anyone but his dad after he slipped his ankle out of the soft braided thread. Eddie prayed no one cared that Teddy was attached to his front as he drove home. A little snore and blub from time to time as Eddie kept his large hand on the child’s back, rubbing it soothingly as he drove.

“C’mon Teddy Bear.” a name he used when he was feeling particularly soft for the wild little creature he’d helped create. A small grunt of disapproval was released as he was lifted and brought into the dark house. Eddie didn’t bother turning on the overhead light, a lamp would suffice. “You wanna wake up? Get ready for bed? We could do a bubble bath? You want a story?” he offered things to the smushed face with barely open eyes adamantly shaking his head, refusing to lift his head from Eddie’s chest. “You want daddy to hold you and you sleep on me?”

“Yeah.” the first nod of the nap. With a resigned sigh Eddie managed to kick his boots off and get his jeans on the floor, left in unevenly slouched socks, boxers, and a t-shirt. He switched on the radio, a quit afterthought as he took Teddy’s ensemble off piece by piece, having purposely chosen every piece. With a new set of matching jammies, a dinosaur print that he’d nearly had a meltdown over when he saw them in the store. Eddie set his notebook and the book he was currently reading on the nightstand. He sank into the small bed, propping himself up with the pillows, setting an alarm on the clock radio just in case. Teddy still clutched to his chest, already back asleep. A lazy hand pat to the beat of a fading song on his butt, the other with Eddie’s fingers in his mop of curls, mouth, and nose nestled into the nest and taking a deep inhale. His eyes looked out the window, the sky was navy, a calm sky, and a slight sway to his shoulders, not purposely, as he rocked Teddy back and forth.

“And next we have a hit from the year 1984. She just came out with another album but this one from her 1983 release of She’s So Unusual is still one of her biggest hits. This one brings back some great memories for me, maybe it will to other listeners out there tonight. Here’s Cyndi Lauper with, Time and Time.” the typical radio announcer's voice echoed in the small room with the slightly crooked wallpaper Eddie had hung himself. He let out a sigh, not needing to hide it from anyone, the back of his head against the headboard covered in stickers and markers. The year 1984 haunted him for plenty of reasons. The first time he failed senior year. The main one on his mind tonight was that it was the year you’d left Hawkins. You’d said you’d hated the school dance fodder songs as much as he did. Which couldn’t have been true because neither of you actually did. He thought Cyndi Lauper was weird and hot. Much like you were. The song was catchy, heartfelt, and now a nostalgia bomb of memories. You in a second-hand prom dress, dancing with him. You both swore you hated it. Again. Not true. The way you’d looked at each other was proof of that. The way you’d scrapped together enough money for a dress was even more proof. You were just as soft and terrified as he was. A smile crosses his face, feeling a warmth in his chest at the thought of the full-cheeked and big-haired you in your youth. Flashes of smiles, of fights, and long nights running away from your lives together. The memories had kept him company often through the years. He’d thought about you a lot. Wondering if you were okay. If you’d felt the same way he had. He’d go back and kick his own ass for not telling you how he felt before you left if he could. But those thoughts, that anger was pointless now. Learning to live with the choices you make when you didn’t know any better was something Eddie had to quickly learn to accept. His smile deepened at the prospect of knowing you now. Of getting that second chance of closure. It was a messy can of worms to want to open. Sometimes memories were viewed with rose-colored glasses and weren’t as they truly were at the time. But bless Eddie’s soft heart he couldn’t help himself. He’d never been one for making smart decisions.

PART 2

Tag List

@dylanmunson @steveharringtonisfit @shayeddie @cyntherr @pedroschka @big-ope-vibes @nitafromtheshadows @suspirian @originalstar1 @alyisdead @peachysink @ly17

Just ask to be added!

I appreciate feedback! <3

262 notes · View notes

maithefluffychicken · 10 months

Text

Taste of love

"You must admit, he's charismatic," Robin says, a sly grin curling her lips.

"Yeah, he's the new favorite, fucking great," Steve laments, jealously evident in his tone.

Truth is, Steve can admit that Eddie is charismatic, and good at his job, and he's stupidly hot doing said job. It’s not fair, talented and good looking, with bright doe eyes as dark as the chocolate he likes to use in most of his creations?

Steve hates him. He hates the way he can’t stop staring at him when Eddie is in, well, in full Eddie mode like he is right now.

He’s recording himself, the pretentious little shit, with an improvised but somehow extremely professional set up, a whole fucking tripod for his nextgen smartphone as a camera. He has the two long counters for himself, it’s his fucking stage and he’s the rockstar: he looks like one, with the long hair tied up in a messy bun that Steve wants to undo, and all those tattoos covering his arms. He’s not even wearing a fucking chef’s jacket, no. The cocky bastard is wearing a tight black t-shirt, Steve can see the ripple of his muscles when he moves. Again, stupidly hot.

He claims to not need help, and yet, Henderson - pastry chef junior and a traitor - is cheerfully helping him to set everything out and clean the counters between scenes.

On the street, bystanders stop to look through the store window, recording the mess Eddie is doing with their own personal phones, and fucking enjoying the show that is Eddie Munson creating a masterpiece of a cake.

“I still don’t see how this is going to help us,” Steve sighs, leaning against the doorframe of his own kitchen, staring - ogling - at Eddie, watching him peeling limes, oranges and grapefruits for this new dessert he’s making.

“He’ll post it on instagram and whatnot, get the people interested in us,” Robin explains to him, as patiently and lovingly as ever.

“The whole process?” Steve asks, now a bit concerned. “Everyone will know the recipe, and then who’ll come to buy?”

Steve and Robin had worked hard and spent all their money in this little cake shop, which it is, in fact, a fucking monster of a pâtisserie and the fanciest café. This was their dream, and it still is their dream. And it’s also a fucking risk if it fails, so excuse him if he doesn’t want everyone to know how to recreate their goods.

“No, no, dingus, just the pretty parts, like a montage, like a film.”

“Good lord, is this one of those Wes Anderson’s vibes or whatever?” Steve says, and his face must be doing something funny because Robin laughs openly now.

“God, no, but that would be awesome, you should tell him to do that!” Robin says, and then adds. “Or you should do it yourself, join Eddie, make us famous and rich!”

Steve frowns and grunts. To be honest, he should be working too, there’s another completely functional kitchen where he could be baking his own things. But for some reason, watching Eddie is mesmerizing, and Steve is not sure he’ll be able to stop looking and leave to be alone in the other kitchen.

So he stays, and follows Eddie to the oven when the puff pastry is ready to be baked. And then he stays a bit longer to witness the filling. And then- Well, he stays until Eddie finishes with the decoration.

Eddie doesn’t talk to the camera, not once, he just works, he doesn’t seem to notice Steve and Robin at all.

When the stupidly good looking dessert, painted in lime green, is done, Eddie does the second most stupid thing ever. He cuts it evenly and walks out to the street to share it with his audience, Dustin follows him, recording the whole thing. Free samples of a dessert that is, well, it’s expensive as fuck. Eddie smiles and comes back to the kitchen, two spare portions, one for Steve and the other for Robin.

“Come on, chef,” he grins at Steve, far too mischievously for Steve’s liking. “I know you want a taste of this.”

The words sound sinful to Steve’s ears, the way Eddie says it. Fuck, he even swayed his hips while he was speaking! Steve’s mouth goes dry, trying to think of a retort and win whatever battle they’re having. But Robin interrupts them with a groan, her mouth full of the lime tart Eddie saved for them.

“Oh my god,” she says before even swallowing. “Phteef, eat it. Now”

Steve sighs, his gaze locks with Eddie’s when he reaches for his portion, the last on the silver tray Eddie is holding patiently. It’s not solid at all, silky and cold at the touch, and the first thing Steve notices is the aroma. Citrics and burnt sugar, fresh and intense. Steve takes it to his mouth and bites, the lemon praliné breaks easily under the pressure and it melts on his tongue among the softest mousse Steve has ever tasted. The sugar is there but it doesn’t ruin the citrus flavor, the real hero. Grapefruit and orange jam and the soft biscuit join them, a counterpart for the ethereal texture of the mousse.

Steve tries to hold back the involuntary moan that escapes his mouth, but it’s too late. Eddie is grinning wolfishly at him. Steve blushes, fiercely. He’s a thirty year old man, the chef of his own pâtissery, he shouldn’t be moaning and blushing like this, but fuck, the lime tart is absurdly good and he knows he’s going to eat the whole portion. What a fucking shame.

“And?” Eddie asks, nervously buzzing in front of them both, unashamedly fishing for praise he doesn’t need at all. Cocky bastard, again. “Is it good, right? Do you like it, chef?”

Steve swallows, the taste and scents lingering on his tongue and palate. Fucking delicious.

“Yeah, it’s ok,” Steve shrugs, as if he just didn’t fucking moan because of the best lime tart he has ever tasted.

“Come on, Steve,” Robin nudges him.

“Chef, please,” Eddie begs and it does something to Steve, something he can’t - and doesn’t want to - name yet. “Please, I need to know, have I passed my trial month?”

Steve really really wants to say no, that Eddie has an attitude and a temper that Steve doubts is good for the business. Eddie, who is giving free samples to people on the street. Eddie who decided to record himself in Steve’s kitchen to post it on social media. Eddie, who doesn’t wear proper clothes for his kitchen.

Steve wants to bid him farewell.

But the lime praliné is slowly melting with the warmth of his fingers, green painting his fingertips, the smooth mousse giving away, Steve wants to finish his portion, and as the greedy son of a bitch he is, Steve wants more of this even more than he wants Eddie out of his kitchen.

Steve wants to tell Eddie to fuck off, but he’s curious about what else he can to do. A month is not enough to know the enigma that is chef Edward Munson.

“Ok, ok, you’re hired, chef,” Steve says, and Eddie punches the air in victory. Steve holds back a smile. “Six months, and then we’ll see, ok?”

“Fuck, yes! I mean,” Eddie clears his throat, he’s the one blushing now. “Yes, chef. Thank you, chef.”

Six months.

Steve is used to being alone in the morning, opening up in the early hours and enjoying the bakery’s calm quietness, the buzzing sound of the fridges and ovens his only company while he works., He spends the time trying out old and new recipes, practicing techniques to apply in future desserts.

That was, of course, before Eddie.

It’s Robin’s fault, anyway, she convinced Steve to give this new, eccentric pastry chef a chance to work in their bakery. It’s true that they both needed help, they both needed a right hand man to keep the bakery and the staff going while they designed new recipes. Dustin Henderson is a talented kid, controlling the dough like a pro, but he’s still learning - under Steve and Robin’s supervision, of course -, and Erica Sinclair is even younger than Dustin, but man, that girl knows how to decorate a wedding cake.

The other staff they hired are just as good. The kitchen is alive and buzzing with energy, Steve loves it. He’s grateful that he gets to have this; his own place, with people he loves.

Stobin Pastry and Cakes started as a humble bakery when Keith closed Family Video, where they used to work as teens. They took all their savings and bought the place, and transformed it into what it is today.

The kids Steve babysat for years applied to work with them. Will left to study art, and Mike followed him blindly, in love. Lucas and Max decided to take a gap year abroad, sending them postcards regularly and texting Steve and Robin about the recipes they find on their journey.

Dustin and Erica decided to stick around and learn from Steve and Robin, now Stobin’s youngest chefs, with the honorary title of Junior Pastry Chef for the both of them.

So, Steve loved to be the first one in, turning on the ovens and getting the bakery ready for the day, while Robin took Dustin to the market at dawn, picking out new products of the season and sending Steve silly pics while doing it. Erica arrived in time to meet the providers, standing by Steve’s side and supervising that everything was in perfect conditions.

Steve could have never imagined that he’d get to work with his family, and he loves it. He once feared he’d end up working for his father, but this? As exhausting and sometimes stressful as it is, this is Steve’s dream.

But of course, now they have Eddie. Eddie, overqualified to be anything less than a pastry chef, with his tattoos and long hair and toned biceps… Steve is still getting used to doing his own job while Eddie is right there with him, kneading fresh dough or whatever. Between the ripple of his muscles and the music Eddie enjoys, it’s hard for Steve to focus.

Because that’s the other thing that had\s changed. The music. Steve loved to work in silence, but Eddie came and asked if they minded listening to music while working: heavy fucking metal and rock from the eighties is now the soundtrack to Steve’s life, since Robin, Dustin and Erica agreed with Eddie, effectively out voting him.

Things have changed for Steve and for Stobin Pastry. Not everything is bad, though, Eddie and whatever he’s posting on social media is also attracting customers to them, as Robin said it would. Steve can’t really complain.

“What’s this?” Steve asks, stepping into his office to find Robin and Erica, heads pressed together looking at the bright screen of Erica’s phone. There’s a weird look on Robin’s face, eyes wide open and lips curled in disgust, while Erica is biting her lower lip, holding back a smirk. “What are you-”

“Shh!” Erica shushes at him, and Steve grunts in surprise.

“I think I’m going to puke,” Robin says, her eyes still focused on whatever is playing on the screen.

“Imagine it’s a hot girl, Robs,” Erica replies, half laughing.

“That’s not the problem, Sinclair-”

“Ok, you two, what are you watching?” Steve snaps, rounds his desk to stand behind the girls and frowns, focusing his sight on whatever they’re watching.

“Oh,” Steve whispers.

On the screen, a younger version of Eddie is-

He is-

“I know, right?” Erica giggles. Giggles. “He’s so weirdly hot.”

“Well, at least now we know that he’s alway loved being in front of the camera, right?” Robin adds jokingly, as if that could help Steve to assimilate the images he’s watching right now.

Eddie is wearing a loose black shirt, far too open to be in any kitchen, Steve can see the barest hint of soft hair on his chest, and the tattoos he has there. For a brief second, Steve has the need to see them in real life. But the Eddie in the video, rewound by Erica, is flexing his arms to tie his curly hair in a messy bun, and winks at the camera.

And then, the weirdest things happen. It’s a video showing Eddie making cannoli, but it’s- It’s so sexual it’s almost explicit. He kneads the dough, making sure the camera frames his biceps and his swelling chest, and spanks it, cuts it and digs his fingers into both parts, making it look like it’s a- Good lord. Next, Eddie sinks two fingers into the cream to lick them, tongue curling sinfully around them.

Steve feels his blood simmering in his veins with a new need that startles him, mortified at the realization that he is getting hard.

"Ok, enough, Erica, we've seen enough," he says with a weak, pathetic voice.

He has to watch the whole video, but not here, not with… the girls around, no, definitely.

"Thank god," Robin sighs when Erica closes the video and locks her phone with a pout.

The girls stand up and are ready to leave Steve's office, not noticing his internal turmoil.

"Say what you want, Robs, he is hot, a bit disgusting in a way that only a guy can be, but hot nonetheless."

Steve looks at their backs, Erica's words echoing in his mind. He is hot.

"Don't let Dustin hear you saying that, Erica," Robin teases her.

"He'd agree with me…"

"Ha! That's what you think, but I tell you his reaction will be sooo much different if he hears you talking about a hot guy," Robin singsongs.

"What? Robin! What are you saying?" Erica leaves and closes the door behind her.

Steve thinks he should care about that exchange, but Eddie's video is replaying in his mind. He sits at his desk and hides his face behind his hands, muffling a groan.

The door opens again and Steve looks up to see a flustered Erica showing her head, smiling shyly.

"Chef?"

"Yeah?"

"His youtube channel," Erica says in a low voice. "Is 'demon in the kitchen', chef. I thought you’d be interested, you know, for academic purposes."

Erica shrugs before Steve can answer her, and closes the door again, leaving Steve all alone with his thoughts and his body’s reactions.

When Steve finally gets out of his office - once he’s calm and feeling ready to look everyone in the eye again, and his knees aren’t shaking - the kitchen is the coordinated chaos that it always is. No one bats an eye at him. Robin is glazing the mirror gateaux, Erica is focused on the wedding cake she’s decorating.

Dustin is talking with the staff about a new order that must be ready for the next day, and Eddie is nowhere to be seen. Steve lets out a relieved sigh, maybe he can survive the day.

On Monday, Stobin Pastry and Cakes is closed so everyone can rest.

Steve spends the morning in bed, his laptop on his thighs and Eddie’s old videos playing nonstop. The videos are the ultimate thirst trap, and Steve feels helpless when, during the fourth video, Eddie is glazing a doughnut and Steve imagines himself, half deliriously, licking Eddie’s fingers clean. The long haired chef pressing them against Steve’s tongue, pushing them back and forth with Steve’s lips wrapping around them, saliva dripping for his chin while Eddie’s eyes are dark and hungry for Steve-

“Oh, for fucks’ sake!” Steve exclaims, closing the laptop with more force than intended.

Steve gets up, his cock tenting the pajamas he’s wearing, and crosses his bedroom to have a shower, his heart beating hard and fast when he undresses and steps into his shower, steam surrounding him.

He tries not to think at all, but he’s aching and leaking, cock throbbing stubbornly, with the steamy hot water falling over his shoulders. Behind his eyelids, Steve can visualize the Eddie he knows, older than the Eddie in the videos, but with a mischievous smile and his big doe eyes. Steve shakes his head before wrapping his fingers around the base of his cock, squeezing it with a little bit more strength than necessary.

“Fuck,” Steve groans, stroking himself slowly and trying to think about- anyone, except his dark haired chef pastry Eddie.

Steve tries to think about broad hands roaming all over his wet body, he pinches his left nipple, moaning throatily. Soft lips that could trail kisses all along his neck, the hot breath of a faceless lover, a solid invisible body pressing against him.

And it works, for a moment.

Steve flicks his wrist during the upstroke and in that lustful second when his mind is blissfully quiet, his fantasy changes: Eddie’s tattooed hands and arms are the ones touching him, his pink, full lips - oh, Steve can see them so clearly - wrapping around the leaking head of his throbbing cock instead of around his fingers, like in that stupid video. And those eyes, those big chocolate eyes focused on him, hungry for Steve-

“Ah, shit!” Steve grunts when, ridiculously soon, his orgasm coils deep in his core and he’s unable to stop himself or to stop the new fantasy.

“Well, fuck,” he sighs at last, letting the water clean his shame. “Fuck, fuck, fuck.”

After their day off, the kitchen is once again alive and buzzing, but Steve feels like shit. Disgusted with himself, disgusted with the fact that he spent his day off fantasizing about his pastry chef. Eddie. Ugh.

Fucking ugh.

Steve feels far more exhausted than ever, with Eddie’s music playing through the speakers while they all work frantically to satisfy the customers.

Eddie, of course, ignores Steve’s inner turmoil and the effect he has on his boss.

“Close your eyes and open your mouth,” Eddie says to Steve, flirty and out of the blue. Steve wants to punch him. In his mouth. With his lips. Fuck.

“That’s not how we do things here-,” Steve starts protesting, but Eddie simply laughs.

If only Eddie knew how hard Steve is trying to keep things professional, for both of them. If only Steve could yell at Eddie and tell him he’s seen his videos, his sinfully hot and weird and sometimes disgusting videos; but fuck, Steve is completely obsessed with them. If only Steve could flirt back with Eddie and be selfish.

“Ok, ok, then, close your eyes and open your mouth, chef,” he repeats, and somehow it sounds even dirtier. Steve has to suppress a shiver.

Steve takes a look, making sure no one’s paying attention to them before reluctantly opening his mouth and feeling filthy for it. Filthy and far too aroused thanks to Eddie’s antics.

Eddie tsks when Steve doesn’t close his eyes, but raises a spoonful to his mouth and places it gently on Steve’s tongue. The flavor explosion is immediate when Steve wraps his lips around the spoon and Eddie drags it out: kiwi and pineapple, nutmeg, cinnamon, a touch of rum. Creamy salted caramel and something crunchy, pistachio. Steve closes his eyes now, tasting it, pressing it with his tongue against his palate. He doesn’t moan this time, but he wants to, he really really fucking needs to groan. Eddie’s ego doesn’t need another boost, though.

“Yeah?” Eddie asks him, biting his lower lip, all doe eyed and searching for Steve’s expressions. Opening his eyes to see Eddie looking at him like that doesn’t help to calm his heart beat.

“It’s good, Eddie, it’s really good,” Steve admits, feeling his cheeks burning and taking a second to wonder if he’s going crazy when Eddie’s eyes drop to his lips for a split second. “What are you working on?”

