#Sheepy cos

[sheepydwagondraws]

designed a fit for a renn faire im going to later this year so I can start to work on it. thought it came out super cute so thought I'd share. Also I never draw myself hi lmao

[sheepydwagondraws]

The Bubby is me C:

THE SQUAD

[wakebymoonsleepbysun]

Thoughts on Baba Chops (I assume that's the name of the Smiling/Nightmare sheepie because it would be strange to copyright that name and then give it to something other than a sheep.)

It's been confirmed by Amber that this is largely a reference to the youtuber sheeprampage, so it being a black sheep (or a sheep in general) may not be all that deep. Just going to get that out of the way. Still, in case it IS that deep, let's go:

Literally a black sheep, possibly figuratively too? The "black sheep" of the Smiling Critters, eventually ousted (or quits) to join or form the Nightmare Critters

Possibly a counterpart/replacement for CatNap? CatNap deals heavily in sleep and dreams, but counting sheep could be an alternative sleep aid to the red smoke

Some kind of shepherd/flock connection around the religious angle? Is Baba part of the "Somniferous flock" or is he trying to take it over?

Wolf in sheep's clothing. A wolf Nightmare Critter disguised as Baba, with the twist that Baba is on the side of good like DogDay had been? I figure if a few dozen lil' Smiling Critters can climb into DogDay and pilot is corpse like a mech, then one Critter wearing another's skin is at least a possibility worth considering

The skull charm. Probably not something he had while he was a Smiling Critter (if he ever was one), so maybe the other Nightmare Critters also have more "edgy" charms.

Those are just my half-formed/spitball ideas around what him being a sheep may symbolize. My actual theory: I do think the Nightmare Critters are a separate toyline from Smiling Critters, a spinoff sort of deal like Garbage Pail Kids or perhaps the villains in the cartoon. I think these consist of scarier animals, like a gator (Alister Gator) and a shark (Maggie Mako), and that Baba defected from the Smiling Critters and ended up joining them. I don't THINK Playtime Co would put the sheep in the Nightmare group in the official cartoon canon but you never know, maybe there is a reason in the Smiling Critters lore or maybe they did it to be funny.

As to why he defected? Possibly he was meant as a replacement for CatNap, and the other Critters took issue with this OR he was resentful of living in CatNap's shadow.

(EDIT: I was referring to Baba as he/him because I just guessed that based on her being somewhat of a reference to Sheeprampage, but about a day or two after I made this it was revealed that she's she/her.)

[heatherthetiredwriter]

So I just started playing Sheepy A Short Adventure (cos I wanted to play it ever since Kevin obviously) and there's this one scene where you unlock the running power and you just run with the bunnies and the music ramps up and everything is all purple and like... yeah I think that's what gaming is supposed to be...

[glitterguts13]

Not sure if you're open to play visual novels, i will still recommend A Date with Death which free + you pay for the dlc (extra choices + 1 bonus ending) iirc. Flirting with babygirl grim even he's literally after your soul is 👌. Any vns from the studio are worth checking out tbh with the variety of vn genres the stories have! Amelie and Start: Again to name a few. I heard that aside from making another dlc for adwd that is an extension of the storyline w/ bonus endings, they're gonna be making a lesbian vampire vn.

Sheepy: A short adventure is also nice! You get to play as a lil plushie sheep and explore some underground world. Just very cute and the music is lovely.

coffee talk and the new release tavern talk are cosy games where you just mix drinks while learning about your customers! The latter one is said to be inspired by the former and dnd mixed together~

I can't think much else cos i usually watch my fave vtuber play games and some of them are not really on the popular side sometimes but they wanted to check them out!

A DATE WITH DEATH WAS SO FUN I haven't played the DLC yet but I will one day. I have Coffee Talk, but I haven't played it yet, I should do that soon...

[pudgychicken]

I currently have 3 campaigns going on, a solo, and 2 co-ops in Baldur's Gate, but I just wanted to share a doodle of one my my characters! She's a sleepy, sheepy, Archfey Warlock Tiefling who just blasts debuffs when rolls are good hahaa

[ddeadly-succubus]

Why have you formed such upsetting opinions of how Eddie would view you based on a book you haven’t even read? I promise you, Eddie is not judgmental in the book like you think he is. And I really don’t like how you’re putting yourself down like that 😢

He may act like an asshole a few times in the book, but it’s because he is going through a lot of shit and he just lashes out. It’s pretty realistic tbh, it’s how 90% of all young adults would act in those situations.