“Do you know that cake for that tropical themed wedding?” Eddie asks, cheeks turning red under Steve’s gaze. Steve nods. “I thought… Maybe this could be the filling, since the bride wants something different and all that, you know.”

Steve shouldn’t find Eddie as endearing as he does right now, bashful and competent and with an extraordinary mind to mix flavors and themes. Fuck.

“With a Madagascar vanilla biscuit?” Steve points up. “What about the icing?”

“Pineapple and rum?” Eddie suggests.

“Try it,” Steve smiles at Eddie. “If it’s good, you’ll be the one making the cake, take Erica with you.”

Eddie beams at him, his smile so wide that his dimples appear, and Steve feels suddenly weak on the knees. Fuck.

“Yes, chef,” he says so softly that it could be a whisper, and Steve sighs, focusing back on the gateau he was making, completely distracted by the whole interaction.

Three months into Steve’s life with Eddie in it, and Steve is finally, finally accepting the fact that he’s working with an extremely hot and talented man, and that he has developed something like a crush for him.

Not a big deal, Steve is a professional and he can work with Eddie. He’s even learning to flirt back, still testing the waters, not wanting to push any of Eddie’s boundaries. Eddie seems to enjoy their little interactions.

It’s just that, well, Eddie is touching Steve now. Small touches, pats in his shoulder, hands on his waist whenever Eddie has to pass behind him; it’s nothing really, silly little innocent touches that maybe, maybe linger more than they should.

Two weeks ago, Steve was holding a spoon for Eddie to grab it, and when he did, Eddie’s finger traced Steve’s knuckles and he smiled at him before he grabbed the spoon. Steve felt like swooning, like a fair maiden being courted or whatever. He had to hide in the bathroom for ten minutes after that because he was hyperventilating.

The fact that Steve’s love life is nonexistent doesn’t help either, but it’s not like Steve has time or will to meet someone new. Nor does he want to meet someone else, not when his stupid heart harbors this new and stupid hope.

Hoping that maybe Eddie’s flirting means something. Hoping that Eddie, with his hard work for Stobin Pastry, with his videos for the bakery’s instagram - gaining more and more subscribers everyday - and his new ideas. All of this means that Eddie is earnest in his intentions.

They haven’t talked about this, of course. Fuck, Steve hasn’t even told Robin about his crush. He can’t admit it out loud, it’d be so real if he does it. For the last three months Steve has been nursing these new feelings alone and silently.

Steve enters the pastry like usual, turns on the ovens to preheat them, checks the different doughs for the day… He even plays the music so Eddie’s playlist starts blasting through the speakers. And he waits.

Erica comes, showing Steve a ridiculously artistic photograph that Robin sent her using an eggplant and a peach, and they both laugh, but Steve is feeling antsy. Eddie isn’t here, and usually Eddie is already there, waiting for Steve to open the back door of the bakery, scrolling his phone idly. Eddie is never late.

The providers come and go, Erica’s in charge today, Steve’s barely paying attention to her or the providers. It’s been an hour and a half and still no sign of Eddie. Not even a text or a call.

Robin and Dustin arrive with fresh figs and some more fresh fruit, but Steve ignores them, his fingers hovering over his phone, wondering if he should call Eddie.

“Where’s Eddie?” Dustin asks, looking around the kitchen.

“I- I don’t know, he didn’t show up this morning,” Steve answers with a tremor in his voice.

What if he’s hurt? What if something terrible has happened to Eddie? Steve decides to call the guy, maybe it’s a silly thing. The alarm didn’t ring this morning, or some stupid thing that could happen to everyone. And yet, Steve presses Eddie’s number with shaking hands.

No signal.

Steve sighs, hands tugging at his hair and feeling desperate.

This is completely absurd, Eddie is probably ok, Steve just has to be patient and Eddie will explain to him once he arrives, that’ll be any moment now.

And he does, when he finally arrives and enters the kitchen half an hour later, sweating and red faced, with a small blonde girl in his arms, clinging to his neck, glassy bright blue eyes looking everywhere.

Steve looks at the little girl and then Eddie, not realizing he has dropped his jaw until Eddie’s eyes lock with his.

“Hello everyone, sorry I’m so late,” Eddie says, voice trembling. His eyes never leave Steve’s. “This little girl is CJ, she’s- She’s my kid.”

The kitchen seems haunted by an eerie, tense silence. Dustin is gaping, Erica’s jaw drops just as Steve and Robin’s eyes are wide open in a shell shocked expression.

“Your kid?” She manages to ask, darting glances to Steve.

“Yeah, well-” Eddie’s eyes are still locked with Steve, cheeks burning red. “I just…”

Steve feels - stupid, hopeless, helpless, betrayed, heartbroken, angry, desperate, miserable, incredibly relieved that Eddie is safe - like dying inside.

“Almost three hours late, Munson,” Steve grits through his teeth, his voice harsh and far too sharp. Also, Munson? He hadn’t called Eddie by his surname like, ever, and definitely not in this tone. “What do you think this place is? Your own personal playground?”

Eddie’s eyes flicker and show a thousand little expressions in the fraction of a second, his brows frowned in pain and confusion.

“I- Steve, let me explain-” Eddie’s voice is frail and Steve hates it. Steve hates that such a small detail breaks his heart a bit more, while Eddie’s kid is right there, looking at Steve with fear in her beautiful blue eyes.

“Chef,” Steve reminds him, feeling completely stupid and on the verge of a panic attack, anxiety crawling over his skin.

“Chef, please,” Eddie whispers at him, eyes pleading.

“This is not a kindergarten,” Steve snaps finally. “Take the day off if you need it. Everyone, get back to work, now!”

Steve storms out of the kitchen to hide in his office, falling into his chair with despair and hiding his face in his hands, feeling completely out of control.

What the fuck?

“What the fuck was that, chef?” Robin, of course, followed him and is now closing the door behind her so she can reprimand Steve.

“Robs-”

“Since when are you a complete moron, Steve?” Robin demands, pacing in front of him. He can hear her furious steps, but he still can’t look at his best friend. “The poor man has been trying to impress you since he stepped into the bakery, his work is impeccable, and you treat him like shit, Steve, have you noticed?”

Steve grunts.

“Since when is my best friend a jerk?” Robin asks, oh, she’s really angry at Steve, but not as angry as Steve is with himself. “This is not a kindergarten? Really? Have you seen-”

“I freaked out, ok?!” Steve spits at last, looking at her like the desperate man he is. “I thought he had an accident! I called him and- And then he appears with his kid? I didn’t know he’s married with children, ok? I didn’t know!”

Steve knows he’s making no sense, and yet, he’s letting out more than he wants. His own heartache takes control of his words, all the bottled up feelings spilling out now.

“I don’t know what I was thinking, I just-,” Steve sighs, defeated. “It’s absurd, I know, I’m being absurd.”

Robin sits in the chair in front of Steve, sighing too, far too quiet for Steve’s liking, and he knows she’s already connecting all the dots.

“So, it’s not that you hate Eddie, as Dustin and Eddie himself believe,” Robin guesses, and fuck, she guesses right.

“He thinks I hate him?” Steve asks with a strangled voice.

“That’s all the proof I needed,” Robin smiles sadly at him. “I’m sorry, Steve, it must be difficult for you, Eddie never mentioned a wife or a kid, I thought he was-”

“Yeah, me too, I think it was like, wishful thinking for me, you know?” Steve tries to laugh, but it sounds like a sad bark.

“I’m sorry, baby,” Robin says sincerely, leaning in to pat Steve’s hand. “I think you two have chemistry, like, I was convinced that it was going to happen, sooner or later.”

“You never told me that.”

Robin simply shrugs at that, and to be honest, it doesn’t matter anymore.

“You still owe him an apology, Steve, you were a jerk to him, and his kid, and a broken heart is not really an excuse, you know.”

“I know, I know,” Steve gets up. “I hate you, my little moral compass.”

“Aw, babe, but I’m so good at it.”

Once Steve comes back to the kitchen, the initial commotion has faded and everything is again in movement. More or less.

Robin has everyone working the moment she steps out of the office, she’s good at it, far better than Steve. He always enjoyed the creative part more than the boss part. Maybe that’s why Steve doesn’t know how to hire new people or how to face Eddie now, after his little scene just minutes ago.

Dustin and Erica are together, with Eddie’s little girl on the countertop in front of them, making her giggle and - Steve squints at them - giving her chocolate mousse. Dustin is holding the spoon for the kid, CJ, while Erica is looking fondly at Dustin.

Steve sighs, thinking that probably he’ll have to deal with whatever is blooming between these two, but not now. Now he has to find Eddie and apologize to him, and meanwhile he can accept the fact that Eddie is a taken man.

Before he can take a step forward, Robin is already looking at him and points with her chin towards the adjacent kitchen, the one where Eddie records the videos. Steve nods at her sharply, takes a deep breath, and goes to find Eddie.

The long haired chef is there, looking miserable. He has his face hidden in the crook of his arms, slumped against the clean, empty counter, his curls wild and loose, covering his head and shoulders.

He doesn’t notice Steve when he enters the kitchen. Steve opens his mouth, but closes it again, unsure about what to say. The words feel heavy in his sore chest, all that crumpled hope like a bitter ache, making everything a bit more difficult for Steve,

But Robin is right. Eddie never made a move towards Steve, not really. What if the man is flirty by nature? Steve is the one with the stupid crush, and the one that let things get this far.

Deciding to do the right thing, Steve clears his throat, loud enough for Eddie to hear him. Steve grimaces at the startled long haired chef when he looks up, straightening in his spot as a militar. His big doe eyes are glassy and his brows are pinched, his whole pretty face contorted in a painful expression.

Well done, Harrington, Steve thinks.

“Steve!” Eddie squeaks. “I mean, chef, I’m sorry, I- It would never happen again, I just-”

Steve shakes his head, taking a step forward. Seeing Eddie like this shouldn’t hurt him this much, and knowing that he made it worse it’s actually killing Steve from the inside.

“No, Eddie, I am sorry,” Steve sighs, forcing himself to be an adult and look at Eddie’s eyes while he apologizes. “That was completely out of place, I should have asked you if you were ok, if everything was ok, not- I didn’t handle it well, and I’m sorry for that.”

Eddie makes a throaty sound that sounds like a very confused frog.

“Well, you’re the boss and I was late-” Eddie starts to say, sounding defeated. His next words he says them in a rush, as if Steve wouldn’t listen to him if he takes too much time saying them. “I don’t want to lose my job, chef, I love my job, I love working here, please-”

“What?” Steve frowns. “Eddie, I’m not firing you, and please, stop calling me chef.”

Steve decides that today they need to talk, today he has to properly meet Eddie Munson, pastry chef of Stobin, instead of assuming things and let his crush take the best of him.

He leads Eddie to the office, but of course, Dustin has to be the annoying nosy kid - now taller and broader and with stubble, but still a kid for Steve - and jumps in front of them.

“You can’t fire him, Steve!” He says, in that strangled tone he uses whenever he’s chastising Steve. That is, more often than it should be. “That’s not cool, just because-”

“Shouldn’t you be working on that order of cinnamon rolls?” Steve interrupts him, putting a hand on Dustin’s shoulder. “Take Erica and CJ with you if that’s what you want, and we both can talk later, in the office.”

Dustin opens his mouth again, but Steve smiles at him.

“I’m not going to fire Eddie, dude, relax,” Steve promises. Dustin is looking at him with those puppy eyes, lips pressed together in a fine line, but nods sharply after a moment.

“Yes, chef,” Dustin says before leaving, trotting towards Erica, who is still with Eddie’s kid.

Steve closes the door of the office behind them. It’s a simple space, a few chairs, the desk with the computer on top, a couch with a cozy blanket. There are a few shelves, full of cooking books and notebooks written by hand, Steve and Robin’s own recipes and tips, techniques and ideas.

There’s also a coffee machine and a lot of mismatched, novelty mugs. Steve doesn’t waste a moment and picks two of them, pouring coffee onto them.

“Milk and sugar?” Steve asks Eddie, and points at him to sit on the couch.

“Just sugar is ok, thank you.”

It hurts to see Eddie like this, deflated and sad and nothing like his usual self. Steve’s heart clenches at the sight, but he’s decided to ask and to know who Eddie Munson is.

Steve puts one of the mugs in front of Eddie, Dustin’s mug, with yellow ducklings painted on it. Steve holds his own mug, his favorite, the one the kids bought him long ago for father’s day. It says Steve #1 Dad, a private joke between them all.

“Well,” Steve drags one of the chairs until he can sit in front of Eddie. “I know I should have done this when we hired you months ago, but, as you can see I’m terrible at this.”

“You’re not the worst boss I’ve ever had, Steve,” Eddie manages to smile shyly, and it calms Steve’s nerves a bit.

“Yeah, well, I can be better,” Steve smiles back at him. “Ok, Edward Munson, tell me a bit about you.”

#steddie facfiction #steddie #steve harrington loves eddie munson #eddie munson loves steve harrington #getting together #falling in love #single dad Eddie Munson #fluffy chicken writes #Taste of love fic

72 notes · View notes

vonn13 · 3 months

Text

Can I PLEASE get me a steddie enchanted AU with Steve being a fairytale prince being sent to the real world thinking he has to find a way back to marry Nancy. He meets Eddie who's a single grumpy but loving dad of Dustin or some oc kid and Steve learns that he's allowed to fall for Eddie and a life that isn't as perfect like a fairytale.

Scenes include:

Learning about the real world making hilarious but sweet mistakes

Talking to local wildlife somehow

Challenging someone to a sword duel for fun

Dustin and Steve playing dnd and Steve getting a bit TOO into it

Dustin and his friends trying to set Steve and Eddie up together

Robin being Steve's cartoon bird bestie turned human when she comes looking for him in the real world

Steve taking care of a sick Eddie in like not the intended way, but he tries which is sweet

Eddie falling first but knowing he'll lose Steve to this fairytale princess

A yearning dance scene with the so close song from enchanted where they're dancing together and Eddie sings along to the lyrics when Steve realize what he could lose by leaving

youtube

Okay fuck I didn't need another project tbh but this is officially on my writing list 😅

#I haven't watched this movie in years #Wtf is my brain #steve babygirl harrington #steve harrington #dad eddie munson #eddie munson #steddie #steddie fic #enchanted au #fuck why am i like this #I'm already fixating on this idea but I'm still writing a 5 part pjo x aftg fanfic and even have a draft for a little women x st fic #Youtube #prince steve harrington #Single dad Eddie munson #Because that's all my content apparently dad Eddie #What heteronormativity in fairytales???

15 notes · View notes

thruheavenandhighwater · 1 year

Text

Pairing: Single Dad! Eddie/ Steve Harrington

Requested By: NA

Word Count: 1,596

Series Summary: Eddie left Hawkins in 1986 with no reason to ever return. But now, a few years have passed and life has changed. Eddie finally returns home and has to deal with everything he left behind, including Steve Harrington. This story starts in May 1991.

Part One Summary: Eddie is supposed to be a rockstar, not a single father of a four month old.

Stranger Things Masterlist

Steddie Masterlist

Series Masterlist

~~~~~

Eddie was supposed to be a rockstar by now. World famous and a few tours under his belt. Maybe even a supermarket tabloid scandal or two. But instead he's in the passenger seat of his uncle's truck on his way back to Hawkins. Back to the place he swore he'd never step foot in again.

A small sound escaped the baby who sat buckled between the silent men. Eddie's left hand shot into action, immediately coming to rest on her dark hair. All seemed to be well, just a little fussiness while she slept. Wayne watched from the corner of his eye, deciding which question to ask first.

"Where's her mama?"

Eddie shrugged, his shoulders dropping as he let out a long breath through his nose. "I don't know, man," he answered, shaking his head. "Got no fuckin' clue."

"How old is she?"

"Not sure," Eddie answered. "Twenty-four, twenty-five. Something like that."

"The baby," Wayne groaned, bringing one hand to his face, pinching the bridge of his nose as he signaled a turn onto the highway. "How old is the baby?"

"Oh," his nephew giggled. "She's uh, just about four months. On the twelfth."

Wayne spared a glance at the infant to his right. She'd been wailing while he loaded up her and Eddie's meager belongings from the disgusting apartment. But the moment the old engine in the truck roared to life she'd quieted. And now, nearly three hours into their drive she'd barely made a peep.

"You waited four months to tell me I have a granddaughter?"

"Figured you'd be pissed," Eddie shrugged again.

"I'm pissed you let your little situation get so bad. I'm fuckin' fuming, kid." Wayne was not one to mince words. He never had been. Not when his brother showed up eight months after dropping Eddie at his door expecting him to go with him. Not when Eddie came home for a second time with news that he wouldn't be graduating. And certainly not now. "You owe it to her to get your shit together."

"You think I don't fuckin' know that?" Eddie all but screamed, his voice echoing in the small cab of the truck. This finally roused his daughter from her nap. It started small, like it always did. Her tiny face scrunched up, her nose wrinkling as her lips turned down into a pout. Eddie put one arm over the car seat, the other crossing his body to press a soft hand to her pudgy stomach. He rubbed gentle lines on her tummy with his thumb in an attempt to soothe her before all hell broke loose. It didn't work. Of course it didn't. She screamed like a man ten times her size.

"Oh, honey," Eddie sighed, his head dropping to his chest. His long hair fell into his face, tickling at his already upset daughter. "Come on, Lu, I'm sorry. Daddy didn't mean to yell."

His voice sounded so tired. Almost broken as he begged her to quiet down. The trio still had seven hours ahead of them and listening to her scream would only make it seem that much longer. Wayne saw a sign advertising a motel five miles ahead.

He turned off at the next exit, following the signs along the road. Like a sign from heaven the neon letters came into view. MOTEL flashed in bright green, VACANCY in pink beneath it. Wayne parked his truck and left Eddie with the baby while he went into the lobby. He was sure he looked like shit. He'd gotten off work at 7 am, driven ten hours, and was now three and a half hours into the drive home. It had been a long day, to say the absolute least.

Wayne parked the truck outside of their designated room. The baby was still screaming, her face turning red now. Eddie slid from his seat before reaching back into the truck to retrieve the car seat.

"You wanna unload the crib?"

Wayne shook his head, waving his hand flippantly as he reached into the truck bed. He retrieved the beat up leather bag that held his change of clothes. "Think she'll be okay to sleep in that for one night."

Eddie nodded, too tired to disagree with his uncle. He hooked the plastic handle of the car seat over his elbow with a groan. Even at just four months, she was heavy. With his free hand he mimicked his uncle's movements, pulling own bag and the diaper bag from the truck before following Wayne into the room. Two twin beds sat against the wall, a chest of drawers on the opposite wall. It wasn't fancy, but it was somewhere for the family to rest. And that was what everyone needed right now.

Eddie sat his daughter on top of the bed furthest from the door. Her diaper bag followed close behind her as Eddie began to pull out the necessities, a clean bottle and the last can of formula he had. He opened the lid and prayed it would be enough to get her by. He knew it wouldn't be.

His hands moved by muscle memory alone as he prepared her dinner. 4 ounces of water from the sink in the bathroom. One scoop of formula. Shake and serve. He set the bottle on the small table that sat between the beds and took a seat on top of his bed next to the car seat. Just as he was beginning to unbuckle her, Wayne coughed.

"Let me do that," she said. "You go shower."

"I'll shower after she's fed."

"Eddie, you stink." His words weren't unkind or intended to hurt. He was just being honest. Not unlike the many times he'd had to say the exact same words to Eddie when he was 13 and didn't believe in hygiene.

Eddie smiled at that. It was small, like he was too exhausted to smile properly. But it was something. He nodded as he stood from the bed before walking into the bathroom. Once Wayne heard the water begin to run he resumed unbuckling her. She was solid as he pulled her away from the car seat to his chest. Her screams had softened into whimpers by now, but it didn't take an expert to see that she was clearly still unhappy.

"Come on, little lady," Wayne sighed as he positioned her head into the bend of his elbow. "Chow time."

Once she began drinking the, truthfully, disgusting milk she quieted immediately. Wayne couldn't help to smile as he watched her dark eyes scan the room around them. Just like your daddy, he thought.

By the time Eddie walked back into the room Wayne was putting her over his shoulder to burp her. Eddie handed him a small hand towel from the bathroom to save his shirt.

"Been a long time since I did this," Wayne told him with a smile as he tucked the towel under her body. "Old man still got it."

Eddie seemed lighter after his shower. His uncle's bad joke pulling a genuine giggle from him, his lips curling to a real smile. Wayne glanced over Eddie as he turned away from him to rummage through his bag. He was so thin, suddenly. Half the size he was when he'd driven away from Wayne's house five years ago with his band. He saw the way his ribs showed as he stretched his arms over his head to put his shirt on. His legs looked skinnier, too. He felt the solid weight of the baby in his hands and he knew why.

He saw so much of himself in his nephew. Going without so that she wouldn't have to. Trying to make it on his own as best he could. Eventually doing what he knew was right, and taking her out of a bad situation. He'd never wanted any of that for himself, but he'd done it all for Eddie. He certainly never wanted any of this for Eddie. He always thought Eddie would do better.

"Alright, princess," Eddie said, suddenly facing them again. He reached his arms towards them and Wayne handed Lucy to her father. He hugged her tight to his chest, one hand covering her back while the other supported her bottom. She tucked herself under his long hair, her eyes closing contentedly. "Let's get you a bath and a new diapy, huh? Stinky girl." He cooed, his fingers tightening around her tummy to tickle her.

Wayne made himself comfortable on his own bed as he listened to the one sided conversation happening in the small bathroom. "Ooooh, Lucy!" Eddie feigned offense. "Stinkiest baby in the land." The sink squeaked on and he heard Eddie humming. He began to doze, the sounds of Lucy's giggles and the splashing water gently lulling him to sleep.

He hadn't slept for long when Eddie's voice woke him. He cracked open one eye, finding the baby sleeping peacefully on her stomach on the other bed. Eddie laid behind her, perched on his elbow while his other hand rubbed her back.

"-never meant for this to happen. Man, I hope you don't remember this." He sighed as he whispered to her. "But soon as we get home, daddy's gonna get a job. A real job, yeah? Gonna make you proud of me. Gonna make grandpa proud of me." He leaned forward, his lips meeting his daughter's dark hair at the back of her head. Wayne closed his eyes, trying to fall back to sleep. He knew his nephew was right. He was going to make him proud.