And when he does act like an asshole, he’s not acting like a judgmental asshole. There are entire chapters dedicated to him protecting the other members of hellfire, the weird kids, to him protecting Will Byers, to helping Gareth understand who he really is. He accepts Ronnie being ace without a second thought.

Seriously, Eddie is a weird kid and absolutely loves all his little sheepies and all the other weird kids. He is not judgmental in the book and I really hope you take this message on board and read the book before forming more damaging opinions of the book and yourself. You are loved and Eddie would love you ❤️

Still not reading the book, I don’t consider it canon. But thank you for believing that Eddie would love me, I know that canon Eddie would but book Eddie wouldn’t cos I think they’re two different versions of him. Book Eddie is Eddie in another universe/what he was supposed to be before Joseph made the character likeable. Canon Eddie is Eddie to me, idc what the book says, Eddie in the show is Eddie in all his dorky metalhead loser glory.

[deadsnothere]

HIII, Sheepy boy, i was wondering ab you L&Co. Dr? Like your script, if so, where you got it, and any headcannons you have ab the main three trio?

Love,

Your local ghost

Hiii! first of all love the little local ghost sign off cool as hell second of all thank you so much for asking i've needed a reason to rant about this dr :D

I got my script from a person on tiktok! it's called "script template - ‘downtown girl’ aesthetic" by @shiftingmwah I really enjoy their templates!

There are a few things i've added, like a talent section, My talent is touch but my main focus at the agency is to work on designs and upgrades for new flares and different safe explosives that can help us with cases.

I have headcanons about the main three! adore all three of them so there will be a section for each!

Lucy! -

My top headcanon for Lucy is that she is a lesbian. im not sure if that sounds crazy but i genuinely see her as a lesbian who just doesn't know what she's doing but is going for it.

Sleeps with her socks on. Now! you may think this is wild until you feel how cold the attic can get in snow, out of the snow I judge her all day about it.

only actually showers for like 5 minutes gets all clean and just sits there on the bottom of the tub, thinking about life.

a romantic when needed, i am a really big romantic but Lucy will wing man me all the time, "Oh Lockwood? Why do you always have to up with alias ya know me and george would like to stick with them one day!" but once he actually lets me go with george, Lucy is still teasing him about it.

She spent so much money on Norrie while she was in ghost lock. Clothes, hats, nicknacks different things she thought she'd like. Norrie was bombarded with gifts when she wakes up.

Watching movies with any of them is hell because they figure it out before the movie ends and you want to pop their heads off.

Loves spicy food

George -

My top head canon for george is his card to the British archives. After a while of us doing cases george thought it might be his best idea to get a card for there! It took him two days because they were genuinely confused and concerned about why he was there so much!

Although george is a very smart and very clean guy he still finds ways to get sick really easy, and when he is sick? HE IS INSUFFERABLE.

stays up WAAAY to late for cases, Like he gets an hour asleep a night late. it's concerning but we do normally get him to get some sleep at night!

Kinda good with spice

Lockwood! -

This poor man has nightmares like every night and is just like "no babe it's ok even if dream about my dead family without you, you can go!" he's wild sometimes

Spends most of his time reading gossip magazines, or trying to find new cases. I fully believe this man has no chill.

This is a very specific headcanon but as i'm kipps little sister, him meeting my family was hell on earth. "You must be the lovely parents that raised your beautiful daughter, and Quill. You've done an amazing job rasing such a good ghost hunter, and quill. They're the best mechanic, i've never seen someone with skills quite that good with metal working. What can you do quill? Nothing i know!"

Cant handle spice

I do have more for both george and Lockwood but most of Lockwood are romantic so i'm not sure how you would feel about that? and with george i cant keep his organized so it's a hot mess.

[klaymoggs-armikrog-blog]

Co-Pilots! Conceptual ones, anyway. On the left is Vega, Vognaut’s co-pilot. On the right is Ruffayette (like Lafayette), Numnaut’s co-pilot. Personalities are currently in development, but for the moment:

Vega is stoic, very cunning and logical, preferring to stick to facts than make theories and isn’t afraid of getting her paws dirty (but if given the choice would definitely prefer not to). She and Vognaut were thick as thieves, and when she died (I think that’s what happened to her), Vognaut was devastated. He swore to never get another co-pilot as long as he called himself an Astronaut and keeps a picture of her in his chest-pocket. She loved swimming but hated cherries.

Ruffayette is very “go with the flow”, and often gets lost in thought daydreaming. A hidden side to them is their nihilistic nature, and not much scares or troubles them because of that except for the sound of thunder. Numnaut dyes their wool various colors a lot and it’s fun for both of them. They loathe getting wet and love eating, and they’re up for giving anything a try. Their current status is unknown.

Feel free to tell me if they did have official names/designs, but even if they do, I have to admit to a bias to preferring these ones...

[theguardianoftheangels]

Lady sheep :3

@duckroulette and @miss-mossball as in bonus there

[sheepydwagondraws]

Would you call him back?

YESYESYES 💔 UH. NO

[thefandomcassandra]

My players: oh boy a new campaign! And a module so we wont lose track of progress or plot!

My players having fun making their fun new PCs at level three with one magic item each and some boons from me, as a gift: our DM is so nice!

Me, looking at the module and the vibe and what I can/will do to them: do not mistake my preparing you for kindness. It is not kindness to send you a bear to slaughter when winter comes. It is simply a boon that may keep you alive a bit longer. >:3c

[eggceereal]

artfight attacks 1/5 !! characters respectively belong to: @sea-god-castle / @the-starlit-souls , @cos-milk , GalaxyStarrs , @woolie-sheepy , and Comycat

[seaquestions]

ok so my ko-fi’s just been Existing for a while (i didn’t really promote it or anything) but if i were to do lil commissions (like sketches & chibis n stuff) would any ppl be interested :^?

[munson-blurbs]

Hi there Bug! May I request one where Eddie and FemReader are in a committed relationship and Eddie’s breeding kink has been full on big time in overdrive because he really wants a kid and the more sex the better! Plus it’s around the holidays and they keep looking at baby stuff and Santa stuff etc which for some reason is making it worse But femreader finds out she can’t have any kids for whatever reason and is convinced Eddie will leave her because of it so heartbreakingly she tells him what’s going on and tells him if he wants to go and be with someone who can give him kids she would understand? Not being able to have kids myself and giving away little things I had gotten for the someday that never will come made me think of this one. (And No, I am not sad anymore about it- it just lets me help care for the little lost sheepies who don’t have anyone really. ) Thank you 💖

I hope I did your request justice. Thank you, from a little lost sheepie, for looking out for us 💚

Warnings: smut (18+ only, minors DNI), breeding kink, infertility, mentions of abortion, angst, hurt/comfort

WC: 3.1k

Dividers from @firefly-graphics

The First Christmas 

The Starcourt Mall around Christmas time was always a nightmare, packed wall-to-wall with busy, irritated shoppers. You were one of them; your husband was too busy pointing out every item he wanted to notice your misery. 

“Babe, check out that leather jacket!”

“That notebook with the dragon on the front would be perfect for writing lyrics.”

“Holy shit! A collector’s edition of the new Metallica album!”

After years of dating and a few more being married, you’ve gotten pretty good at ignoring him when you need to. But when he drags you towards his next find, you can’t help but pay attention. 

“Maybe we could get this?” It’s a thick, hardbound book of lullabies and bedtime stories. Drawings of barnyard animals adorn the cover. Eddie runs his forefinger over it gently, caressing it while deep in thought.

“Don’t you think it’s a little below your reading level?” you tease, threading your fingers through his free ones. 

Eddie gives you a wanting look, deep brown eyes meeting yours. His expression is completely sincere. “I want a baby,” he states plainly, as though he’s simply asking for a bag of potato chips at the grocery store.

“Okay, Eds,” you snort, rolling your eyes. “Maybe Santa will leave one under the tree for you this year.”

“I’m serious.”

You sigh, tucking his hair behind his ear. “Can we have this discussion, like, not in the middle of the mall?” you whisper.

“Is that a ‘yes’?” he asks, unable to disguise the excitement in his voice. A hopeful grin stretches across his face.