~~~~~

next part

~~~~~

I worked for like two months on this fic and it's really special to me. I hope you all enjoy reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it. Can't wait to hear what you all think! If you like this story even a little bit, please considering commenting and reblogging. Thanks! Have a great weekend!!🥰

If you'd like to be tagged in my Stranger Things fics, please let me know. I also have individual tag lists for Steve, Eddie, Robin, Nancy, and Steddie.

Tag List: @redwineanddnicotine @renaissan-vvitch

#steddie fan fic #steddie fanfiction #steddie fanfic #steddie imagine #steddie fluff #steddie angst #steddie friends to lovers #steve harrington/eddie munson #steve harrington x eddie munson #eddie munson/steve harrington #eddie munson x steve harrington #eddie x steve #steve x eddie #single dad eddie munson #girl dad eddie munson

41 notes · View notes

runninriot · 5 months

Text

...✍️ might be working on a Steddie Hallmark Christmas Movie AU

“Steven, darling. It’s so good to have you here.”

His mother smiles but it’s rigid and doesn’t reach her eyes, doesn't really show on her face. Probably a side effect from the Botox injections and whatever pills she currently pops to keep her sane.

She ‘hugs’ him – one of those Harrington type of hugs you can’t really feel because her arms only hover over his shoulders, not really touching – and kisses the air on each side of his face. Steve doesn’t even try to lift his arms to draw her in, just accepts her not-so-warm but familiar welcome.

That’s how things are in the Harrington household. Distant, cold, impersonal. It has always been like this so Steve is used to it, can’t really remember the last time his mother truly held him in her arms. Again, it’s fine.

“Where’s dad?”

“Your father has a late night meeting and is staying at a motel. He'll join us in the morning for breakfast.”

Yeaaaah, right.

They have dinner together and his mother keeps telling him about all the things that need to be done for the event. Making appointments with interior designers and party planners, deciding on the hors d’oeuvres and entreé, attending some wine tasting,... the list is endless.

Steve has the honourable duty to check in with the graphic designer that got hired to come up with some propositions for this year’s invitation cards – something his mother insist on sending out despite the fact that anyone worth attending has already been informed about the date months in advance.

After dinner and a skin-deep conversation, they say their good nights. It’s not even 8pm but, Steve guesses, his mother’s sleeping pills must be kicking in and to be honest, he’s not too mad about retiring to his old room turned guest room to get some alone time and sulk about what he's gotten himself into.

#steddie fanfiction #rich guy steve harrington #single dad Eddie Munson #Cheesy Holiday AU #wip

6 notes · View notes

rip-quizilla · 8 months

Text

Meet the Teacher

Pairing: Modern!Older!Single Dad!Eddie x Fem!Teacher!Reader

Summary: Eddie meets his daughter's new kindergarten teacher and he's pretty sure you're his wet dream come to life. AKA: single dad!Eddie fantasizes about you while he jerks off.

Word Count: 2.4K

Tags: 🔥SMUT, modern au, masturbation, implied road head, pervert!Eddie, switch!Eddie (sort of)

A/N: She's a short queen, standing just over 2k words tall- barely more than a blurb. Quick 'lil read, but I hope y'all enjoy her ❤️

🍎🍎🍎

Eddie needed to calm down.

This wasn’t the time for him to be straining against his jeans, getting hot and bothered at seven o’clock on a Tuesday evening. Wasn’t the place. Hell, given his history with school in general, he should feel uncomfortable as fuck in all sorts of other ways, sitting in a classroom for the first time in over a decade. The last time Eddie remembered being happy to be in a classroom was Miss Adami’s fifth grade class. She had always been nice to him.

Eddie wouldn’t mind if this teacher were nice to him…

Fucking. Stop. You horny bastard. Eddie chided himself mentally, Get it together, Munson.

He crossed his leg over the opposite knee, willing his half-mast dick to soften the fuck down, and fast. Eddie did his best not to draw attention to himself as he readjusted his position in the too-small plastic chair, scooted about a foot away from the hilariously low table he was currently sitting by.

He focused his gaze on Raven, his daughter, who sat criss-cross-applesauce on the rainbow-colored rug at the front of the classroom. Her big brown eyes were wide, rapt as she watched her new teacher leading her and all the other five-year-olds in a song that required various hand motions and claps and whatnot. Eddie couldn’t help but grin fondly at the little tyke as she listened intently to every direction, determined to do every little thing her teacher asked of her without a single flaw.

The only problem was that no matter how cute his daughter was, no matter how much Eddie tried desperately to control himself, he couldn’t tear his eyes off you.

He knew schools were loosening up on rules and regulations and all that- more and more school districts now allowed teachers to dye their hair unconventional colors, show tattoos, have more than just their earlobes pierced, blah blah blah…

But he hadn’t expected his daughter’s kindergarten teacher to look this fucking hot.

You were something straight out of his fantasies. Like some hybrid rockabilly/alt girl/teacher hybrid, with hair that shone such a vibrant red that he knew there was no way it was natural. Fine by him. Tattooed sleeves of black-inked flowers crawled up your arms, showcasing some of the most beautiful linework and shading that Eddie had ever seen. His eyes followed the vines without his permission, taking account of the foxglove at your right forearm, the hyacinth on your left elbow, the cluster of lilacs that peeked out of the capsleeve on your shoulder.

And oh, god, he couldn’t look at the snake that coiled around your knee. He hadn’t seen it at first, but when you’d sat down in your chair at the front of the classroom, your dress had crept up your lower thigh, allowing the snake to slither into view, and fuck, Eddie wasn’t sure he’d be able to pay much attention to whatever information you’d be delivering that he probably needed to know. All he could hope was that you’d been considerate enough to print out any necessary information so he could read it later.

Tearing his eyes from his daughter’s teacher (christ, Eddie really was a horny bastard, this was in no way okay), he pulled his phone from his pocket in an effort to provide himself a distraction.

“Ahem.”

Eddie’s gaze shot up from his phone screen, realizing shamefully that your eyes were trained on him, catching him red-handed in the middle of using his phone in class (which was funny, since he technically wasn’t ‘in class’, just in a classroom). Still, that didn’t seem to make a difference to you as you raised an eyebrow at him, challenging him to do anything other than slip that phone back into his pocket. Trapped under your authoritative glare, Eddie gulped, cock twitching slightly as he slid the phone back into the pocket of his charcoal jeans.

The moment your eyes left him, you were back to wide smiles that crinkled around your lashes, clapping along with the kids who already adored you, even though you technically wouldn’t be their teacher until next week. It didn’t matter- they were infatuated with you, a sentiment that Eddie could understand completely.

When Eddie stepped up to shake your hand on the way out of your classroom that evening, his heart had leapt at the look that you gave him- one eyebrow raised, the corner of your lipsticked mouth clipping up in a wry, knowing smile.

Just like you’d done for every child before they left your classroom that day, you first crouched down until your eyes were level with Raven’s and asked if she would prefer a hug or a high five. Unsurprisingly, the little firecracker had responded by simply throwing her arms around your neck, clinging to you with the reckless abandon and generous trust that only a five-year-old could give so freely. When you stood to shake Eddie’s hand, he had to bite back a what, I don’t get to pick a hug or high five?

“Raven,” you said, voice still lifted with excitable inflection that would make any little ankle biter’s ears perk up like a doberman’s. “I can already tell you’re an excellent student. Do you think you can help your daddy remember all of the things we talked about today?”

Raven’s eyes lit up, and her wispy curls shook as she nodded her head in agreement. “Uh-huh!”

Eddie gave his daughter’s hand a squeeze and nudged her lightly with his knee. “Yes ma’am.” he prompted, and it was echoed in her tiny, polite voice upon hearing his reminder.

Your eyes flicked up to his, approval in your gaze dancing with the teasing sarcasm in your smile. “Excellent manners.” you praised, and Eddie wasn’t sure if you were talking to him or to his daughter. Either was fine with him.

You took his hand in yours, shook it all-businesslike with a polite “Nice to meet you, Mr. Munson.” and before Eddie knew it, he was out the door. However, his mind was still on the cherry-red shine of your hair. The crimson varnish on your nails. The sweetheart neckline of your fifties-style dress, and how when you crouched down and he stayed standing he could see the top of a black lace bra underneath.

Good god, he was a pervert.

It was all he could think about on the way home, all he could think about while Raven watched one of those Minions movies for the twentieth time before bed. All he could think about after he’d tucked her in, kissed her goodnight, and retreated to his own bedroom to think about you while he touched himself.

Eddie was old-fashioned- he didn’t need porn. His imagination was a talented machine, fine-tuned after decades of dreaming up campaigns and writing songs. When he laid down on his mattress, it didn’t take long for him to conjure up the image of you there with him, climbing onto his lap, hiking up that black and white polka dotted dress until he could see the tattoos that he imagined must decorate your thighs.

He spat into his hand, sighing as he felt the slick coat his cock with each pass of his hand. He applied the most pressure with his thumb, flicking it over that ridge beneath the head that felt fucking phenomenal when touched the way he liked. If he closed his eyes, he could imagine your red-painted nails slipping over the head of his cock, tongue poking out to kitten-lick the very tip while you looked at him with big, bright, forbidden eyes.

Your crimson-stained lips, shiny with spit, would envelop him warmly, causing him to groan ecstatically as his hips bucked into your mouth. His cock, fully hard and throbbing, would slide down your throat as you shoved your lips- no, as Eddie shoved your lips further and further down his shaft until your nose smushed against the hair at his groin. His hand would span across the back of your head, pushing you down and holding you there until you gagged around him, and God, that would feel so good, your desperate swallowing around his throbbing dick and the noises you would make- what noises would you make?

He imagined your voice as he fisted his cock, wove melodies of moans in his head that he could pull from your mouth. Would they be deep? Guttural? Or would you be the kind of moaner that whimpered at the highest register you had? Would you be loud, so loud that the neighbors would hear- either that, or he would just have to gag you. Slap his hand over your mouth. Stuff your panties between your lips (which he was sure were black lace to match your bra). Or would you be more assertive, quick to put Eddie in his place like you did today when he’d taken out his phone?

Which did he want to call you: baby? Or ma’am? He imagined trying both out on you while he was balls-deep in your wet little pussy, and thought about which word would make you squeeze him tighter.

God, Eddie was so fucking horny. It had been so long since he’d cum inside anything that wasn’t his own hand. He thought about whether or not it would be inappropriate to text the cell phone number you’d provided in the email you’d sent out to the parents/guardians of your class. What would he even say?

Evening, miss. Was nice to meet you tonight. Feel like grabbing a drink?

Could he? Would that be appropriate?

He got harder just thinking about it. It definitely would not be appropriate… but what if you said yes anyway? What if you actually agreed to see him? What if you both hit it off? What if you actually did come back to his place with him, let him slide his hand around your waist, hold you close enough to smell the perfume on your neck? Let him see that lacy bra in all its glory?

The fantasy of an evening played out in his mind’s eye: Eddie would pick you up at your house, and you would answer the door wearing a cherry-colored dress that hugged your curves, painting you red to match your hair, your nails, and the angry shade of his cock. In the car, his fingers would brush the skin of your thigh, tracing the inked designs that lived there as you answered his questions about what you liked, what you didn’t, what you wanted or hated. Your hand would snake over to his thigh in turn, trace the seam of his black jeans- the ones that hugged his legs in all the right places- and the sensation would get him hard on the spot, right there in his car.

Would you be scared away by that? By how quickly you turned him on, drove him nuts. Or would it turn you on too, making you sigh, a rumble through your chest as he felt your delicate, red-tipped fingers brush his hardening cock through the tightening fabric. Would you unbuckle his belt? Unbutton his pants? Unzip his fly and free his throbbing dick into the cool night air, only to shock him with the warm, wet feel of your mouth while he continued to cruise down a Hawkins country road?

Eddie groaned, feeling his release creep up on him. Closer and closer he drew, and with every stroke of his cock he succumbed further into his hazy vision of you. Now you were back in bed with him, naked and bouncing on his cock. You were rubbing your clit as you moved your hot, wet pussy up and down his shaft, leaving milky white wet in your wake. In his fantasy, you were arching your back, moaning as he thrust himself into you at a pace that hit places within you that made you cry out his name.

His movements were getting faster, his grip growing tighter as it slipped over his cock at a speed that he knew would result in a sore arm tomorrow but he didn’t care- his release would be worth it. He squeezed his eyes shut tight, imagining your knees quivering as you made yourself cum on his cock. Imagining your body convulsing under waves of pleasure, your thighs threatening to close against his strong hands holding them open. You would moan and mewl and chant his name, and conjuring up the sound of his name as it left your lips was what did it for Eddie.

Heavy, white ropes of cum dripped over his knuckles, painting his stomach and sliding over the shining crevices of his rings. He stroked himself slower, coming down from his release with a shuddering sigh.

It only took a few moments for the fact that he just jacked off to the thought of his daughter’s kindergarten teacher to sink in.

Eddie didn’t feel… creepy… but he could tell there was a definite line he’d crossed somewhere. However, he was tired, and decided that he would deal with the moral implications tomorrow.

***

The next time Eddie saw you, you were working the car line after school. He’d taken note of the Metallica shirt you were wearing, and rolled down his window, turning up the volume on his stereo. He watched as your smile broadened when you recognized For Whom the Bell Tolls.

“Here for Raven?” You’d asked with a lopsided grin. Your voice was just as sweet as he remembered.

“Yep,” he’d replied, nodding to your t-shirt, “but if you want to keep her for a few more hours, I think I just decided I trust you with my kid even more than I did before.”

You grinned, showing all of your teeth this time. “She’s a cool kid.” you paused, as if debating whether to finish your sentence. “...I can see where she gets it.”

Eddie beamed, his smirk reaching up to the crow’s feet at his eyes. “You think I’m cool?”

You matched him, smirk for smirk, going as far as to lean your forearms onto the passenger side window sill. “You carry yourself like someone who knows they’re cool.”

Eddie stared at you for a moment, debating for an entirely too-short length of time whether or not he should shoot his shot.

Fuck it.

“Cool enough to buy you a drink sometime?”

#eddie munson #eddie munson x reader #eddie munson fanfic #eddie munson smut #eddie munson x you #stranger things #stranger things fic #older!eddie munson #single dad!eddie munson #teacher!reader #dad!eddie munson #rip-quizilla

716 notes · View notes

resident-gay-bitch · 3 months

Text

Single teen dad steve who’s kid comes out as trans kinda young and fuck it’s the late 80’s early 90’s - post upside down - and he’s freaking out because he just wants the best for his little kid. She- he has always been Steve’s biggest priority and he loves his kid no matter what and he’s gonna embrace the hell out of it, but he has worries about it all because he’s in small town Hawkins and people here get beat up for being rumoured to be gay, what the hell is gonna happen to his kid??

But mainly, he has no idea how to help. He doesn’t know anything about it. Robin assists where she can but she’s just as in the dark about it as Steve.

Then comes one night, Axl (they’re trying out new names each month and this month Axl is obsessed with Gunners so it’s only appropriate) is having a panic attack over his dysphoria and Steve is trying his best to help. He can’t bind, doesn’t know how to do it on his own without it hurting really bad, and Steve is trying to help but Axl won’t let anyone see any part of him without a shirt and so it’s hard. They tried to figure out how to do it on Steve’s bare chest but it’s not really the same. Eventually Axl cries himself to sleep about it with Steve sitting on the end of his bed because Axl didn’t want to even be touched after a while.

And Steve doesn’t sleep that night, he stays up half the night trying to bind his own chest correctly, then he tapes balloons and stuffed toys to the front of this big bear they have and tries to bind on that. But nothings working, and he can’t help but feel like he’s failed his kid. He debated calling Robin up to see if she’d come over and he could try binding her chest to figure it out, he knows she’ll say yes because she cares about Axl so much and also won’t care if Steve sees her bare chest as he has before, but she’s out of state for work for a whole other week. He just cries until it’s time to get up for work and school.

Axl is wearing a baggy shirt under an even baggier hoodie, even though it’s the middle of summer. Steve wants to tell him to take it off, to make sure he doesn’t faint today, but he knows that’s only gonna make things worse - everyone at school still thinks he’s a girl. He makes sure to pack ice packs in Axl’s lunch bag and extra ice in his water bottle.

He goes to work and thinks about it all day, then he gets home to find a note on the counter from Axl, saying he’s popped across the street to study with Melody for a while. They’ve been friends since they were little, and she’s the only one from school who knows so far. Steve’s glad Axl’s doing something to distract himself rather than rotting away in bed and making himself feel more sick about it.

Halfway through cooking himself dinner (and by cooking he means microwaving whatever the fuck he can find in the fridge) he gets a knock on the door. It’s Eddie. Of course it’s Eddie. They had plans to catch up for a beer down the pub tonight, since they hadn’t seen eachother in a while now. Steve had been so distracted today he completely forgot.

Steve apologises to Eddie and tells him he’s just been so stressed today and he couldn’t talk to Robin about it and everything is just so complicated, he just breaks down and cries right then and there in his doorway.

And Eddie, being the kind soul that he always has been, pulls Steve into a hug and lets him cry about it.

They sit down at the table together and crack open a couple of beers and eat the microwaved leftovers. And they chat and Steve forgets about everything for a little while. Eddie does that to him; makes Steve forget everything else in the world doesn’t exist besides Eddie.

He’s tried to snuff his stupid feelings for Eddie out for years, since 1986. It hasn’t worked. But Eddie’s been between relationships, and Steve’s had Axl to worry about so trying to have anything serious has been so hard and pointless. No one wants an instant pre-teen, and especially not Eddie who has expressed he doesn’t want kids several times. It’s pointless.

So very pointless.

But Steve wants him anyway.

Eddie asks about Axl, as he always does. He cares about Steve’s kid the way he cares about Dustin, sort of. They get along, but Eddie kinda gets awkward around him for some reason and Axl gets very flustered around Eddie. Steve found it adorable when he was little, Eddie with his long hair and tattoos, he always through it was cool. And as Axl got older, the more he’d avoid Eddie in hopes of not fanboying over Eddie’s band, or tattoos, or his guitar.

But they don’t really see eachother much these days, so now that Axl’s fourteen and too cool to ask questions when Steve brings Eddie up, who knows what they’d be like around eachother?

Eddie’s asking questions, completely oblivious as he asks how “she’s going” and if “she’s surviving her first year of highschool” and blah blah blah, and Steve knows it’s because he doesn’t know. But it messes with his head anyway, because that’s his boy their talking about, not his girl, and it’s been bothering him all day and Steve just-

He crumbles. He opens up to Eddie and tells him everything on his mind right now. How Axl is really a boy, and how they’re trying out new names, and how Steve feels like he’s failing his kid because he doesn’t know how to help him bind, or feel safe, or come out at school, or what to do to get him on testosterone or if that’s even an option and-

Eddie places his hand on Steve’s and smiles so softly, “You’re struggling to bind?” Eddie asks.

“Yeah, it’s like- his chest… he- he’s doesn’t-“

“Yeah, I- I know, Steve.” Eddie nods, “Would Axl be okay with me knowing this? Or, like, not?”

“I don’t know.” Steve so sobs, “I shouldn’t have said anything without his permission, but I just trusted you and I needed to talk to- to someone. And I’m…”

“Okay.” Eddie cleared his throat, “okay, will Axl be home tonight?”

“Yeah.” Steve sniffled and checked his watch, “It’s almost curfew.”

“Okay. Have you got any bandages? Or what have you been using?”

“Yeah, bandages… cloth.” Steve rubbed his nose.

“That’s okay, uhm, how about you go get those for me?”

Steve, confused but too mentally tired to think much of it, goes and does just that. He brings back the rolls of bandages and cloth they were using and dumps them on the table in front of Eddie. Eddie smiles and moves the cloth aside, looking at the strip of bandages.

“The wider ones are better. These are a little thin, but… does he use a sports bra most days?”

Steve nods.

“Okay, I suggest getting some wider bandages. But I can make these work.” Eddie grins.

“What?” Steve grumbles.

“Come here.” Eddie shuffles his chair over to Steve, “Arms up, not up in the air but like, out so I can get around.”

Steve follows his command yet again, and watches with confused eyes as Eddie begins to wrap the bandage around Steve’s chest, talking him through the process; where to place his hands for best compression, and insisting it can’t be too tight or it will hurt.

“It probably won’t be perfectly flat, they never are, but it will be better.” Eddie smiled, “Surgery is always an option, but they won’t let him get that until he’s like, eighteen.”

“How do you-“

“Hey, dad, sorry I’m late, I have a math test tomorrow and we-“ Axl chattered, walking through and shutting the door, “… uhm, hi Eddie.”

“Hi!” Eddie grinned and waved at Axl before looking back at Steve’s chest and fastening the bandage together with the clip at Steve’s side.

“What are you doing?”

Steve felt his heart drop, “I’m- I’m sorry, kid, I shouldn’t have told him but- I was just, I needed someone to talk to, and- It’s not and excuse-“

“No, it’s not.” Axl dumped his bag down on the kitchen counter and walked over, “You should ask before assuming.”

“I know.” Steve furrowed his brow, “I don’t usually-“

“But it’s okay because it’s just Eddie.” Axl shrugged and leant down to look at the bandges wrapped tight around Steve’s chest, “I figured you’d already told all of your friends.”

“Nope.” Eddie shook his head and smiled, “He certainly did not. Cool name, by the way- Guns and Roses?”

“Yeah.” Axl nodded.

“Sick.” Eddie grinned.

“Did you do this?” Axl pointed to the bandages.

“Wait, you’re not upset with me?” Steve asked.

“No, I know you’re not just gonna out me to some cunt who’s gonna beat me up-“

“Language.” Steve pressed.

“Besides, Eddie’s gay and a self proclaimed Freak, out of most of your friends he’s the least likely to judge.”

“Right you are, little gremlin.” Eddie smiled up at him.

“I’m still sorry.” Steve murmured.

“Don’t be.” Axl playfully punched his arm.

“Also, to answer your question,” Eddie continued, “Yes, this is how you bind. I can show you how to do it, if you like? I suggest bigger bandages but this can work for now.”

“Yes please.” Axl nodded, and Eddie immediately started to unwound the bindings on Steve’s chest.

He re-tied it, talking step by step to Axl, and then he got Axl to bind Steve’s chest himself, Eddie talking him through the process.

Then, Eddie got Axl to do it on himself, over his baggy jumpers, because it’s a little different doing it on someone else. Steve sat at the table and watched in awe as Eddie animatedly talked Axl through the process, and Axl couldn’t wipe his smile off his face.

The moment it was done he raced off to his room to do it properly. Eddie went and got them another beer.

“Thank you.” Steve smiled at him, “So much.”

“No problem, Steve-o.” Eddie grinned, “I have not done that in a while, it was kinda fun.”

“What do you mean?” Steve furrowed his brow, and Eddie shrugged and pulled up his shirt.

The first thing Steve noticed was the added ink Eddie had gotten since ‘86. The second thing he noticed was the bat bites scattered over his skin. And the third… two scars stretching along his chest.

Steve remembered being back there, crying and trying to add compression on all of Eddie’s scars. He remembered finding bandages already wrapped around Eddie’s chest, under his clothes, but he thought nothing of it, figured Eddie had cut his chest open or something. Not… this.

Eddie blushed and lowered his shirt, shrugging up at Steve.

“Oh my god.” Steve muttered, and Eddie just stared at him, “Holy shit, you’re like Axl?!”

“Yeah.” Eddie nodded, and then a couple of seconds later Axl was body slamming into the back of Eddie and wrapping himself around him.

“I didn’t think anyone was like me here.” Axl mumbled, obviously trying to not cry, “I always thought you’d be the coolest out of dad’s friends.”

Eddie snickered and gave Axl a hug back, “How’d you go, did you get it?”

“I think so.” He said, stepping back and showing off to them. It’s the first time Steve had seen him wear anything less than a baggy shirt. He was dressed in a cropped muscle tee, and he looked so confident.

Steve started to cry.

“Hey! Look at you, it looks so good, kid.” Eddie grinned, “If you want I can show you how to draw facial hair on to look realistic.”

“Fuck yeah.” Axl grinned, “I want a moustache.”

Eddie snickered and looked back at Steve, his face dropped when he saw him crying, “Hey, Stevie-“

“Thank you.” Steve sobbed and buried his head in his hands, “Holy fuck, thank you so much.”

Eddie smiled softly, “It’s no issues, of course. Anything to help a fellow freak like me, huh?” He smiled up at Axl, “I should be thanking you, it feels nice to have another person like me around again.”

��Do you know more people like us?”

Eddie nodded, “You know my friend Gareth? Yeah, he’s like us, and a two more people but they’re not in town.”

“Oh my god, really?!” Axl grinned, “This is so awesome, can I please come to one of your gigs or something?”

“I thought you were too cool for that stuff?” Steve snickered.

Axl flipped him off, “I just wanna meet him… as a guy.”

Eddie leant out and ruffled Axl’s hair, “Yeah, kid, whenever you like- though, a band practice would be more ideal for a fourteen year old.”

Axl frowned dramatically and went to get himself a drink.

“Seriously, Eddie, thank you.” Steve murmured, “I haven’t seen him that happy in… not in years. He’s just a kid, he’s meant to be that happy every day.”

Eddie nodded, “I know how he feels. I knew I was different really young too, and when I was about twelve I told my mum and she told me to never tell anyone. And then she died, when I was sixteen, and I ended up telling dad for some- I don’t even know why, he beat the shit out of me and I ran away. Like, away away, up to Indi. Wayne found me then, when my dad told him what happened, and bought me home and let me be Eddie.” He shrugged, “I remember the first time I tried binding with duct tape, Wayne found me crying in front of the mirror about it and he came in with bandages and helped me figure it out. I went on testosterone when I turned eighteen, so.”

Steve smiled, “I’m sorry you went through that, Eddie.”

“I’m sorry you’ve been going through this clueless. Wayne had no idea either, he’s got a book on how to look after trans kids now, but he didn’t back then, I can tell you that.” Eddie laughed, “Thanks for being his dad, and like, being a good one.”

“He’s my kid, I can’t just… of course, I love him.”

Eddie smiled, “You don’t know how rare that is for people like Axl and I.”

“I don’t understand why.”

“Me either.” Eddie hummed, “You’re a really good dad, Steve. A really good guy.”

“I’m just doing what I’m supposed to do.”

“Yeah, but you care. More than most people do. You care so much.” Eddie gently took Steve’s hand into his own, “I’m sure you already know but being Axl’s dad isn’t gonna be easy, especially not in fucking Hawkins, but so long as you just stick around and… care, then things are gonna be a whole lot easier for him. It means so much to him, and me, even.”

Steve smiled at him and squeezed Eddie’s hands as a thank you, “Can you stick around too?” He asked, “Help Axl in the places I cant?”

Eddie grinned, “Yeah, of course I can, Stevie.”

“Thank you.” Steve sighed, rubbing his temples, “You have no idea how grateful I am that you’re in my life.”

There was a moment of silence before Eddie whispered, “You have no idea how grateful I am that you’re in mine.”

They looked at eachother, and Steve felt his heart in his throat.

“Okay…” Axl murmured, rolling back over to the table, “You guys are clearly having a moment so I’m gonna stop eavesdropping.”

“Hey!” Steve scoffed, “You little shit.”

Axl chuckled and scruffed Steve’s hair, “Thanks dad, I love you too. You’re my best friend.”

Steve absolutely blossomed at that, he’d never been so happy to hear those words. He used to hear them all the time, when Axl was really little. But then he became a preteen and being friends with your dad suddenly stopped being cool. He’s ecstatic right now.

“Thanks Eddie.” Axl smiled at him, giving Eddie a fist bump as he passed, “Can we like… talk sometime? I just wanna-“

“Know if someone’s gone through all the crazy shit as you?” Eddie offered and Eddie nodded, “How about we get some lunch this weekend, huh? Then hang out at the music store?”

“Sounds good.” Axl grinned and continued to walk past, “I’ll let you guys get back to your moment.”

“Moment?” Steve asked, red in the face, watching Axl walk down the hallway to his room, “There’s no moment, what moment?!”

“Don’t worry about it.” Axl shouted back and walked into his room.

“Axl!” Steve shouted out.

“Axl!” Eddie shouted too, “What fucking moment do you mean?”

Axl poked his head back out the door, “You were having a nice moment about friendship and being a good dad and blah blah blah!” Axl shouted and Steve and Eddie both relaxed, “I just shouldn’t be evesdropping of course.”

“Okay.” Steve nodded and looked back to Eddie, watched the sparkle in his eyes dance as he shifted to look back at Steve. And he melted at the sight.

“Also, this would be a great time to do something about that crush you’ve had on Eddie for years, dad!”

And with that, Axl’s door was slammed shut.

Steve and Eddie were staring at eachother. Eddie was slowly turning more and more red.

“You have a crush on me?”

Steve’s lack of an answer probably was a dead giveaway, but he hoped Eddie was oblivious.

“Oh.” Eddie muttered, and clearly he’s not oblivious, “You have a crush on me- god, I sound fifteen. Wow, you are into me- Steve- you- okay.” Eddie cleared his throat and fixed his posture, “Do- wow, huh, uh… do- do you wanna- do you wanna go out with me? Okay, there, I did it.”

“You’re asking me out?” Steve asked, a little gobsmacked.

“Yeah.” Eddie bit at his nails as he looked at Steve nervously.

“Yes.” Steve swallowed, “Yeah, I- yeah… can- does tomorrow work? Seven?”

“Seven.” Eddie smiled, his shoulders relaxing, “Yeah, a date at seven.”

“Okay.” Steve smiled too, “Wait, is this just… I just need to know if this is a date or like, with the intention of something more serious.”

“Uh…” Eddie swallowed, “Considering I’ve been into you for years now, I’d prefer something a little more permanent. But-“

“You don’t care I’ve got a kid?”

“No, I-“ Eddie ducked his head, blushing, “To be honest I’ve kinda always been jealous he wasn’t our kid.”

“Holy shit.” Steve muttered, “I thought you didn’t want kids?!”

“Yeah.” Eddie shrugged, “I don’t know, you make all my wires cross, Steve. I’ve pictured a whole ass future with you.”

And Steve can’t wait to make that future come true.

And Axl grows up with a second dad who helps him through his transition too, has a little more intel. And Steve loves watching them as they chat about their shared experiences being trans, and cries when Axl comes out and shows off his excessive leg hair one afternoon, and when Eddie starts compulsively making fun of his voice cracks at age seventeen, and when Eddie’s sitting there and talking him through the procedure he’ll endure for his first surgery and- Steve’s just overwhelmed with love for them both.

And then he and Eddie adopt a little girl and Steve’s just so in awe of how Eddie is with the baby, and how Axl instantly takes to the protective big brother role. And just picture it, okay!? Just picture Steve and Eddie having a family together, okay?!

#Steve has a trans kid #trans Eddie #single dad steve #this is pretty shitty but I’m tired as fuck so I don’t care you know? I just wanted to share the idea because it needs to be shared!#headcannon that turned into a mini fic that I want to turn into a multichap #but I have so many wips already #jay writes #steve harrington #eddie munson #stranger things #dad Steve #Steddie #single dad Steddie #stranger things 4 #fluff #hurt comfort

199 notes · View notes

trensu · 1 year

Text

ETA: now on ao3 as Hawkins Halfway House for Homeless Horrors

ETA2: now with an additional snippet

okay, how's this for an AU

We know that Steve wants to be a dad. Like, his literal life dream is to have a minimum of six children. SIX. who wants that?? crazy people, that's who. but we forgive him his insanity because he's sweet and will actually probably be a really good dad and there's not enough of those in the world.

the downer is that it's the late 90s, he's a (still) single guy in his thirties, and every adoption agency on the planet would rather give their children to a heteronormative couple who don't even want kids than to a single dude who would dedicate his heart and soul to giving his kids a happy healthy home.

He's bemoaning his fate to Robin at a bar they recently discovered. It's a weird little joint, kinda tucked away on the outskirts where Steve could've sworn didn't exist just last week. The patrons were kinda weird too but neither he or Robin could put their finger on why or how. If Steve had been a little less miserable, and Robin a little less caught up in comforting him, they might've noticed how everyone else in the bar kept sneaking curious glances at them or how they somehow always kept most of their features hidden.

They didn't though. Even when they were interrupted by a handsome black gentleman who called himself Jeff. Jeff said that he couldn't help but overhear their dilemma and that he's actually part of an agency that is more open minded about potential foster or adoptive parents. Steve's a little deeper in his cups than he intended, and doesn't question that some random guy in a bar is offering him a chance of having children. Robin is not as far in her cups and finds it a bit suspicious.

She was going to say something about it but Jeff looked her in the eye and said, "Everything is fine. There's no reason to worry. I'm only trying to help."

"You're only trying to help," Robin murmured back blearily. "Everything is fine. Yeah. Yeah, 'm not worried."

Jeff gives Steve his card and tells him he can stop by the very next day if he'd like, since his schedule is open.

The next day, Steve is regretting having gotten so drunk. Not really because of the hangover (though holy shit, he is NOT twenty anymore he needs to stop drinking like one). No. It's because Jeff had just finished giving him a tour of the facility full of rambunctious children in need of a home.

Actually, that had been pretty okay even if the other adults in the facility startled at the sight of him and the children kept ducking into other rooms to hide from him.

No. It's because Jeff had just introduced him to a child named Dustin who sneezed unexpectedly and somehow turned into a kitten.

"Um," Steve said. Jeff sighed.

"Dustin hasn't gotten back control over his shapeshifting since his mother's passing, but I assure you he's been improving."

"...shapeshifting," Steve said, numbly.

"Yes. Dustin tends to go for cat shapes, like his mother did." Jeff bends down to pick up the loudly mewing tabby kitten. "We've managed to get him to shift mostly into a domestic shorthair, rather than a cougar cub."

"That's great," Steve squeaked as he tried to tamp down the growing hysteria in him. "Really, really great. Y'know what, Jeff, this whole thing's been great but I think I'm still kind of drunk so I'm just gonna go--"

"No, wait," Jeff says, quickly placing the Dustin kitten on his shoulder before reaching out to grab Steve by the elbow. "Please. Look, you seem like a good guy. I did a quick scan of you and everything, and I really think if you'd take a moment to sit down and--"

"JEFFORD BILLANY JONES."

Jeff's shoulders hunched, nearly dislodging Dustin from his shoulder. He sighed again and turned to face the man storming towards him and Steve.

"Eddy, you know none of that is my name."

"I'll call you whatever I want since for some unfathomable reason, you've brought a human into my sanctuary. Why is there a human in my home, Jeffamy."

"Eddy, let me explain."

"It's Eddie in front of the human," Eddie said.

Steve's brain was experiencing some sort of malfunction because Jeff had been calling this man Eddie, except if he concentrated, the way Jeff said Eddie and the way Eddie had said Eddie sounded very very different except it hadn't because they both sounded like Eddie except for how Jeff's Eddie sounded different from, the same as, different, just like--

A pair of ringed fingers snapped aggressively in front of his face, startling Steve from an impending aneurysm.

"You. Who are you, who sent you, what do you want."

Steve stuttered something incoherent. He's pretty sure he's had a mental break from reality. There was some sort of sentient black sludge creeping across the tiled floor, wrapping a tendril around Jeff's leg.

"What is that?" Steve squawked. Jeff beamed at him.

"Oh, this is El! She's a Monster Under the Bed. She hasn't decided on a form yet, but that's okay, we love her just as she is."

"Jeff," Eddie snapped. Jeff looked at Eddie stubbornly.

"You told me we needed all hands on deck."

"How dare you, I'd never stoop to using boat metaphors."

"Don't distract me with blatant lies. Eddy, you said we needed help. You said you'd take anyone at this point."

Steve has not been able to stop staring at the sludge creature (El?). He's beginning to realize that he can't quite remember what Jeff looked like, or any of the adults they had seen. He's noticing that some of the children that have been scampering about had looked off. Like the boy with the bowl-cut they had passed by earlier who had looked...frosty around the edges. Or the girl he thought had had red feathers in her hair but is now suspecting the feathers were something more than decorative.

Ringed fingers snap in front of his face again. Steve finally focused on the man named Eddie who was actually named Eddie which was different from Eddie somehow. Now that he's able to shove away the confusion that is this man's name, he's struck by the fact that Eddie was quite possibly the most gorgeous man Steve's ever seen. He had wide, dark eyes that made Steve think of seabeds in the deepest of waters. His hair was a riot of dark brown curls that for some reason brought to mind swirling schools of fish.

"Answer my questions," Eddie demanded. Steve blinked and, with some difficulty, remembered the previous interrogation.

"Uh, I'm Steve. Jeff invited me because I want to be a dad."

Eddie barked out a laugh.

"Oh, is that right? In that case, welcome to Hawkins' Halfway House for Homeless Horrors! I'm sure Jeff would love to finish introducing you to the rest of our children. Have you met Mike? He's a ghoul! Or Lucas! He's a werewolf and his dream is to become a basketball star. They both have very sharp teeth so watch out for their tantrums."

Jeff scowls at Eddie before turning back to Steve. Steve was starting to feel faint and he was no longer sure if he regretted drinking the night before or regretted not drinking more.

"Steve, it's okay. Eddy is making it sound scarier than it actually is. You said you wanted to be a dad, and we need foster parents that can help these kids learn how to blend in with humans. That's what the halfway house is for, but there's only so much they can learn while living in sanctuary. We need a way to have them experience the human world more directly while still keeping them safe, and I think you're the solution we've been looking for. What do you think?"

"I think I need to sit down," Steve said thinly. Eddie snorted derisively. Steve was slightly offended but honestly everything was a bit too much right now and he really would like to sit down for a moment just to process. Because monsters are real, apparently, and some of them need parents. Which was terrifying to think about but also not so much? Because all kids were little monsters some of the time right? If Steve could have a moment to get his bearings...

"This was a terrible idea, Jeffathan."

"I think it was a great idea, actually. I really think this could work."

"No. I forbid it. Don't do this again."

Then there was a sweet and beautiful humming. It made the edges of Steve's mind go fuzzy and soft. He blinked slowly and looked for the source of the sound. Eddie stared at him intently and when he spoke, his voice was like music.

"Steve," Eddie said. "Steve, do you want to make me happy?"

Steve nodded dumbly. He wanted that more than anything in the whole world. He wanted to make Eddie smile. He wanted Eddie to never stop singing.

"It would make me very happy if you went home and forgot everything you saw here today," Eddie continued.

Steve made a sad sound. He didn't want to forget. He didn't want to forget beautiful, gorgeous Eddie and this place that could make his dream come true.

"Please, Steve," Eddie's lyrical voice took on an aching mournful tone. "If you don't, you'll break my heart. I'll never be happy again."

The sadness in the song made Steve feel like the world was ending. Eddie couldn't be sad! Steve would rather die than make Eddie sad!

"I forget," Steve mumbled through the fog in his mind. "And you'll be happy?"

"So happy. I'd be the happiest man alive if you do that one little thing for me, my sweet Steve."

Steve nods again. "Okay."

"Good boy," Eddie croons. Steve felt like he swallowed the sun at those words. He followed Eddie as Eddie guided him through the halfway house. Eddie hummed his lovely song the entire way.

"Go home and forget," Eddie sang one last time as he helped Steve get behind the wheel of his car.

"Yeah," Steve replied dreamily and drove away.

The telephone rang shrilly through his apartment. Steve stumbled out of bed and picked up, only fumbling it a little bit.

"H'llo?"