“It’s a ‘maybe,’” you tell him, but there’s already a buzzing feeling in your stomach. You’ve been waiting for him to bring up the subject of kids. Of the two of you, he had been the most resistant to parenthood. It wasn’t an issue of liking or disliking children; Eddie had plenty of experience being a babysitter (well, co-babysitter with Steve Harrington) to his gaggle of misfits during his high school years. The problem was Eddie’s confidence in himself to be a good parent. No matter how many times you reassured him that he wouldn’t be like his own dad, or that your kid would absolutely adore him, he’d remained hesitant.

But now here he is, in a Borders bookstore, damn near begging you for a baby.

Eddie refrains from talking about it for the remainder of your shopping trip, save for when you passed by Santa’s Workshop. He’d taken one look at the kids running around joyfully and murmured, “that could be us with Baby Munson next year.”

The moment you close the car door, Eddie looks at you, beaming. “So,” he starts, rubbing your thigh, “can we talk now?”

“Since when are you ready for a baby?” you question, glancing over your shoulder as you pull out from the parking spot. “I’m not complaining, but I don’t wanna get my hopes up just for you to change your mind.”

Your husband pauses before he speaks; you know from experience that this is a rare occurrence. “This might sound dumb,” he chews on a fingernail while he speaks, “but when I saw that book, I could just picture reading it to a little baby. Our little baby,” he amends. “And I’m still scared, but I–I think I can do this. With you. Feel like I can do anything with you, sweetheart.”

“So, when do you want to start trying?” you ask coyly, though you have an idea of how he will respond.

“As soon as we get home,” he affirms, and you laugh at his intensity and at your correct prediction. “If it wouldn’t cause a wreck, I’d start right fuckin’ now.”

You grip his left hand with your right. “We’re really gonna do this?” 

He squeezes your hand back, and there’s a slight tremble to it. “Let’s start our little metal family.”

As soon as you get through the door of your apartment, Eddie is weaving his hands through your hair and kisses you deeply. 

“Eds, the presents,” you manage, but he just drops them by the couch before picking you up and carrying you to the bedroom. 

“Don’t care about ‘em,” he mutters, plopping you on the bed with a gentle thump. “Just need you.” His tongue parts your lips as he climbs on top of you, knee nudging against your sex through your jeans. “You have no fuckin’ idea how badly I need you.” 

You trace your fingers over the obvious bulge straining against his zipper. “I think I have a clue,” you murmur, giggling when he moans at your touch. “Sensitive, are we?”

“Sweetheart,” Eddie says, pulling your shirt over your head and unclasping your bra, “you just gave me permission to give you a baby. What did you expect?”

You press your lips to his exposed collarbone before undressing him. “Want your baby, Eddie,” you whisper into his skin. Your fingers toy with his belt buckle and pants button until they’re both undone. 

His strong hands slide beneath your panties; you can feel him grin as he glides his fingers along your folds. “Y’got this wet thinkin’ about me filling you up?” he teases, and you can only nod your response. “Ready for me to cum in you over and over until you’re pregnant with my baby?”

“P-Please,” you stammer, and in an instant, you’re taking him in. His thick cock stretches you in a familiar way. You hiss at the pressure, his thrusts speeding up as he lets himself get deeper inside you. 

“You’re s’fuckin’ gorgeous, babe,” Eddie muses. “Can’t wait to see how beautiful you look, all round ‘cause you’re having my kid.” He gives you an incredulous look. “I just remembered—your tits are gonna get huge, fuck.” As if to emphasize his point, he sucks a bruise just below your left nipple. 

You whimper as he grows even harder, tip rutting against your g-spot and pushing you towards your own release. “Gonna cum,” you choke out. You clench around him as you finish, crying out his name while digging your nails into his back. 

“Good girl,” he praises you, which only turns you on more. “I c-can’t hold out; y’feel too good.” He spills into you with a groan, using his softening length to push everything in. “Gotta make sure it takes, y’know?” He kisses your cheek as you both come down from the high. 

“If it doesn’t, we just get to keep trying,” you smile, catching your breath. At the time, it doesn’t seem like a bad thing. 