"Steve, what the hell, I've been trying to get a hold of you all day! Where have you been?" Robin's voice rang out, making Steve flinch. He scrubbed his free hand over his face tiredly.

"Home? I just woke up," Steve said. It was weird that he was fully dressed, he thought dazedly, but it wouldn't be the first time he's passed out drunk in his street clothes. Was he wearing this shirt yesterday? He could've sworn he'd worn the navy one.

"What? Just now? It's like five in the evening!"

"Huh. That'd explain the weird dream," Steve mumbled.

"Was it the one where you get seduced by a giant squid? Because I don't need to know more about your weird tentacle fetish."

"I don't have a tentacle fetish! I had the dream ONE time, and I wasn't being seduced, I was getting drowned and it was terrifying!"

"To-may-to, to-mah-to."

"Whatever, this one was weirder anyway."

"I find that hard to believe but now I'm morbidly curious. Hit me with it."

"...I don't remember."

"There goes my entertainment for the evening."

"Was there a reason you called, Robin?"

"Yes! I met this girl named Chrissy and I swear Steve, she's the most beautiful woman I've ever seen..."

Beautiful. Steve had the faint impression of dark eyes and silver rings, but it was quickly washed away like a child's sandcastle in the tide under the onslaught of Robin's ramblings. As he listened to his best friend, he couldn't help but feel there was something he'd forgotten. There was something he'd been planning on doing today, wasn't there...?

...oh, well. If it was really important, he'd remember eventually.

#stranger things #steddie #steve harrington #eddie munson #trensu tells stories #jeff doesn't understand why eddie hates humans so much #the man who raised eddie was human after all and eddie loved him #eddie: uncle wayne is a god among men how dare you compare him to a human #jeff: well i think uncle wayne would've liked steve and he'd totally agree that my idea was awesome #eddie: BLASPHEMY #jeff sighs the sigh of someone who has unfortunately grown used to the nonsensical dramatics of sirens #look guys i just want steve to adopt a horde of monster children #and for eddie to slowly fall in love with single dad steve #is that too much to ask for?#hawkins halfway house for homeless horrors

1K notes · View notes

steddieas-shegoes · 8 months

Text

this place is such great motivation for anyone trying to move the fuck away from hibernation

chapter 2: how have you been? are you bored yet? also on AO3 Chapter 1 Rated E for future chapters

🧰🧰🧰🧰🧰🧰🧰🧰🧰🧰🧰🧰🧰🧰🧰🧰

“It’s totally fine. I am not panicking. I am cooking spaghetti just like I do every Saturday. Right Mia?” Eddie looked over at Mia sitting on her playmat.

Wayne had made it from an old blanket and some thrifted baby toys to save some money and she loved it. She could sit on it for hours, though Eddie was pretty sure that would only be until she actually did figure out how to crawl.

Mia ignored him, too busy trying to make her plastic keys fit into her box of shapes, her brows furrowed in the most adorable way as she twisted them around.

“It’s just a regular night,” he said to himself as he looked down at his Metallica shirt that had a hole in the shoulder and his sweatpants with a suspicious stain that could be baby food or puke. “I should change.”

Just as he considered scooping Mia up to go change, the front door opened and Steve walked in.

He looked amazing.

He always did.

Eddie hated it.

“Um, sorry. I was just going to change,” Eddie said from behind the counter, doing his best to hide whatever the hell that stain was on his pants. Maybe it was actually beer?

Steve looked him over, coming closer with his hands behind his back.

“Why? You look comfy. It’s your house. You worked all day,” Steve sounded genuinely confused as to why Eddie would want to change out of these clothes.

“I mean. You just. You’re-“ Eddie sighed. “You just look a lot nicer than I do is all. And I invited you here so I should at least look like a person.”

Steve stopped next to Mia’s playmat, smirking at Eddie before sinking down to his knees.

“Mama!” Mia exclaimed when she looked up from her toys, clapping her hands and then raising her arms like she wanted to be picked up.

“Hi princess,” Steve said, fondness seeping through his voice as he reached over with one hand to boop her nose. “I have a present for you.”

Steve looked over at Eddie, suddenly realizing he probably should have asked for permission first.

Eddie just shrugged, never one to stop someone from giving Mia a gift. Anyone who cared enough about her to get her something was fine in his book.

He ignored the thought that it was different with Steve, didn’t let himself think about how much he wished Steve would stay.

Steve placed a bag of building blocks made for babies and toddlers in front of her, smiling when her eyes went wide and she started making loud noises like she was trying to speak.

“These are blocks, Mia. You can build houses and castles and anything your imagination can come up with!” Steve started taking some of the blocks out of the bag, showing her how they went together and pulled apart. She didn’t have quite coordination for taking them apart yet, but it was still a really thoughtful gift.

“You didn’t have to get her anything,” Eddie said, trying and failing to hide his fond smile at the way Mia was banging two of the blocks together.

“I know. I wanted to.”

Steve said it so simply, like this was the thing that made him happiest.

“Mama!” Mia yelled, waving the blocks in her hands around, probably trying to ask Steve to play with her without knowing how to actually ask.

He got it, though.

Eddie fell a little bit more.

“Need any help, Eds?” Steve asked from the floor, smiling at Mia trying to put two blocks together.

“Uh. Nope. Keeping her entertained is probably a bigger help than anything else,” he admitted.

Often, if he was alone and had to do something that would take more than 5 minutes, he’d have to put her in her high chair or her bounce seat so that he knew she wouldn’t get into anything.

Wayne had spent almost an entire Saturday last month baby-proofing the entire trailer to the point where Eddie couldn’t even get into some of the cabinets. But that didn’t mean he felt comfortable leaving her on the floor with his back turned, even if they were in the same room.

He was a tiny bit overprotective.

“That’s easy enough,” Steve said as he pulled apart two blocks so she could put them together again. “But seriously, don’t worry about changing. You look good.”

Eddie would have assumed he was teasing if he didn’t sound so damn earnest.

He fought the insistent urge to at least put on some jeans and turned back to where he was prepping the sauce.

He listened to Steve talking to Mia, listened to Mia call him Mama and laugh, listened to what it would sound like if he could keep Steve around.

Jesus, Eddie. This is bad even for you.

He sighed a bit louder than he meant to and startled when he felt a hand on his shoulder.

“You okay?” Steve asked him quietly.

“Yeah. Do I seem not okay?” Eddie was focusing on the sauce simmering in the pan in front of him and pasta just starting to boil in the pot next to it.

He was not going to look at Steve.

“You seem like you’re uncomfortable with me being here. I can go if you want.”

Eddie didn’t want that.

He just wanted to be able to look at Steve without his heart breaking all over again and hear him talking and playing with Mia without wishing that Steve was his.

He wasn’t uncomfortable.

Quite the opposite, actually.

He was scared that he was somehow too comfortable.

“I want you here.”

It was honest, painful to admit, but even more painful for him to try to keep contained.

He’d spent the last year holding back feelings, and not just the ones about Steve.

Maybe he should try to let some of them go.

Mia let out a loud squeal, banging the blocks in her hands against the floor, somehow almost completely off of her playmat at this point.

Steve turned to her and smiled, then looked back at Eddie.

“She’s a really happy baby. Seems like you’re doing pretty great,” Steve nudged him, finally managing to get Eddie to look at him.

“Yeah, well, she’s a good baby. Always has been. I got pretty lucky,” Eddie shrugged it off, just like he did when anyone complimented him on his parenting.

“She’s a good baby because she’s loved and has all of her needs met. That’s all you.”

Dammit.

“Yeah.” He shook his head, physically trying to clear out the thoughts rushing through his head. “Um, could you actually do me one favor?”

God, Eddie needed a minute. He needed fresh air. He needed about eight beers, maybe some weed despite the fact he hadn’t smoked at all since Mia was dropped off here.

“Yeah, of course,” Steve replied, oblivious to Eddie’s internal breakdown.

“I just need to run to the bathroom if you could keep an eye on Mia and the food for a minute?”

“I think we can manage, right Mia? You won’t try to run away?” Steve stood in front of her with his hands on his hips.

“Mama! Uh!” Mia raised her hands up in the air and Steve, who was clearly already a pushover for her, bent over and picked her up.

“Already getting everything she wants out of you,” Eddie shook his head, but couldn’t hide the fondness in his tone or on his face.

“Can’t help it. She’s got your big puppy dog eyes.”

Eddie was blushing.

He tried to hide it, but he failed miserably, the heat across his cheeks spreading down to his chest.

“Yeah, well, right now it’s just picking her up. Next it’ll be a car,” Eddie mumbled as he walked out of the kitchen towards the bathroom.

“Your daddy’s silly, isn’t he, Mia?” he could hear Steve say as he walked away.

He closed himself in the bathroom, grabbed a folded towel from under the sink, and screamed into it.

“It’s okay. You’re okay. This is okay,” he whispered into the towel.

“Eds? You okay?” Steve asked outside the door.

“Yep! Be right out!” he yelled back, putting the towel back under the sink quietly.

He heard soft footsteps walking away from the door and took in a deep breath.

“We aren’t gonna let him do this to us. Not now,” he pointed at his reflection in the mirror as he whispered. “He’s more trouble than he’s worth and he’s just gonna leave at the end of this week anyway.”

He sighed.

As if those words would actually stop what was already becoming a major problem.

He flushed and turned on the sink, going through the motions as if he’d actually used the bathroom, keeping up the facade that he was completely fine.

He wasn’t, but he was good at faking it.

He walked out to the kitchen to see Steve stirring the pasta, Mia on his hip babbling away while he rocked from foot to foot as if he were dancing.

The bathroom mirror pep talk was useless; He was in too deep.

“You guys look like you’ve got this handled. Maybe I’ll go take a nap,” Eddie joked.

“Yeah, if you want one, you should,” Steve said over his shoulder, not even taking his attention away from the food cooking in front of him or Mia in his arms.

He looked so natural.

Like he was meant to be here, to be a part of their lives.

“No, I’m good,” Eddie said, clearing his throat as he walked closer to the stove to take over from Steve.

Things seemed a bit easier when he had something to focus on, something for his hands to stay busy. Steve was more focused on entertaining Mia, so he didn’t feel like he needed to try to make any conversation.

He got lost in the background noise of Mia squealing and giggling while Steve played with her on the floor, barely even noticed the phone ringing until Steve called his name.

“Need me to get it?” he asked.

“Sorry, no. I got it.”

Eddie walked over to the phone and picked it up, pretty sure it was Wayne calling to make sure the day went okay while he was on his break.

“Hello?” Eddie answered.

“Hey, Ed. All good today?” Wayne asked.

“Yep. You?”

“Uh huh. Mia okay for you?”

Eddie looked over at where Mia was sitting in Steve’s lap on the floor, banging her blocks against the floor.

“She was a little fussy, but um. Someone helped out.”

Maybe he would get away with being vague. Maybe Wayne would just assume one of the guys was able to calm her down.

“Oh? Who?”

Shit.

“Just an old friend.”

“An old friend.” Wayne sounded like he was expecting a full explanation, but Eddie could not do that with Steve sitting right there.

“You remember Steve?”

“Harrington?” Wayne sounded pissed already and he didn’t even know the half of it.

All Wayne knew about Steve was that he was here one minute, gone the next, and that he’d left Eddie heartbroken in a way he’d never seen before.

“Yeah.”

“I remember how upset you were when he left town without a goodbye. What’s he doin’ here?”

“Mama!” Mia screeched, ending in a giggle.

“Since when does Mia know that word?” Wayne asked, nearly choking on whatever he was eating.

“I-“

“Hey, Eds? I think she needs a change. I can do it if you just tell me where her stuff is,” Steve said from the floor.

“Ed. What are you doing?” Wayne didn’t sound mad, just a bit worried, and rightfully so.

“Can we talk about it tomorrow?” Eddie asked Wayne, desperate for this conversation to be over as soon as possible.

“We will. You’re gonna tell me what the hell is goin’ on and I’m gonna try not to wring that boy’s neck,” Wayne said. “Love you and Mia.”

“Love you too.”

He hung up and turned to Steve, who was holding Mia and looking at Eddie, patiently waiting for directions.

“I can change her. She’s a bit of a wiggle worm so it’s not easy.”

“I think I can handle it,” Steve smirked. “Does the princess have a tower?”

“We share one,” Eddie nodded towards the hall. “End of the hall, last door on the right. Changing table and crib takes up most of the room so you can’t miss it. Diapers and wipes in the top drawer.”

“Aye aye, captain!” Steve saluted and then tried to get Mia to do the same, much to everyone’s amusement.

She waved her hand, seemingly trying to copy Steve, but not quite able to.

It was a cute attempt, and Eddie couldn’t resist leaning in to kiss the top of her head, completely forgetting how close that would put him to Steve’s face.

He froze as he pulled away, letting himself breathe in the scent of Steve’s cologne, a spicy citrus that he was certain had to taste as good as it smells.

Steve was frozen too, watching him with unblinking eyes and parted lips, like he was expecting Eddie to lean in and kiss him.

He pulled away.

He fought every urge he had, and he pulled away.

Steve left the room, thankfully not commenting on anything that just happened.

Eddie tried, he really did. He tried so hard to focus on draining the pasta and mixing in the sauce.

But he could hear Steve making Mia babble and giggle, and his heart flipped in his chest.

He walked down the hall enough to hear everything Steve was saying, even though a part of his brain was telling him not to let himself.

“You’re a lucky girl, Mia. You’ve got the coolest dad. I bet he plays his guitar for you all the time,” Steve said, and Eddie could hear the drawer opening as he spoke. “You like listening to your dad play? I don’t blame you. He’s good, huh? Could be a rockstar.”

And God, did that hurt. It was bittersweet to hear Steve believing in him, especially knowing it was too late.

“Yeah, you think so too? Think he could play with Ozzy?”

Eddie’s heart was going to beat right out of his chest,

“Or maybe Metallica? He saved us with one of their songs. Did you know your daddy’s a hero?” Steve was whispering now, making it harder for him to hear.

“He risked his life so we could all beat the bad guy and get out alive. I don’t think any of us ever really thanked him for that,” Steve continued while Mia babbled on as if she was responding to him. “I don’t think he really agrees with us, though. And I know he’s not really happy with me. But maybe we could go back to being friends. Maybe- well, just maybe.”

Eddie kind of hated that he sounded defeated, like he knew Eddie was keeping an emotional distance for a reason.

Steve had always been perceptive, always got a sense of what the kids needed before they asked, usually could read Robin’s mind depending on her mood. He was good at sensing when Eddie was overstimulated.

But that was all before he left.

The anger started flooding through him again.

He walked back to the kitchen, finished making dinner, and started cutting up the plain pasta he set aside for Mia to eat.

“Fresh and clean princess ready to feast!” Steve said, dramatically holding Mia out in front of him, smiling as she kicked her legs in the air.

Eddie smiled at Mia, but avoided eye contact with Steve.

“Can you put her in her high chair please?” Eddie asked as he plated their food.

Their dining room table was designed for two people, but the high chair had been set up along the corner of the table so Mia could still feel like she was sitting with Eddie and Wayne.

Steve did as he asked, then walked over to the fridge to grab them drinks, acted as if he was right at home.

Eddie was going to die tonight. His heart would crumble into pieces.

He set that thought aside and tried to get through.

He set Mia’s plate down in front of her, smiling when her hands went straight to the noodles and grabbing a fistful to shove into her mouth.

Steve set their plates down on the table wordlessly, possibly picking up on the sudden awkwardness.

They mostly ate in silence, Mia’s noises the only thing keeping the dinner from being completely miserable.

“So-“

“We don’t have to do this, Steve.”

He felt Steve’s eyes on him, but he refused to look back at him.

“Do what?”

Eddie sighed, finally giving in and looking up.

“The whole pretending we’re okay thing. Pretending we’re friends. You made it pretty clear you didn’t want to be when you left. I don’t expect you to try just because you ended up at the place I work earlier. You can just go stay with Dustin and then leave,” Eddie knew he sounded detached, unemotional.

Nothing like himself.

“Eds-“

“Don’t. I really appreciate what you did earlier and tonight, but please don’t come back expecting to just pick up where we left off. You’re leaving again. I have to watch out for me so I can be here for Mia and I know I can’t go through what I did last time,” Eddie added.

Mia was watching him, suddenly quiet.

He didn’t want her to catch onto any negative feelings.

“Mama?” she asked, looking at Steve.

Steve softened slightly, looking over at her with a small smile.

“You need something, pretty girl?” he asked her, his voice sounding unsure.

“Mama!” Mia started waving her hand, fist still full of noodles. “Uh!”

“No, sweetheart, you have to eat first,” Steve said before Eddie could interrupt.

Eddie watched as Steve looked back down at his plate of barely eaten spaghetti.

“I think maybe I should go. I-“ Steve sighed. “I don’t know what I thought would happen. It was really great getting to see you and meet Mia. She’s amazing. You’re a great dad.”

He wasn’t looking up.

Eddie knew he was biting back tears, could hear it in the slight tremble of his voice and see it in the way his cheeks were red and his hands were clenching into fists against his thighs.

“Let me get Mia to bed and then we’ll talk, okay?”

Steve’s head shot up at Eddie’s words, watery eyes full of a hope that Eddie couldn’t quite dash.

“You don’t owe me anything, Eddie. I-“

“No, but you owe me.”

Steve nodded and looked back down at his plate, slowly twirling some spaghetti on his fork.

“Alright, princess. Let’s finish dinner so you can get cleaned up and in bed,” Eddie poked Mia’s cheek, making her giggle and focus back on the pasta in her hand.

She shoved it into her mouth, still learning exactly where her mouth is and how to get her hand there. She was hopeless with her plastic silverware, but that was normal for babies her age.

He couldn’t help laughing when she pulled her hand away, tried to pick up another handful, and the noodles slipped out of her hands.

Steve let out a small laugh too.

Eddie looked over at him, couldn’t help the flutter in his stomach at the fond smile on Steve’s face.

————————————————————————————————

When Mia was done eating, Eddie excused himself to give her a quick bath and get her ready for her bedtime bottle.

Steve started cleaning up their dinner, shrugging Eddie’s argument off about how he didn’t have to do anything.

“You cook, I clean.”

Which is what Eddie always said to him when they would spend hours hanging out, usually ending in Steve cooking them both dinner.

He couldn’t think about it right now, needed to stay levelheaded.

He needed to get Mia to bed, and maybe have a shot of Wayne’s good whiskey so he could say what he needed to say.

“You’re gonna fall asleep easy for me tonight, right? Let me talk to Steve?” Eddie asked as he changed her into her pajamas, smiling at her long blinks and a big yawn.

“Mama.”

“Yeah, sure, Mama,” Eddie agreed.

It wasn’t Mia’s fault that she barely knew enough sounds to make even the most basic words and had somehow latched onto calling Steve the one thing that would hurt Eddie most.

Steve wouldn’t be around after tonight anyways, and she’d forget all about it, all about him.

Maybe they both could.

Mia fell asleep before she’d even finished her bottle, her fingers wrapped around Eddie’s thumb.

He smiled down at her, getting wrapped up in the peacefulness that always existed when she first fell asleep. The quiet of the room was enough to let him forget for a moment that he was about to have a really difficult conversation.

He set her down in her crib gently, keeping his hand on her chest for a moment when she started wiggling like she was waking up. She calmed immediately, sighing as she fully settled into sleep.

“Hey,” Steve whispered from the doorway.

Eddie turned his head and looked at Steve leaning in the doorway, hands crossed over his chest with a soft smile on his face.

“Hey,” he whispered back, pulling his hand away and walking over to the doorway.

Steve dropped his arms as he got closer, standing up straight as his his smile became more hesitant.

“We should talk,” Eddie said, nodding his head toward the living room.

“Yeah,” Steve sounded resigned, like he knew this wouldn’t go well.

Eddie waited for him to walk away, closing the door behind him, but leaving it open a crack to hear if Mia started crying.

He couldn’t sit, the nervous energy bubbling in his stomach and chest to the point that sitting would feel like holding himself back.

He couldn’t do that tonight, not with Steve.

Steve sat on the couch, his leg bouncing as he leaned forward like he was ready to run the moment things got real.

“I feel like I should apologize-“ Steve started.