The Second Christmas

You didn’t get pregnant that first month. Unsurprising; it rarely happened that quickly. You were disappointed when your period came, but you and Eddie had no problem having copious amounts of sex. 

But after ten months without success, you decided to consult a doctor. “Maybe there’s, like, medicine I can take to help,” you’d told Eddie before you left. Still, a bad feeling gnawed at your insides as you’d said it; a feeling that was only confirmed by the doctor’s news. 

“I’m sorry, Mrs. Munson,” she’d said. “It looks like you don’t have any viable eggs.” 

She’d droned on about genetic issues, but your head was swimming. It all boiled down to one outcome: infertility. Not giving Eddie the baby he wanted so badly. Not becoming a mom. 

You’d practically collapsed into his arms when you came home, apologizing profusely without offering context. 

“Baby, baby, what happened?” His own eyes filled with tears, as they often did when you’d cry. “What did the doctor say?”

After slowing your sobs, you’d repeated what you’d been told. “‘M so sorry,” you choked out. “I understand if you don’t wanna be with me…if you wanna be with someone who can get pregnant.”

Eddie’s eyes widened. “Absolutely not,” he shook his head, pulling you to his chest for a tight hug. “No, baby. ‘S only you. We can…we’ll figure something out.” A tear slipped down his cheek, though he’d tried to wipe it away before you noticed. “Maybe we were meant to look out for our little sheep, rather than have ones of our own.” But he didn’t believe it, not really. 

And now it’s Christmas again. You pulled on a red sweater dress and ran a comb through your hair. The platter of cookies you’d made yesterday was wrapped and ready to bring to Nancy and Jonathan’s house. 

“Eds? Good to go?” you call out, frowning when you don’t get a response. “Hello?” You pad out into the living room, finding him standing in front of your bookcase, looking forlornly at the book of nursery rhymes he’d bought this time last year. 

“Sorry,” he clears his throat and blinks his red-rimmed eyes. “I was kinda hopin’ for a Christmas miracle.”

“Me, too,” you admit, wrapping your arms around him. You could stay like this forever, safe in his grasp. 

“Y’gonna be okay today?” Eddie asks, offering a weak smile. “With, y’know…”

You knew. It has been on your mind every day since Thanksgiving. All of Eddie’s little sheep, now in their senior year of college, were back in Hawkins for the holiday. Everyone was chattering about career plans and graduation vacations. Well, everyone except for Max. 

“You all right?” you’d asked her, concern written all over your face. 

She’d quickly dragged you into the other room, away from everyone else. “Please don’t be mad at me,” she’d begged. 

“Max, you’re like my little sister. Even if I got mad at you, I can’t stay mad at you for long.” You gave her a smile, but it faltered at her words. 

“I’m pregnant,” Max blurted out. “I-I hooked up with someone when I first got back to school because I was really upset about breaking up with Lucas, and I was stupid and—and now I’m pregnant. And I was afraid to tell you because I know you…” she trailed off, not needing to finish her sentence. “I understand if you hate me.”

You were stunned into silence. “I don’t hate you,” you whispered. She barreled into you for a hug as you asked, “do you know what you wanna do?”

Max looked up at you with misted eyes. “I waited too long for an abortion,” she explained sheepishly. “Guess I was kinda in denial.”

You’d nodded, knowing all too well how easily it was to ignore the obvious. “Whatever choice you make, I know it’ll be the right one.”

That night, you’d curled up into Eddie’s chest and cried. Cried for Max, facing a daunting decision. Cried for you, trying so hard to have a baby with no success. Cried for the situation, that some people could get exactly what other people want, even when they don’t want it themselves. 

You knew you’d be seeing Max again on Christmas, and now that day has arrived. It would be hard to look at her little bump, but she needed you now more than ever. You could suck it up for a few hours. 

“How’re you feeling?” you ask her, attempting a genuine smile. 

“Better now that I’m in the second trimester,” she started. “Not as nauseous.”

You swallow a lump in your throat. You’d risk nausea every day for the rest of your life if it meant having a baby, but you push on. “I’m glad to hear it.”

“Can I…can I talk to you and Eddie for a sec?” Her eyes flit between the two of you. “It’s important.”

You wave Eddie over, who’s listening to Steve ramble about a new car he’s thinking of buying. He nods at you gratefully. “What’s up?”