“Do you even know what you’re apologizing for? Do you know what it was like to be so close to something and then have it ripped away without a reason, an explanation, anything? And I needed you. I needed a friend, I needed you, when Mia showed up. I needed someone who could talk to me like everything was normal, and treat me like everything was normal when everything was not normal. I couldn’t go to the kids, I couldn’t go to the guys, everyone else had left already. I thought you would be here and you weren’t.” Eddie choked on a sob. “I didn’t need you to be anything you weren’t ready for, Steve. I didn’t need you to love me the way I loved you. I didn’t need anything except your friendship. Do you know how fucking terrible it felt to find out you left from Dustin? Dustin, who called me in a panic because he thought you were hurt or worse and I couldn’t even give him an answer.”

“Eds-“

“And then the way Robin covered for you for months before you even talked to the kids? I was hurt about you not wanting to talk to me, but the kids? They practically worship the ground you walk on. The way they asked me if I’d talked to you every time they visited. I don’t think I can ever forgive you for that.”

Eddie took in a deep breath, the tears streaming down his face.

“You can’t crash into my life again, acting like you didn’t rush out of it, and expect an apology to be enough. Especially not when I have Mia. She needs me to be my best and having you coming and going is not going to put me at my best,” Eddie sat on the coffee table, looking away from Steve’s still figure.

“Eddie, I.” Steve touched his knee, grabbing his attention. “I am sorry. I don’t have an excuse and I wouldn’t try to come up with one anyway. I just…I was scared and Robin was the only person who would let me run. She didn’t want me to, but she’s my best friend so she let me. It was stupid and I was stupid, I am stupid.”

None of these words were helping Eddie feel better; In fact, he was feeling worse.

He felt like Steve was being sincere, and he was feeling like he wanted to forgive Steve, and worst of all, he was feeling like he could let Steve in in ways he’d been totally prepared to do before he left.

He couldn’t let himself do that.

He couldn’t let Steve in and get hurt again, couldn’t let himself love Steve and end up with a broken heart.

Not when Mia depended on him.

He had to let Steve go, leave Hawkins again, for good maybe, and hope he found someone so his stupid heart could repair itself quickly.

“I believe you,” Eddie whispered out, not trusting himself to speak louder.

“You do?”

Eddie hated that he sounded hopeful.

“I do.” Eddie looked up at Steve, sad smile in place. “But it doesn’t change things. You left, you’re about to leave again, and I can’t keep my expectations high with you.”

It was a low blow, poor phrasing, and Eddie could sense how much it hurt Steve from the full body flinch.

Steve sat in silence, mouth opening and closing as he searched for a response.

“I think you should go. I’m trying to be a good dad for Mia, and be responsible, and not do something stupid, so you need to go.”

Eddie heard his own voice break at the end, but hoped maybe Steve would leave him.

“Can I please just…” Steve touched his cheek. “Can I kiss you? I wanted to before. I wanted to come here before I left. I just knew it wouldn’t change anything.”

“It won’t change anything now,” Eddie stared at him wide-eyed, half wishing he would kiss him and half wishing he’d walk away.

“It would be a reminder to me. Of what I gave up because I couldn’t face what I could have had.”

Eddie blinked once.

He should say no.

He should.

But he gulps, he leans in, and he presses his lips to Steve’s.

It’s soft, softer than Steve deserves and softer than Eddie knows he can handle dealing with later.

It’s barely anything really, he only considers it a kiss because it’s everything he’d wanted with Steve from the first time he woke up to him in his hospital room after nearly being eaten alive.

It’s also long, surprisingly so for something that’s barely a kiss at all.

Steve clearly doesn’t want it to end, but doesn’t push to deepen the kiss at all.

Eddie knows he’ll have to end it.

He doesn’t want to.

He ends it.

He pulls away slowly, feels a small droplet of spit that isn’t his sticking to his bottom lip, wishes it could stay there forever.

He kept his eyes closed for a moment longer, savored the feeling, the taste, the knowing.

When he opened them, Steve was staring at him, eyes glassy with unshed tears.

“Please go,” he said softly.

Steve let out a small whimper, but nodded and stood up, no longer looking at Eddie.

When he got to the door, he turned.

“I loved you, too. I do, still. And it’s not fair for me to say that, but I just need you to know that I think about what I gave up every day. And after seeing you with Mia today, I know I’m never going to find anything like what I’ve gotten to share just in a few hours with you two.” Steve huffed, clearly trying not to cry. “I don’t think there’s ever gonna be a time when I don’t love you, Eds. I’m sorry I couldn’t show that when you needed it most.”

He turned to leave.

Eddie slid to the floor and let out a sob.

He had at least four hours to cry before Mia would wake up for a bottle, and another two or three after that before Wayne would be home.

Hopefully the tears would dry up by then.

🧰🧰🧰🧰🧰🧰🧰🧰🧰🧰🧰🧰🧰🧰🧰🧰

TAG LIST: @goodolefashionedloverboi @disrespectedgoatman

Chapter 3

#steddie #steve harrington #eddie munson #stranger things #ao3 fic #mechanic eddie munson #single dad eddie munson #chapter 2

99 notes · View notes

eddiesghxst · 10 months

Text

single dad!eddie who has to take his daughter to the hair salon bc his daughter wants a “pretty princess hairstyle” and refuses to let eddie do it himself. he goes to a random salon which ends up being where you work and you do his daughters hair and she absolutely loves it and begs eddie to take her back all the time so u become her hairdresser

you always offer to do eddie’s hair as well but he always just politely declines, he’s pretty content with cutting his own hair, he’s grown to be pretty good at it over the years, he thinks.

and then one day he comes in by himself and you’re like “where’s my little customer today?” and he surprises you and tells you that he’s actually here for his own haircut. you ask him what the occasion is and he says he’s going on a date. you try not to let that bother you too much because the two of you have been rather flirty with each interaction over the past few months and you’ve developed a little crush on him.

when you finish you show him and you’re like “think ur date will like it?” and eddie’s like “well idk… would you like to go on a date with me?” and y’all get where i’m going SOMETHING ALONG THOSE LINES

#obviously there’d be shit in between to make it like…GOOD but i thought this was a cute concept🥺#i could sneak in a little nervous loser!eddie too #y’all know i love loser!eddie🤭#also i promise i’m still working on the other 50 thousand wips yall bear w me😭#eddie munson x reader #eddie munson #drabble #eddie x reader #eddie munson fanfic #eddie munson smut #eddie munson au #single dad!eddie #dad!eddie munson #eddie munson fluff #single dad!eddie x reader

616 notes · View notes

boogiewrites · 1 year

Text

Hindsight's Always 19/84 | Pt. 2

Single Dad Eddie x F! Reader AU. Old friends/lovers reunited.

A lot of Teddy this chapter. We get Eddie feeling protective and nostalgic. Slowly coming to terms with old feelings bubbling into current ones as you hold firm in your stance that you aren't going anywhere and demand to be a part of his life again.

Families were starting to trickle into the park your apartment looked over. The early noon light was filtering through your window, the grass outside losing its dew and turning into stains on the family's shoes. The sound outside was so minimal compared to your home in the city. The sounds of kids playing were much preferred to sirens and city static. A noisy sip of your coffee was the other sound interrupting the squeals. You spent your mornings in silence, taking your sweet time as coffee warmed you from the inside out. You sat in a sun ray like a cat soaking in the simple pleasure. The day was open to you, options endless and in your control. No other schedules to adhere to, no one else to answer to. Until the phone ringing interrupted your meditation.

“Hey. Sorry to bother you, but I might be calling a favor.” Eddie’s apologetic tone answered your brief greeting.

“No sorry needed, what’s up?”

“Wayne threw his back out. Again. And I’ve used up all the days I paid for with daycare already this month. Would you be able to watch Ted today?”

“Of course!” A welcome intrusion to your freedom presented itself.

“Are you sure? I’m springing this on you last minute and I’d need you to watch him til like… 6 or so? TIl after I get off work?”

“Eddie shut up. I already said yes. Call it a perk of being self-employed.” You explained, washing out your mug.

“Thank god. Thank you so much, man. I OWE you. Seriously.”

“No, you don’t. Do I need to come to get him?”

“Would you mind? I’ve got him at the shop right now.”

“I’ll be there in a few.”

“Thank you. Again. Don’t tell me to shut up I’m gonna keep saying it.”

“Bye Eddie.” You laughed into the receiver.

Teddy was being bounced on Eddie’s thigh as he spent the time filling out his ledger.

“Miss!” Teddy waved and Eddie’s laughing eyes looked up from his focus.

“Teddy!” You clapped your hands together and waved back enthusiastically. He stayed perched on his dad’s lap, feet swinging as he wiggled on the thick stained fabric of Eddie’s work coveralls. “You ready to have the best day ever with your new best friend?” you grinned down at him, holding up a hand for a high five that he stared at for a moment. “Or not, that’s cool too I’m not totally devastated by this or anything.” you shrugged and turned your attention to Eddie who was beaming up at you.

“You’re gonna hang out with daddy’s friend today. Remember? Unle Wayne got an owie and he’s gotta rest.”

“He went OH!” Teddy threw his head back and grabbed his back. The two adults in the situation tried not to laugh.

“He did. He did say that.” Eddie cleared his throat to kill the laugh at the animated child.

“Wayne gonna be okay? Do I need to go over there or anything?”

“Nah, he’d kill me if I let you do that.”

“I figured. I wanted to offer though.”

“Still a sweetheart.” Eddie gave you a softer smile before setting Teddy’s little sneakers onto the concrete. “You wanna grab your backpack?”

“Ye!” he pounded off a few feet away to a backseat-turned bench.

“He’s got some of his favorites, some snacks, toys, movies. Didn’t want to blindside you with no provisions.”

“Anything I need to know? Allergies? Triggers for full-on breakdowns? Forbidden foods?”

“He’ll tell you if a food’s forbidden. He’s super picky so just…” he sighs. “As long as you can get him to eat, let him have whatever he wants. Within reason. Don’t give him 10 pounds of candy or anything. You’ll regret that decision.”

“I don’t know a lot about kids but I do know that.” you nodded confidently.

“He likes to be read to, any hard music he’ll like. It’ll help calm him down if he gets fussy.” his kid runs back with his backpack flopped on his shoulders after a short struggle with it. “I usually don’t let him nap too long. Two hours max or he’ll be a live wire all night. Put on his fav movies and he’ll zone out for a bit.”

“Herd and tranq got it.” you gave him a thumbs up and rubbed your hands together. Eddie shook his head and shoved your shoulder. “You ready to head out and let daddy work?” you asked Teddy who was looking to his dad for guidance.

“Go on! You’re gonna have fun, promise. I’ll be over to get you before you know it.” he promised, kneeling down to get a big, only mildly pouty hug.

“Can I get one?” you ask, holding your arms out and waiting for him to approach.

“Kay.” he nodded shyly, a subtle smile full of trouble on his cherub face. You squatted and scooped him up and sat him on your hip.

“You’re gonna get me so ripped lifting you up, little man. This is gonna be great. You had breakfast? Do you want Mcdonald's? Or we can go to the store? I’ve got some errands to run, you wanna come with me? I might be persuaded to get you a toy if you’re good.”

“Kay!” a much brighter response at the prospect of junk food and toys.

“You’re gonna spoil him.” Eddie muttered, still smiling as he watched you bouncing his tiny clone on your hip.

“Of course I am. I’m going to give this little booger everything he wants and be his favorite person ever.”

“Glad to know your motive.” Eddie rolled his eyes jokingly and slapped the book closed in front of him. “You don’t have to do it today of course but-” he moved to unzip Teddy’s back and shove a small stack of ledgers inside. “I got the past few books from the office the other day and grabbed them when I picked him up this morning. No rush but, you wanted to look at the books.”

“I did. Thanks.” You said with no hint of sarcasm. “I get my own personal Teddy bear for the day AND books from daddy? Is it my birthday?” you asked Teddy who was giggling at your animated face and hands.

“It’s my birthday.” he declared.

“It is not!” Eddie laughed and pinched his tummy.

“I”m 16!” he giggled.

“You can count to 16? Holy crap! How do you fit a brain so big in that cute little noggin? Is it hiding under these curlies?” you asked and pretend to be a money and root around his hair which seemed to delight him as he squeaked. You assumed correctly he was a physical child since Eddie had always been a physical sort of guy. Oh no, you’d have to smooch and snuggle an adorable kid who happened to be the son of your big fat crush best friend. Eddie’s throat felt tight, a corner of his lips pulling back despite himself at the sight. He knew you were only being kind, friendly. You weren’t purposely trying to rip his heart from his chest to keep it for yourself. Despite how metal that sounded to him he pushed the thought away. “Say bye to daddy!” You instructed and waved, turning to leave. The sight of you both waving, two bright smiles his way as you jogged and bounced Teddy out of the garage much to his amusement. He’d never gotten the chance for someone to call him daddy. Well… not in that way. In a wholesome way. The way he felt it now. His tongue felt thick in his mouth as the thought that you calling him daddy in regard to his kid did more for him than hearing it in any other context. He stared in the direction you left for too long, distracted by the spiraling thought of what it meant for him to feel so strongly about the innocent sentiment.

“Didn’t know you were off the market.” a man’s voice snapped him out of his inner crisis as he rubbed his hand down his face, creating a blank slate before facing anyone.

“I’m not. She’s an old friend. Just moved back.” Eddie was far too dismissive, his body language completely turned away for his teasing coworkers to not notice.

“Old girlfriend?” the man smirked.

“No, actually.” Which was technically true. You never dated. Not officially. But anyone else who knew you two back then remembered you as being together. So whatever that meant.

“New girlfriend?” another guy chimed in with a laugh.

‘She’s watching Teddy today. That’s all.” Eddie loosened his stance and went to shove a rag into his back pocket to start the dirty work of the day.

“Twenty bucks there’s gonna be another little Ted runnin’ around here soon.” the older man laughed.

“I don’t like losing bets. How about twenty bucks and she’s the one calling him daddy?” they all laughed, Eddie blushing and angry about it as he tossed an empty soda can at his coworker.

“Fifty bucks it’s gonna be your wife calling me daddy if you don’t shut up.” Eddie shot back with a smirk.

“You know he’s a big hit with the MILF’s you better watch out.” the older man laughed at the expense of the now playfully frowning employee.

“We can’t all have job stoppers and a head of hair like Munson.” the target jobbed back referring to Eddie’s very visible tattoos on his hands and neck.

“It’s hard being god’s favorite.” Eddie ran his hand through his hair as the other men broke into laughter.

Your arms, as much as they wanted to hold that squishy doll to your chest and squeeze him, had turned to noodles and given up. You understood now why Eddie’s arms were so cut. But in the presence of his offspring, you refused to dwell on how good he looked in his mechanic outfit and how his arms flexed as he moved, covered in ink with the worn fray of cut sleeves tickling his broad shoulders. Nope. You were NOT thinking about that.

“So what are you into Ted?” you asked, leaning on the handle of the cart, and strolling down the toy aisle. “Superheros? Dinosaurs? Space? How about Disney?”

“Didney.” he mumbled and looked at the action figures.

“We thinkin’ Toy Story? Goofy? Or do we want a stuffy? I’m partial to the stuffies myself.”

“Stuff?” he asked, not looking your way and distracted by the colorfully decorated boxes.

‘You have any plushies? A Teddy Bear?” You tried to give him options.

“Teddy!” he nodded and pointed at himself.

“That IS you!” you broke into a broad smile at the cuteness beaming your way. “Ugh, you’re so cute. How does your dad not cave immediately?” You push his hair off his forehead.

“I am cute.” He nodded with a smile, a dimple appearing that almost brought a tear to your eye. You would demand Wayne to show you baby pictures of Eddie to confirm Teddy wasn’t just an out of place in time baby Eddie.

“Yes you are.” you nod and push him farther down the aisle. “Ah, here we go. This familiar?” you ask holding up a toy guitar. Teddy perks up and does a very poorly mimed air guitar. “Daddy plays this! You remember what it’s called?”

“A guitar! Metal!” he threw his hands up in the air, shouting but you didn’t care.

“Of course, he taught you that.” you chuckled to yourself. “You want a little guitar?” you pushed a button on the neck of the primary colored instrument and a short tune played.

“Where’s da strings?” he asked with a slap to the neck that made you crack out a loud laugh.

“This is a kid version of a big boy guitar like daddy has. There are no strings, you just hit the buttons, see?” you pushed another music note-shaped key and another little riff played. He scrunched his nose and shook his head. “I know, it’s not as good as daddy playing is it?” he kept his curl bouncing head shake going in agreement.

“It really is you.” a man’s voice cut through the air making both you and Teddy jump.

“Uh- hello?” you tried to not sound so confused as you turned, Teddy’s puppy head peeping from behind you.

“I’d heard you were back in town but I wasn’t sure if I believed it.” an older face but a familiar smile appeared on the old acquaintance. You had floated around the same peer groups as you were standing with a welcoming stance as he caught sight of the boy behind you. “Cute kid. Takes after his mom.” he winked. Which threw you off, your nose wrinkling without the thought to hide your emotion on your face. You had worked so hard at unlearning hiding every emotion you weren’t sure if you recalled how to hide them when you needed to now.

“Oh, he’s not mine.” you chuckled. “I’m babysitting today.”

“Oh, that’s nice of you. You here with…sorry I don’t remember your husband's name.”

“Well he doesn’t have a name because I don’t have a husband.” a dorky laugh escaped you as you felt entirely graceless under his rather observant stare. You quickly realized you weren’t into being looked at by men anymore. Well… all but one.

“Really?” Ugh, god he was so transparent.

“I just got divorced and moved back. I’ve been laying low.”

“You should come out sometime. Catch a game or come by the bar.”

“Yeah… maybe.” you force a smile, out of practice with your fake social cues. You didn’t know if he picked up on your hesitation or not. You weren’t sure how he couldn’t.

“Who’re you babysitting for? Who is getting to hang out with you if you’re turning down offers?” his tone wasn’t cold, but you felt like he was prying where he had no business to.

“You remember Eddie Munson?”

“How could I forget?” he rolled his eyes.

“He’s the first person I met when I came back. I’m watching his kid as favor today.”

“Ah, I see. Already back on the hook.”

“Excuse me?” you tilted your head.

“You and him dated right? Makes sense you’d wanna revisit some nostalgia since you’re back.”

“We didn’t actually.” your voice curter, stepping between him and Teddy as a protective urge came over you.

“You two were…ya know…” he bobbed his head. “Always together. Makes sense you’d want a little fun post-divorce. Hit up an old flame I get it.” he waved his hand as if given you permission. “You were two little weirdos that suited each other. But he still looks… like that and you… don’t.”

“I’m gonna go now. I’m not going to have anyone speak ill of me or someone’s-” you nodded to Teddy “dad in front of them. Seems like you’ve changed for the worse. Or maybe you still suck. I don’t remember.” you shrugged and turned to push the cart.

“I didn’t mean it like that!”

“Save it.” you groaned and didn’t look back. You made your rounds and were now settled back into your apartment. Teddy was coloring on the coffee table that you’d covered in a blanket. He would ask periodically for your input but mostly made loud sounds when he got excited about a color.

You couldn’t shake the thought of someone saying something negative about Eddie in front of his own kid. You’d already forgotten the insult had also been about you. You frowned, chin to your knee as you sat and watched the boy scribble and shout. What bad things would he hear about his dad? What things had he already heard? You hoped he didn’t understand any of it yet. That same protective force came over you, you reached out to pet his baby soft curls and rub his back.

“You know… you’re dad’s really great.” you say aloud. At least you didn’t have to worry about social skills around a kid.

“Yeah.” he nodded, smiling a bit brighter at the mention but still watching his creative process play out.

“He loves you a lot.”

“He told me.” you smiled and sighed contently at the answer. Of course, Eddie would tell him. He probably told him so much he rolled his eyes at the words.

“He’s a good daddy isn’t he?”

“Best ever.” he turned his attention to you and nodded.

“He is the best!” you enthusiastically nodded. “Better than… candy!”

“Better dan… peabutter and jelly!” he bounced.

“Speaking of, I think it’s time to eat.”

“He bringing sketti?” he asked with hopeful eyes. You filled in the blanks of the subject change.