“Max has something to tell us,” you say, and his face blanches. Sometimes you forget how your infertility also impacts him; seeing Max pregnant wasn’t easy for Eddie, either. 

“Sh-sure, yeah,” he mumbles, and the three of you duck into the guest bedroom. 

“I’ve been thinking. A lot.” Max fidgets, tugging on a strand of her red hair. “And I realized that, as much as I already love this baby, I’m not ready to be a parent.” She takes a deep breath and blinks back tears. “But you two are.”

You sit forward. “Max, what are you saying?”

“I’m saying—well, asking, really—if you would maybe think about adopting it.” She finally allows her eyes to meet yours. 

“Oh my God,” you manage, grabbing her hand. “Are you serious?”

She nods. “I want to be a forensic psychologist. Help solve crimes and keep people safe. But I know I can’t do that if I have a baby. At least, not right now,” she adds. “But I was really anxious about placing him or her for adoption with random strangers. Maybe it sounds silly, because I wouldn’t be the one raising the kid, but I couldn’t stop worrying about it.

“And then after I talked to you on Thanksgiving, I felt a little better. I didn’t have an answer yet, but just…just talking to you made me feel better. And I realized that whenever life got tough for me, I turned to you guys.” She gives you and Eddie a small smile. “And it was, like, why didn’t I think of this before? You’d be the best parents. You’ve already had plenty of practice with all of us.”

Eddie looks at you, slack-jawed. “You would do that for us?” he asks Max. “You really want us to adopt the baby?”

“Absolutely,” she confirms. “I know we have to get lawyers and all that stuff—”

“We’d cover that,” you jump in. “And we can help with doctor’s appointments, too.”

Max pulls you both in for a hug. “I’m still scared,” she admits, “but this makes it a little less scary.” 

It’ll be a long road ahead, you know this for sure, but the three of you take a collective sigh of relief. Maybe you and Eddie have gotten your Christmas miracle after all. 

The Third Christmas

“Nance, where do you want the green beans?” you call over your shoulder as you pull the casserole from the oven. 

“You can put them on the table; should be space for them,” she answers, thinly slicing the ham. “I’m almost done with this, and we can sit down to eat.”

Gripping the dish with the oven mitts, you walk into the dining room and place it down. “Dinner’ll be ready soon!” you tell the other guests. 

Hopper flashes you a thumbs-up. “El was just initiating Katie into the adopted daughter’s club,” he murmurs to you. “I heard her saying that they’re both extra special because they were specifically chosen by their parents.”

“She’s not wrong,” you laugh. “Although El’s powers help with that whole ‘extra special’ deal.” You look around the room. “Where are they now?”

“Diaper change,” El says as she passes by. “Eddie took her to Nancy and Jonathan’s room.”

You nod gratefully, walking over and lightly rapping on the door. “Is it safe for Mommy to come in, or is it a toxic waste zone?”

“You’re clear!” Eddie calls back. You hear the diaper bag zip up, accompanied by the sound of baby giggles. “This just in: Katie thinks zippers are the funniest things in the world.”

You bend down and scoop her up in your arms. “That’s only because she hasn’t heard any of your fantastic dad jokes.” Your body fills with warmth when your daughter rests her chubby little cheek on your chest. Your daughter. You still can’t get over it even though she’s nearly seven months old. Max gave birth a week after her graduation, and after fifteen hours of labor, a six pound five ounce Katie Munson was born. Once you found out that Max’s middle name was Katherine, you knew exactly what your baby girl would be called. You’d been worried that you wouldn’t bond since she’d spent the last nine months in a womb that wasn’t yours, but you’d felt an overpowering love from the moment the nurse placed her in your waiting arms.

Watching Eddie get to be a dad was nothing short of amazing. The way he peppers her face with kisses, or wakes up for middle of the night feedings, or picks out her clothes. Sometimes, he juts out his lower lip and holds up a tiny dress, cooing, “I didn’t even know they made clothes this little!”

“Let’s go get some food,” you say to your husband, bouncing Katie on your hip. You walk out of the room just as Max is walking out of the bathroom. Her face lights up when she spots Katie.

“Hi, Katie-girl!” she exclaims, reaching out to hold her. “Can Auntie Max get a hug?” You hand her over, watching Max inhale sharply.