“No, he’ll be by later though.”

“I miss him.” he pouted slightly and you wanted to die inside.

“You know what? I miss him too.” you nodded and sighed, giving him a similar pout. “I missed your daddy a lot.” you finally admitted to someone. Teddy was small but a hell of an outlet. “I think he’d want us to have a good dinner. Did you want spaghetti?”

“Want the sketti dad makes.” he frowned.

“I bet it’s good, huh?” an agreeable nod followed. “I’d like your dad to cook for me too.” you laugh and you know he doesn’t understand why but it’s not important. “How about the spaghetti I make? Do you like sauce? You want meatballs? I think I have meatballs.” you stand and look at the freezer in the kitchen.

“I like meatballs.” you’d seemed to capture his attention.

“If it’s meatballs you want my little angel. Then meatballs you shall have!”

As you danced around your kitchen, pen in your mouth, hair pulled up and glasses on you looked over the book in your hands.

“DANCE MAGIC DANCE!” Teddy was boogying down in front of the tv where you’d moved the coffee table out of the way and made a little play area of his toys, blankets, and pillows. You were two movies in and he was well-behaved during his favorites. He loved the songs and if he didn’t know all the words he was surely fooling you. He babbled and swayed, clapped, and stomped his socked feet.

You’d gotten in your new favorite lounge wear for the evening, slipper socks, leggings and an old shirt you’d found in the many boxes of your old things you’d finally taken from your parent's house. All cozied in a massive cardigan you were comfy and felt a pleasant tiredness from chasing after the baby all day. You realize in the moment how opposed to your old life this new one was. You wore matched tracksuits or a paired pajama set that were as expensive as it was uncomfortable. There were no old comfy clothes before, no personal touch or warmth to the things you wore while you were in your home. Now the main focus was comfort and happiness. Which you were finding a lot more plentiful than you’d expected. You sat down the ledger and decided to join Teddy in his antics. Who better to learn from than a kid about how to enjoy yourself?

“Jump magic jump.” you both sang, your hair bobbing, you and Teddy dancing around each other. You’d take his hand from time to time and squat and bob with him. You were both fully distracted. Him squealing and singing, you doing the voices to the movies and now picking him up and spinning him, putting him back on your hope. “You remind me the babe.” you bopped your head to his as he grabbed your face and slapped the beat to your cheeks. “Slime and snails or puppy dog tails!” you shout and pretend to eat his shoulder as he screamed happily. Little did you know Eddie was watching the whole interaction go down. What started as amusement turned into an undeniable lump in his throat. You make Teddy laugh and in return him doing the same to you. You fussed with him like he was your own. Like you loved him. Eddie stood dazed, eyes wide and wanting as he got to observe a moment he felt like a fantasy playing out before him.

“Dance magic dance!” Teddy clapped as he squirmed to be free to use his legs again, kicking his legs out clumsily. You were close-eyed and bouncing, hands up before a scream cut you off.

“DADDY!” the sound of thudding feet was quick behind. You spun around in surprise to see Eddie scooping up his very cuddly mini.

“Looks like someone was having fun.” he grinned as his neck was squeezed by little arms.

“It was me. You caught me.” you huffed out a laugh as you pause the movie.

“You had fun too didn’t you?” he kissed Teddy’s face noisily. A happy hum escaped them both as he greedily accept the kisses, his hands tight to Eddie’s shirt. “You have a good time?” he asked after the assault of affection ran its natural course.

“Ye.” he nodded enthusiastically.

“We had Mc Donalds and spaghetti and he didn’t really nap, he slowed down there for a bit but never tapped out. Little champ aren’t ya?” you gave him a soft slug in the arm.

“Champ!” he flexed his arm and you both cackled.

“He missed you.” you gave a softer smile, reaching out to fix an errant curl.

“Well I missed him!” he kissed his cheek and squeezed him again. “You ready to go?”

“But the movie!” he made grabby hands at the tv.

“We can finish the movie at home.”

“No!” His demanding face was as persistent as anything had ever been.

“I think we’ve taken up enough of her time today already.” He apologetically laughed, looking over at you.

“Not at all.” You shook your head a little fast, not meaning to seem so excited at the prospect. “You can finish the movie and then head out. I’m sure you haven’t eaten dinner and I’ve got leftovers. We can talk while he rocks out to Bowie.” You motion toward the tv with your thumb.

“Please?” Teddy gave Eddie the same eyes he’d used on you years ago. They were extremely effective.

“Okay.” He bopped his forehead to the wide eyed child’s before he let out a triumphant cheer. “Only because I’m starving.” He lied. There were so many reasons for him to stay.

You sat on the couch next to Eddie as he scarfed down spaghetti and meatballs. You had his books back in your lap, concentrated as you had someone else with eyes on Teddy now.

“Shit that was good.” He whispered, returning from putting his bowl in the sink as instructed. “I knew you were gonna spoil him but now I feel like I’m getting it by proximity.” he rubbed his stomach as he slouched back.

“Well lucky for you I like taking care of cute kids.” You teased with a scrunched-nose smile.

“I take it I’m included in that?”

“Teddys not the father here? I’m so confused.” You made an exasperated face as you turned your cross legged body toward him.

“I mean he only poops his pants slightly more than I do so…” Eddie shrugged and it made you snort out a laugh.

“He did very good with the potty today. You did a great job.” You reached out to pat his knee. Even if it was under a condescending guise he wanted more. “Hopefully he won’t pee the bed until he’s 18 like you did.”

“Hey!” His voice rose louder than the hushed conversation you were having to not distract Teddy. It caused you to cover your mouth to laugh. “It doesn’t count if it’s because you’re drunk!” He reached out to pinch your side as you slapped loosely at him.

“Does it not?” You whispered back, Teddy oblivious to the childish flirting occurring behind him.

“No! It’s… science!” He couldn’t even get it out with a straight face.

“Without your guidance, I might’ve done it a handful of times myself in college.” you admitted with a whisper, sharing by leaning in closer to him.

“I knew it. Pot. Kettle.” he smirked and nodded his head aggressively at you. You leaned into the couch with a content sigh, your shoulders slumping as you put space between your faces. “I haven’t even gotten drunk in…years.”

“Around 3 to 4?” you grin and nod Teddy’s way.

“Yeah you’re right.” he realizes with a heavy exhale, hand disappearing into his pulled-back curls to scratch his head.

“You’re a good dad, you know.” you praised with eyes and a voice so soft and sweet it made his teeth ache. “Great dad.” you corrected. “Little guy is nuts about you. We talked about you today.”

“Oh no, what’d he say?” he cringed and let his head fall into the cushion of the couch.

“He missed you, said you were the best dad. Better than peanut butter and jelly.” your lips pouted more than they meant to with the sharing of sentiment.

“He’s a liar but I appreciate it.” you shared a laugh.

“You are a great dad.” your voice hushed a touch.

“Why are you tellin’ me this?” an upward jab of his chin in insistence.

“You should know. Because you are. And people around here can suck and I know despite your bad boy exterior you’re made of jello inside and I didn’t want sh-crappy people to get to you.”

“What happened?” he leaned forward, a hand to your knee.

“Nothing.” you shrugged. He quickly pinched your knee with raised brows, demanding you respond truthfully.

“A guy we used to know in school ran into me today in the store with little bit.” you looked to the side to see Teddy still enamored with the movie. “He was vaguely insulting to-well, both of us and it got me thinking.”

“About what?”

“That despite how long it’s been and how hard you work people are still gonna talk. Even when they know nothing. They’re gonna still see the freak with your tattoos and hair and be as petty as they ever were. It’s depressing how that hasn’t changed at all.”

“Welcome home.” he gave you a sad smile. “You don’t have to worry about me though. I’m used to it.”

“You shouldn’t have to be.” you grumped, your brow creasing. “I got so mad thinking about Teddy hearing stuff about you when he gets older. And it’s all bullshit. And I just-” you raspberry your lips and groan with a long exhale.

“It’s not your job to worry about Teddy.” Eddie pat your knee and gave you a kind smile.

“Well I worry about both of you and as long as I’m around I’m gonna keep worrying.” you mutter with exaggerated annoyance.

“This really all from some old douche talking smack?” his head tilted and the same as it ever was he saw through you. There were plenty of reasons. Most of which you were not ready to unpack. You grab the ledge and move it between the two of you.

“It’s only part of it.” you admit softly. He looked down at it and a resigned sadness came across his face.

“I know.”

“You do?” you whispered, leaning closer as if it might help soften the blow.

“I’ve been paying the bills. I know.” he stared at the book like it was at fault.

“It’s not good, Eddie.”

“I know.” he repeats, shoulders growing stiff as he rubs the back of his neck. You see him look out to Teddy and you feel the burn of tears behind your eyes.

“I can help.” you offer, now leaning forward, your eyes wide, almost begging as he refuses to meet them, feeling the heat of shame creep up his face.

“How?” he rolled his eyes, looking away, his hand falling to his lap.

“I’m going to do some research. Get some data together on sales figures for music. I can hang out at the shop and see what needs to be changed. We can update. It’s nowhere near hopeless.”

“I don’t wanna sell out.” his brow creased hard, defiance in him you understood on a personal level.

“Changing with the times to survive isn’t selling out. It’s still selling music to people. It’s just not vinyl and cassettes. You can move to CDs. Get a broader selection of music. There’s this thing called the internet that’s getting super popular and I think it’s going to be the next big thing. If we can figure out how to utilize that you might get ahead of the game.”

“I don’t wanna shill pop to assholes who bully people like me.” he groaned. “CDs are so… they lack soul, man.” he withdrew from you and pulled his arms to his body.

“Eddie,” you said reaching out to take his hand between both of yours. He was busy staring at the touch, but he did hear you. “You’re not going to last the year if you don’t change. I don’t want to be so harsh but that’s what people pay me for. And you’re not paying me for this by the way.” you interject and smack his hand when his mouth opens to disagree. “I will not lie to you. I won’t sugarcoat things. But I think you can appreciate that. And if you don’t let yourself change with the market you will fail. Loving music isn’t one type of music. Or one type of medium. The way you love your metal is the same way some people feel about the music you hate. It’s not about the type of music. It’s about THE music. Do you understand?” He nodded subtly, eyes slowly rising to meet yours. “Selling out is about art. Selling out doesn’t apply to business. Not in the same way. And when you’re successful, and people see how knowledgeable you are, you’re not gonna give a shit about being a so-called sellout.” his lips purse, a lick that morphed into a chew as he thought.

“I don't want to be some business asshole type.” he whispered.

“You couldn't be.” your laugh caught him off guard, giving you his dark fearful eyes. You squeezed his hand tighter. “You aren’t capable of that. Besides, I’d never let you.” you smile and it breaks the set wrinkles of concern. “If you let me help… I won’t let you fail.”

“You can’t guarantee that.”

“Yes I can.” you say with confidence he’d never seen from you before. “If I do everything in my power and the business falls, I will find you something else. I swear. I don’t think it’ll come to that. But I’m not going to let you go broke on a dream when it’s only because you don’t have the knowledge to know how to succeed. I have that. I’m not going to let you fail. And I’m not going to let Teddy have the sort of life we had growing up. Worrying about where our next meal’s gonna come from. He’s never going to know what it’s like to be poor like that. He’s going to be spoiled and loved and his dad’s gonna be his hero because he’ll see - not in his teen’s he’ll probably hate you then-” you smirk and it broke Eddie’s reserve, making him laugh as he looked at his son and sniffled, wiping a tear away. “But when he’s grown he’ll see how hard you worked. And how smart you are. And how much you care. You’ll have something to leave him if he wants it. And if not, there’s gonna be another punk ass kid just like you… working in a record store because music is his life and you can leave the business to him.”

“You should be like a… motivational speaker or something, dude, shit.” he squeezed your hand and put his other on top.

“I’m good at what I do.” you nod and break the handhold, reaching out to touch his cheek. Your hand feels so warm against his cheek slightly wet from a few stray tears. “And now, I care about it. It means something when I’m using what I know for someone I care about. If you can trust me, we can do this. You can change. And if you won’t do it for you, you’re sure as hell going to do it for him.” Eddie’s eyes snap to Teddy. He nods so subtly that you almost miss it.

“I’d do anything for him.” he admitted, although you already knew.

“I know.” you pat his cheek and drop your hand. “That’s why you’re the best dad.” you smile with more perk and he turns back to you with slightly happier wet eyes. “I don't mean to assume but… I know you must’ve been terrified when you found out you were gonna be a dad. I know you don’t have the best feelings about the topic of dads. But you’re doing amazing. You know that right?”

“Why-?” he begins and changes his mind. “You don’t have to do this. I don’t why you’re… doing all this,” he admitted with a heavy brow. “I told you you don’t have to get involved in my bullshit.”

“It’s not bullshit.” you corrected. “And I told you. I want to be involved. I... I don’t know I just care about you. I always have. And you’re the only one that’s treated me like a person since I’ve been back and not like some weird trophy to take since I’m single again.” you shook your head and wrinkled your nose, he saw that there must be more going on than you’re letting on with people in town. “You were the only one who did back then too.” you frown. “I mean that feels a bit dramatic but no one got me like you did. Like you do now.” you confess. “And I left and that meant I left you alone. Well, not alone- that’s being dramatic again. But I left. And I think part of me regrets it in a weird way and I see that I actually have to means to be helpful to you now and maybe deep down I’m doing it so I won’t feel as guilty. I feel like I have to atone or something. I don’t fully understand it. I just know that I care about you. A lot. And I care about Teddy. And I want to be a better person than I was then. I want to be the friend I should’ve been back then. I wasn’t helpful back then.” you look down and smile. “I feel like I mooched off you more than helped and maybe I can make up for that now.”

“So you still do that thing where you start talking about your feelings and can’t stop, huh?” his deep dimpled smile made you blush.

“I guess I do.” you whisper. He surprised you by moving to face you and putting his arms around you. You were hesitant at first, hands hovering over him instead of embracing him back.

“You were a great friend. Still are,” he reassured you, his head pressed to yours. You accept the uncomfortable feeling of true intimacy. Emotional intimacy and wrap your arms around him, letting your head rest on his shoulder. “You don’t have anything to feel guilty about.”

“That’s not true. There’s…a lot.” you admit, he felt your body tense against him. “I should’ve…” he feels your throat tense and swallow against him.

“Sweetheart I have things to apologize for too.” a soft confession that made your eyes squeeze tightly shut.

“Make room.” you hear from the side of the couch as Teddy grabs a leg and climbs. You break the hug, looking down at the intruder and laughing, hiding sniffles and not yet fallen tears. “We can watch and hug.” he says with a nod and pats both your legs. “Daddy sit still.” he ordered and sat in his lap with a thud. “Missy you go here.” you were ordered as he pats the couch next to Eddie. Eddie threw his arm over the back of the couch and shrugged, welcoming you in. Teddy’s legs went into your lap as you pressed your side into Eddie, slipping under his arm like old times. Teddy wiggled between you, throwing a leg over each of yours. He leaned to grab one of Eddie’s hands to hold then did the same to you. Your heart could’ve exploded. You even felt the burn of tears threatening again. You didn’t know the simple acceptance of a child could mean so much. “Watch!” he shouted when he looked up to see you both looking at him instead of the tv.

Eddie quickly realized maybe Teddy was missing the dynamic of a parenting couple more than he knew. Teddy might not even know it himself. He did love to snuggle. He demanded it of him and Wayne often. Eddie couldn’t watch the movie. Even if he liked it and had seen it possibly hundreds of times now. You wore a smile that made his stomach flip, watching Teddy’s little fingers mindlessly play with your fingers and his dad’s rings. Your head was leaning on Eddie’s arm, and you seemed more than comfortable with it. Maybe he should be less concerned with Teddy’s need for a mother and man up and realize he’s projecting. He felt selfish for it. The fantasy of a mother around for Teddy. Of a family. Not a non-traditional one. But one that people would recognize and respect. He knew Teddy’s mom would want the best for her son. That’s all she ever wanted. That’s why she agreed to the lackluster proposal of marriage from Eddie. It was never about them, it was about the baby and doing anything to make its life easier. Eddie felt like he’d kept to that promise as best he could. He knew another parent, a feminine influence would be good for him, and make him more well-rounded. But he also couldn’t pretend like Teddy was the only reason for wanting it. He wanted it too. And he couldn’t help himself. He thinks he wanted it with you.

Appreciate all comments and reblogs. Thanks so much!

@dylanmunson @steveharringtonisfit @shayeddie @cyntherr @pedroschka @big-ope-vibes @nitafromtheshadows @suspirian @originalstar1 @alyisdead @peachysink @ly17 @munson-blurbs @trixyvixx @bakugouswh0r3 @chaoticgood-munson @hazydespair @sidthedollface2 @superlovingcollectormoonpos-blog @idkatee @mrsdollardog @eddiesprincess86 @avalon-wolf

174 notes · View notes

a-little-unsteddie · 4 months

Text

stuck in your throat || 1.5

1.1 | 1.2 | 1.3 | 1.4 | [here]

ahhh!! the final part of chapter one! hope the wait was worth it <3 i’ll be posting the full chapter on ao3 tonight, so look out for a post with that link! i’ll also start a master post that i’ll pin to the top of my blog later. eventually. it’s on my to-do list.

i’ll start posting chapter 2 sometime in jan/feb, depending on when i fjnish writing chapter 3, which i’m about a third done with!

happy christmas! i hope everyone enjoys the final part to chapter one!

Steve hadn’t received a response from Eddie, but he wasn’t really expecting one anyway. He sipped his chai and checked the time every minute or so, and even though it felt like he’d been waiting for ages, only a few minutes had passed when a man walked into the café. He had long, dark curly hair, that was in a messy bun. He was wearing a grey band shirt with ripped black skinny jeans and chains hanging off of them. He appeared to be holding the hand of a little girl who had a mane of wild curls that were a few shades lighter than her dads. She was wearing a purple dress and a poofy blue jacket that appeared to do nothing to slow her down as she seemed to move even as her dad ordered.

Steve couldn’t stop the smile that formed at the sight, but assumed that this wasn’t who he was waiting for. He didn’t think his client would bring his pup with him to the interview. He found no harm in watching them for a bit while he waited for Eddie to show up.

After the man placed the order, he turned to look directly at Steve, who flushed in embarrassment at being caught looking and ducked his head. Which meant he didn’t see the man approach with his daughter in tow, but he did smell him, a sweet, musky scent filled his nose as the alpha approached, it reminded him of the forest. He lost himself in it for a moment before subtly shaking his head to clear it. He looked up with wide eyes as the man stopped at his table, hazel eyes meeting brown.

“Steve?” The alpha—Eddie?—asked, looking like he’d rather be anywhere else. Steve blinked as he took in the sight of the man, trying to figure out where he knew him from. He looked familiar, but he couldn’t pinpoint why. He was sure he would have remembered meeting an alpha this handsome.

“Huh? Oh, yes, sorry,” Steve stammered, cheeks suddenly flushed. He stood abruptly to properly greet the alpha, “That’s, um, I’m Steve.” he thrust his hand out to shake Eddie’s, who took it and shook firmly. Steve ignored the way his stomach swooped at the firm grip the alpha had.

“..I’m Eddie,” he responded, and opened his mouth to say something else but a small voice interrupted them.

“I’m Elodie!” the pup said cheerfully, trying to replicate the action of shaking Steve’s hand. He was immediately enamored with Elodie and allowed her to shake his hand.

“It is so nice to meet you, Miss Elodie.” he said sincerely, grinning as she giggled in response. The three of them quickly sat, with Eddie and Elodie on one side, and Steve on the other.

Steve wasn’t sure where to start, now that he knew they were going to be joined with the pup he would be taking care of if he was chosen. To be fair, he probably wouldn’t have known where to start even if she hadn’t joined them.