You place your palm on her back. “You okay? If it’s…if it’s too much to see her…”

“No, no,” she reassures you. “I mean, it’s hard, but…I know I made the right decision.” She starts making funny faces at Katie. “Look at you with your red hair! It’s a blessing and a curse.”

“I can’t wait until she’s old enough to understand what her Auntie Max did for her…for us,” Eddie ruffles her hair as though she’s still fifteen years old instead of twenty-two. “We seriously cannot thank you enough, Red. You…you made us a family.”

The four of you are silent, absorbing all the love that flows between you, until Katie starts babbling and sends you all into a fit of laughter. “She says, ‘it’s time to eat!’” you joke.

And after a long day at Nancy and Jonathan’s, you finally arrive home. You try not to wake Katie when you take her out of her carseat, but she stirs and starts to wail. Muttering a swear word under your breath, you try rocking her back to sleep, but she keeps crying.

“C’mere,” Eddie says, lifting her from your arms. “I know what she wants.” He walks over to the bookshelf and plucks the book of nursery rhymes that he'd bought at the mall two years ago. He sits Katie on his lap, a big hand on her pudgy tummy. “Humpty Dumpty sat on the wall,” he starts, speaking in singsong, “Humpty Dumpty had a great fall.” He raises his eyebrows and gasps dramatically. “Oh, no! What’s gonna happen to Humpty Dumpty?” You smile as he finishes the rhyme, Katie now fully enthralled in the story. Her cries have completely subsided.

Maybe this wasn’t how you intended to become a mom, but now, you can’t imagine life any other way.

--

[shares-a-vest]

"What did you just say?" Steve asks, panicked and a little too loud for their booth in the quiet back corner of the arcade. He practically drops his burger on its plastic plate.

"Henderson, Wheeler, Sinclair, plus a few more. My lost little sheepies," he says with a shrug and a mouthful of fries, wide-eyed like it was obvious what he meant. And it was so painfully earnest, without an ounce of sarcasm that all Steve could do was gawk back at his boyfriend.

They were sitting side by side, leaving the rest of the booth free, a move Steve only briefly regretted when they were met with eye rolls from the kids as they went off to wreak havoc in the arcade, positively bouncing off the walls after the hour-long car ride from Hawkins.

"Yeah," Eddie says, nodding and now looking at him with a hint of concern before chuckling. "I know, they are your little nuggets and I'm stepping on Mom-territory here, but those assholes are my sheepies."

There it was again.

Sheepies.

Steve blinked. Or maybe he grimaced?

Little nuggets. Wait, what?

Steve runs a hand over his face, sighs and slumps back against the cracked leather of their booth. He thought he was far away enough from his most recent traumatic injuries to not feel like this. Like his brain was actually malfunctioning. He instinctively adjusts the hearing aid in his left ear, triple-checking that it was turned on, fearing an oncoming wave of muffled buzzing.

"Wait… you said…" is all he manages to stutter.

Eddie turns slightly, propping his elbow on the table and waving a knowing hand in Steve's direction.

"Yeah, yeah. I heard your whole monologue to Nance about the six little nuggets and the RV and summer vacation. I was too busy cursing myself for being all, you two should get back together. But I'm pretty sure Sinclair started making wagers about Mom and Dad reuniting."

He smiles and Steve is certain he was still the mom in this ramble.

Eddie wipes his hands on a napkin and turns to face Steve, slinging his legs over his lap. He snakes an arm around him and cups his chin with the other, his thumb and pointer finger digging into Steve's cheeks, creating fish lips. Steve coughs out a giggle at Eddie's go-to move for when they were out in public in lieu of kissing. It gets him every damn time.

"Anyway, jokes on him,” Eddie says, cocking his head. “He's stuck with me as the co-parent. No offence to his actual and very lovely real parents, of course."

"But they are a hoard of gremlins. Total nightmares," Steve mumbles through the grip Eddie still has on his face.

"Absolutely. Wouldn't have it any other way!" Eddie retorts as he runs a cheeky thumb over Steve's bottom lip. "Wanna go make out in the van, Burger Breath? Or is leaving a gaggle of teenagers unsupervised in an arcade like, the worst idea we've ever had?”