Elodie seemed to be taking this seriously, sitting next to her father with her hands together on the table. She had taken out a notepad and had it opened to a blank page with her colored pencil next to it. She looked like she was trying hard to look stern, and failed miserably at it, which was just an adorable sight. Beside her, Eddie looked uncomfortable but still polite. Elodie also seemed to not have the same problem as the adults, immediately launching into questioning.

“Will you take me to the park?”

Steve glanced at Eddie, who looked fondly exasperated the moment Elodie started talking, so Steve figured it wouldn’t hurt to answer her question.

“If your dad is okay with it, sure,” he agreed easily, trying not to show his amusement in his tone, but sure his scent was giving it away as it sweetened. He was glad that pups didn’t fully develope their understanding of the different scents until they were a bit older than Elodie.

Elodie nodded firmly, writing it down on her little notepad, which upon closer inspection, Steve noticed had stickers of what appeared to be dragons and unicorns decorating it.

Eddie seemed content to let her do her questioning, sitting back and watching the pair. Steve wondered if this was the interview, to see how he and Elodie got along.

“Will you give me treats?” was the next question that Elodie had for him.

Steve leaned forward to stage whisper to her, “Only every day,” as if it were a secret. She brightened at that answer, giggling. Steve tried not to wince as her feet kicked into his shins, hiding it with a grin.

Elodie looked up at her dad, “Alright. I think we have a winner.” she said firmly, and Steve couldn’t withhold a grin from taking over his face, just barely holding back a laugh. She had all of two questions for him, neither of which were entirely surprising for a pup to ask.

Eddie rolled his eyes fondly at her, patting her head, “You’d like that, wouldn’t you, Odie?” Elodie nodded rapidly, eyes wide and begging. “Let me ask him some questions, and I’ll take your vote into consideration. Sound good?” Elodie looked like a bobble head as she nodded wildly again.

“Okay! Can I go play now?” she asked, looking out the window where there was a park across the street.

Eddie looked as though he was about to say no, so Steve took it upon himself to try to convince the alpha.

“There are picnic tables on the far side, you can’t see them from here, but we could sit at one of them and keep an eye on her,” Steve offered, Eddie’s gaze snapped over to him in surprise.

Elodie looked at her father with wide brown eyes, lip jutting out in a pout. “Please?” she asked, stretching the word out until Eddie heaved a sigh.

“Alright, let’s go,” he gave in, standing from the table. Steve’s cheeks hurt from how much he was smiling from this little encounter, and stood to follow them out. Elodie immediately held her dad’s hand, and reached a hand out to Steve to hold one of his as well. Steve glanced nervously at the alpha, but allowed her to take his hand, too.

“Bye, Steve!” Will called as they walked to the door and Steve knew he’d be receiving a load of texts from the other pups he used to babysit about this.

“See you later, Will,” Steve called back, bracing himself against the chilly air as they stepped outside. Almost immediately, Elodie tried to race ahead of the pair, but instinctually, Steve tightened his hold, as Eddie lightly scolded her.

“Elodie Mae, you know you have to hold my hand to cross the street,” he said, frowning at the pup. Elodie pouted, but held their hands and walked with them across the street to the park.

Once they were safely across, Elodie took off towards the park while Steve led Eddie to the picnic benches on the far side. Steve nervously glanced at the alpha, trying to figure out how he was doing so far. He seemed relaxed, but wary of their surroundings, glancing around them frequently, as if nervous to be seen. Steve felt his hackles rise, and furrowed his eyebrows. Could the alpha be embarrassed to be seen with him? Surely not, Chrissy wouldn’t have let him move forward to this stage of the hiring process if Eddie wasn’t going to at least consider him for the job.

“Here are the picnic tables,” Steve said needlessly as a way to fill the silence that had grown between them.

Eddie hummed in response and sat at one of them, and Steve followed his lead, sitting across from him. The picnic table was positioned perpendicular to the park, so Steve sat straddling the bench to keep an eye on Elodie. He may not have been hired yet, so he still wanted to prove that he was capable of the job.

Eddie was silent for a while, but eventually he seemed to figure out what exactly he wanted to say. “This wasn’t my idea,” he started, watching as Elodie ran up to another kid playing at the park.

“I figured not,” Steve admitted, smiling as the two pups ran off together to play.

“But Chrissy is right,” he continued, looking at Steve, “being on tour is a lot and watching an eight year old while performing is pretty much impossible. So, I had two options: leave her at home with a nanny, or bring her with and hire a traveling nanny.”

Suddenly the reason why Eddie seemed so familiar became abundantly clear, he was Eddie Munson. Rockstar, Eddie Munson. Corroded Coffin lead singer, Eddie Munson. Heart-throb alpha, Eddie Munson.

Steve tried to grapple with this revelation silently, hoping that Eddie wouldn’t notice as he didn’t want the musician to think that Steve was being unprofessional. It was fine, really, it just wasn’t something that Steve had been expecting, is all. He wasn’t even a fan of the music, but he knew that Dustin and his friends—including Will—were massive fans. He was glad that Will didn’t flip out when they were in the coffee shop.

“That would be a lot on anyone’s plate,” he finally said, once he was sure his voice wasn’t going to give away his realization. “And I would be more than happy to take some off of it. I’ve already started planning some classwork, actually,” he admitted shyly.

Eddie looked at him in surprise, but it didn’t seem like a bad reaction, so Steve considered it a win.

“Really?” he asked, eyebrows raised. “Even though you weren’t guaranteed the job yet?”

“I was stressing about today, so I figured it wouldn’t hurt to be prepared,” Steve shrugged, not looking at the alpha, instead watching as Elodie and the other pup raced from the monkey bars to the swings.

“That’s impressive,” Eddie told him, and when Steve looked at him, he was smiling tentatively.

Steve scoffed slightly, brushing off the compliment. “Even if I don’t get the job,” he felt a pang of sadness hit him at the thought, “it’s still good practice.”

“Oh, you have the job,” Eddie said nonchalantly, so much so that Steve didn’t process the words for a second.

“I do?” he asked, whipping his head to look at Eddie so abruptly that he felt his neck crack once.

“Yeah, Elodie got the final say,” he smiled vaguely in the direction of where Steve knew Elodie and her new friend were playing.

Chrissy’s earlier amusement about not making the choice of candidate made sense, now.

“Thank you,” Steve said, unsure if that was the right response, but not knowing how else to express his gratitude about being hired.

Eddie smiled vaguely at Steve, shrugging slightly. “As long as she didn’t choose an obvious asshole, I’m more than happy to hire whoever she wants. Means she’s gonna be more likely to listen to you.”

Steve nodded, “That…makes a lot of sense, actually,” he said softly.

“I’ll get Chrissy to email you the official offer, and whatever else needs to be sent,” he hummed, smiling at him.

“I look forward to it,” Steve said honestly, already looking forward to telling Robin that he got the job. He thought of the NDA, and wilted slightly. He wasn’t sure how much he was allowed to actually share with her about the job. He knew he’d be able to tell her that he <i>got</i> the job at least, but not much more than that. Maybe he’d ask Chrissy if they were hiring for something else, because like hell he’d be sued for talking to his best friend.

The pair spent another two hours or so watching Elodie run around and play, but eventually they had to leave.

“Bye, Miss Elodie,” the omega said, laughing as the pup hugged him tightly.

“Bye, Mister Steve,” Elodie mumbled into his sternum before she pulled away and took Eddie’s hand.

“Goodbye, Eddie,” Steve said, looking up at the handsome alpha through his eyelashes. Eddie smiled, but it looked tense, and Steve was reminded that this wasn’t Eddie’s idea. In fact, he seemed to be mildly against the whole affair.

After they said their goodbyes, Steve watched Eddie and Elodie get into a black car with tinted windows, and watched as it disappeared around a corner before he started the longish walk home, feeling a pep in his step as he did.

if you want to be added to the tag list, confirm your age in your request. if you want to be removed, let me know!

tag list: @marklee-blackmore @paintsplatteredandimperfect @steddie-as-they-go @disrespectedgoatman @lingeringmirth @hyperfixated-on-stuff @swimmingbirdrunningrock @littlewildflowerkitten @sani-86 @thegingerrapunzel @adventures-in-mangaland @missingmalfoy1 @yellowdevilkitten @extra-transitional @queen-stevie @stevesbipanic @crypticcorvidinacottage @cinnamon-mushroomabomination @eyehartart

#eeeeeep #the long awaited meeting #i swear they get better next chapter djshdhsha #steve harrington #eddie munson #steddie #eventual steddie #steve x eddie #alpha!eddie munson #omega!steve harrington #rockstar!eddie munson #single dad!eddie munson #nanny!steve harrington #tw omegaverse #cw omegaverse #unsteddie writing #stuck in your throat #siyt 🎤

187 notes · View notes

afewproblems · 7 months

Text

Season Two Halloween AU Part Eight

Part One, Part Two, Part Three, Part Four, Part Five, Part Six Part Seven

Synopsis: What if Eddie had been at Tina's Halloween Party in Season Two? Featuring Steve!Whump, Stancy Breakup, and Eddie just trying to keep up with all these new revelations about who King-Steve actually is...

As always, thank you thank you to the lovely Jess @strangersteddierthings for letting me brainstorm and send spoilers!

***

Eddie pulls gently on the strap of Dustin's safety goggles, trying as much as he can not to snag his curls in the process.

Almost everyone is decked out in their make-shift protective gear, with bandanas over their mouths, swim goggles --hell, even an old diving mask that Lucas found in the Byers basement. Mike won the painters mask, even though it's slightly too big on his little face.

When Eddie asks if all of this is really necessary, Dustin, Lucas, and Mike all glare ferociously at him before shouting over top of one another about how the Upside Down is toxic and that Will had been lucky last year, and to stop being an idiot.

Eddie looks to Max who shrugs and pulls down her own swimming goggles over her eyes.

"Don't look at me, I'm new here remember?" She mutters, walking towards the pile of various items the kids brought with them. She grabs a pair of rubber gloves and tosses them at Eddie who manages to catch one while the other falls limply into the dirt.

"They went in full body suits last year, on oxygen, to save Will," Dustin adds, his voice slightly muffled by the floral scarf wrapped around his face, "as little exposed skin as you can, it isn't safe".

Eddie can't help but picture the last Sci-Fi pulp story he read in a zine with government conspiracies and men in yellow suits investigating supposed 'crash sites' in the desert.

He shivers and pulls his own black bandana from his back pocket to put on.

Steve hasn't moved since they parked and hauled everything out of the van for their descent.

He sits in the sliding side door of the van with his head between his knees and the bat between his hands. Steve had insisted on coming with them, despite the fact that he'd only just managed to stop vomiting about five minutes ago and the nausea is still kicking his ass.

Stubborn idiot.

Eddie shakes his head as he turns back to Dustin to find the kid has wandered closer, standing right beside him now.

"He's dating Nancy," Dustin says quietly, tipping his head towards Steve as surreptitiously as he can.

Eddie freezes at the words and tries to keep his face blank in the way he's seen Steve do, he's not sure he's managed it but the way Dustin rolls his eyes.

Eddie opens his mouth to respond, with what he isn't sure of given the chorus of shitshitshitshitshit playing on a loop in his head.

Dustin beats him to it.

"But Mike told me they've been fighting lately, if it helps?"

Eddie just stares, his mind running a mile a minute, his eyes search Dustin's face for any hint of malice or disgust. But there's nothing.

"You don't…care?" Eddie says slowly, softly, he looks around to the other kids to see if anyone else is listening.

They all continue to argue and bicker over the equipment except for Max who has walked over to Steve to hand him a pair of rubber gloves. She leans down and tilts her head to look at Steve who still hasn't moved from his position in the van door.

Dustin shrugs, "why should I? I know what people say about it, but you protected us, you stayed," he looks at Eddie with fierce blue eyes, "bullies talk a lot of shit about other people for what they like".

"And you're not bad Eddie, you're good, just like everyone here".

Eddie blinks trying to ignore the tightness in his chest at the words and the sting behind his eyes.

'You're a good kid Ed, that's all that matters,' Wayne had told him the day he came out. 'And I'll love you no matter what'.

So that was at least two people who didn't think he was the town 'freak' -- but a stubborn image of Steve's expression that night by the pool comes to mind as he vehemently argued against being scared of Eddie during the now infamous Halloween party.

Three people then.

"If it helps, he wouldn't shut up about Dallas after he and Nance watched the Outsiders last year so," Dustin shrugs again, this time with the slightest teasing grin.

Eddie is overcome with such a strong feeling of fondness for the kid that he reaches out and pulls Dustin into a one armed hug that's really more of a headlock than anything else. Eddie takes off Dustin's hat to ruffle his hair before putting it back on and tugging it down over the kids eyes, he snorts at the squawk that Dustin makes in response.

"Dallas huh?" he says with a grin before clearing his throat, "I've always been more partial to a pretty boy myself".

He laughs as Dustin pushes him off muttering under his breath, "everyone's obsessed with relationships," which only makes Eddie laugh harder.

Maybe it's the hysteria of the situation, maybe it's the exhaustion loosely wrapping itself around his hands, but in this moment Eddie lets himself push away why they are standing in the middle of this field in the pitch dark, and lets himself reach out for what was previously impossible.

He claps Dustin on the back and tips his head towards the rest of the party getting ready.

"How distracting can you be?" Eddie asks in a low conspiratorial voice.

Dustin frowns, his eyes dart from where Max is struggling to pull on a second blue rubber glove after getting the first one on to where Steve is finally managing to sit up in the van, pulling on the gloves Max left him with, and rolls his eyes again.

"Yeah, yeah, you get five minutes," Dustin drops his voice slightly, and if it's an imitation of Eddie barking orders at the kids earlier, it's pretty good actually.

Eddie huffs and sends Dustin a wink before turning on his heel and making his way to the van.

Steve has managed to finally sit up properly and in the moonlight it appears that the green caste to his face is also gone. He looks up as Eddie approaches, and sends him a wane smile.

"How you feeling?" Eddie says softly. He crouches down on the balls of his feet so he and Steve are at eye level and reaches out for his shoulder, giving it a gentle squeeze. It's as though a dam has burst ever since he was able to gather Steve in his arms in the van, he can't stop reaching out for him.

"Like my head has a pulse," Steve answers after a moment, "kinda how it felt after Jon cleaned my clock last year, but worse".

He shrugs and gives Eddie a small smile that stretches his split lip until a small bead of red appears, Steve winces and swipes his hand over the cut, "I'm kinda hoping it doesn't become a yearly thing, you only get so many concussions ya know?"

No Eddie doesn’t know, but he was also never a jock, dodging elbows, or balls, or apparently monsters in the woods on the regular.

He looks back at the kids, only to see Dustin pointing at the watch on his wrist; even in the dark Eddie can read Dustin's expression.

Hurry up.

Eddie swallows roughly and turns back to Steve, who doesn't move his gaze quickly enough to hide his own stare.

The wistful pinch of Steve's brow is still there, plain as day, and it cements Eddie's decision.

He leans closer, close enough that his nose is nearly touching Steve's own.

"I need to tell you something, and I need you to let me get through it because we don't have a lot of time, okay?"

Steve blinks once, his wide hazel eyes search Eddie's face as he slowly nods, his mouth opens but Eddie reaches up and presses his palm to gently cover it.

"You caught me off guard before," he whispers quickly, before Steve can move the hand on his mouth, "when you told me about your Nonna".

He sees Steve's eyes go even wider and feels him freeze under his hand, but he has to keep going.

"And I thought, you couldn't possibly be saying what I thought you'd were saying, I couldn't--"

Eddie forces himself to meet Steve's gaze this time, as though he could simply transfer his thoughts directly, save himself the embarrassment of trying to make the words come.

He takes a deep breath in, releasing it slowly through his nose.

"I couldn't let myself hope, not then".

"But when I thought you were dead on the floor, that Billy had broken you into a million pieces and we would never be able to put you back together again and I realized," Eddie moves his hand now, letting it travel along Steve's jaw, to the back of his head. He swipes his thumb along the crest of Steve's cheekbone and tries not to let the way the other man holds his breath deter him.

"That I might not get another chance to be that person your Nonna told you about, if I didn't tell you how I felt".

Steve blinks again and Eddie halts, letting go of Steve completely as he watches the wide hazel eyes grow shiny in the moonlight.

Oh fuck.

Steve's nose flares slightly with how rapidly he's breathing and his mouth opens and closes in quick succession as he seems to struggle to find the words to respond.

"I--"

"Steve! Eddie!" Mike calls out from behind them, "we are running out of time! Let's go!"

Eddie curses under his breath and whirls around; Mike stands at the edge of the cavern, his hands on his hips in a similar position to one Steve held earlier, the painter's mask pulled up to reveal the irritated frown on his face.

Dustin has his own face in his hand but looks up soon enough to offer Eddie a resigned shrug.

He catches Max watching the exchange with curious eyes, her face tilting between Eddie, Dustin, Mike, and Steve, but he can't think about that now.

Not with Steve pushing himself up from the van on unsteady legs, he brushes past Eddie, reaching up with a shaking hand to pinch his nose.

Eddie darts a hand out to catch Steve's elbow, halting his path.

Steve lets him.

Eddie takes a step closer, wracking his brain, trying to figure out what he could have said to make Steve so upset, had he read him wrong after all, had he overstepped somehow?

"Steve," he says softly, his grip on Steve's elbow is loose but steady as he pulls him closer.

Steve doesn't turn to look at Eddie but he doesn't move away either.

"What the hell is the hold up assholes!" Mike barks out again and Eddie lets himself throw a dirty glare at the kid, which Mike merely rolls his eyes at.

The attitude on these kids.

Mike does eventually turn, pulled by Dustin, back to the rope that Lucas is securing to the nearby fencepost, hopefully distracted for long enough to let Eddie figure this out.

But before he can say anything, Steve is pulling himself away from the grip on his elbow, “Eddie--”

"Please,” the word falls out of his mouth, desperate, louder than he wants, “please Steve, just, promise me we'll talk”.

Steve turns his face slightly, just enough that Eddie knows he sees him.

His eyes are no longer wet, but still red rimmed, his nose slightly pink, the same way he looked that night at the halloween party sitting on that rock in the dark.

“Okay,” Steve whispers into the night air, quickly and quietly before he presses forward.

Eddie lets him go, his empty hand drops limply at his side as he watches Steve make his way back to the kids. He snatches an unused pair of goggles from the nearly empty pile on the ground and checks the post where Lucas had secured the rope.

Eddie watches from the sidelines as Steve seamlessly moves back into Babysitter mode, and while some part of Eddie is relieved at this, he can’t help but miss the way it felt to hold Steve, to put him back together again.

Even if it was just for a moment.

Part Nine Now Up!

Tag List:

@eriquin @luvinthefreaks @cinnamon-mushroomabomination @goodolefashionedloverboi @ellietheasexylibrarian @bambibiest @sadboislovebeans @howincrediblysapphicofyou @coleys-a-nerd @whycantiuseunderscore @airconditioning123 @xxfiction-is-my-realityxx @corrodedbisexual @starman-jpg @ilovecupcakesandtea @yoriposts @clumsiluni @pelinelin @phantomcat94 @lololol-1234 @anaibis @steveshairspray @hellfireone @eddielives1986 @sunswathe @tentativeghost @robin-not-batman @estrellami-1 @manda-panda-monium @tinyplanet95 @perseus-notjackson @queenie-ofthe-void @rainbowsaw @sp0o0kylights @littlebluejane @hi-im-eff @phantypurple @just-ladyme @thoroughlycollected @justrandomfandomstm @swimmingbirdrunningrock @finntheehumaneater @dynamic-powerm@nightmareglitter @genderless-spoon @zaddipax @thebiblesays @pyrohonk @emly03 @geekymagicalpotato @sidebarre @lemon-astra @cipounette @discreetapple @starlitlakes @saphhicwitchbitch @marvel-ous-m @lingeringmirth @honorarybrit81 @bookbinderbitch @finntheehumaneater @lololol-1234 @eddie-munsons-missing-nipple @monsterloverforhire @gaydrieeen @starlight-archer @homosexual-having-tea @devondespresso @rennnnon @my-hyperfixations-hell-blog

And a few people I think may be intersted!

@steddierthings @steddie-there @stevesbipanic @henderdads

303 notes · View notes