#single dad!max
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madammuffins · 3 days ago
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A Happy Holiday special update 😊
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Fifth Column
Fandom: An Extremely Goofy Movie
Ship; Single Dad!Max x Bradley Uppercrust III
Rating: Explicit (slowburn)
Posted: Wattpad, AO3
Playlist
Updated
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mattmurdockismyspiritanimal · 9 months ago
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My first fanfic is here!
Like a freight train
a Lestappen AU
by missaster
1/?
Chapter One: Bad coffee and finance
Summary: Max Verstappen is a single dad, and he is tired. He cannot go home until his kids' school program is properly financed. The only problem is that the money is coming from a very unusual source.
Read it on AO3
Chapter Two: Go-karts and surprises Coming soon!
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runraerun · 11 days ago
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Art by @racketti (his commissions are open!)
Easy as 123
**Updates every Monday going forward**
AO3 | Beta’d by: @dame-zoom-a-lot | Rating: E | Warnings: Referenced Child Abuse, minor character death, domestic violence flashbacks | Tags: Single!Dad Billy Hargrove, Billy & Max having a good relationship but they’re still siblings who fight like cats and dogs (he’s trying his best okay don’t call CPS on him just yet!), Famous Steve Harrington, Horn Dog Billy Hargrove, Plot with Porn, No Upside-Down AU.
Summary:
At first Billy had hated the stupid kids show, with its bright pastel palette and mind-numbing repetitive songs—how everyone is just so goddamn cheery all the time! But the more episodes he’s been forced to consume, the more get gets used to it. Hell, he’s even started looking forward to it.
The fact that the host, Mr. H, looks like sex on legs makes the whole thing a little more palatable. Billy could watch that dude file taxes and he’d still be entertained. But you can’t blame Billy—dude’s a total knock-out.
“I wish Mr. H was my daddy,” Max says wistfully from across the couch.
And shit, that makes two of ‘em.
Or, Billy’s living life as, essentially, a single dad to a six-year-old Max who’s obsessed with Mr. Roger’s style kids show that Steve hosts. So when the famous Mr. H comes to town for a Meet & Greet, Billy’s gotta take Maxine, right? For her sake. The fact that Billy’s got a total hard on for the guy’s got nothing to do with it.
Tag List: (message me to be added or removed from this list/if you want to only be alerted for Steddie works, or a Harringrove works, etc.)
@stervrucht @dame-zoom-a-lot @lawrencebshoggoth @themoonagainstmers @morallyundefined @thepossummoldypasta @wheneverfeasible @lifelessstar @sanctumdemunson @bookworm0690 @mamakitty187
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fuctacles · 1 month ago
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<< 2 | 3 | 4 >>
The quickly approaching Saturday would be impossible to forget even if Steve wasn’t excited about it himself, because Max had been discussing her outfit every single day. 
When Eddie’s van came screeching onto their curb, her wardrobe was all over her bedroom while Steve was busy doing the dishes. He could hear the familiar sound of his garage door opening, the steps approaching the side door, and the tiny knocks Eddie always gave as a warning before popping his shaggy head into the kitchen to say hi.
Steve, despite himself, was already smiling as he turned towards him. The man waved his fingers in greeting, grinning back.
“Hi.”
“Hi. Excited for today?”
“Man, am I?” he hopped up and down on the balls of his feet. “We haven’t played a weekend gig in forever. The turnout is always so much better.”
“I can’t wait to see it.”
Eddie opened his mouth to say something, but loud stomping on the stairs interrupted him.
“Mr. Eddie!”
“Yes, Mad Max?!” he yelled back to match the girl’s volume.
Steve winced at their antics.
“Is this good enough for a metal concert?” she asked as soon as she barged into the kitchen. No greeting, just her spreading her arms and doing a spin. Eddie, of course, humored her, rubbing his chin in thought.
“I’d say so, yeah. Personally would add more rips in the jeans, but it’s good anyway.”
Steve whipped around, eyes wide at his kid's outfit: Black and white T-shirt, jean jacket, and black ripped jeans. His eyes narrowed.
“You don’t own ripped jeans,” he pointed out. The redhead looked up at him like a deer in the headlights, her lips pressed into a thin line.
Next to them, Eddie wheezed in barely contained laughter. Steve turned to glower at him.
“So this is why the parents don’t like you?” he asked the man covering his mouth.
“Excuse me, I go to work dressed professionally with no holes in my clothes.” He raised his hands in defense.
That much was true. He dressed differently from the rest of the staff but not enough to be unprofessional. He often came to practice at Steve’s place soon after leaving school so today was a rare day when he could see how the metalhead dressed off the clock. He was wearing a Dio crop top, jeans shredded to pieces and a studded belt.
“Actually,” Max spoke up, pulling him away from eyeing his metalhead guest (friend?). “I saw it in a photo of Dio in an article.”
“See?!” Eddie gestured pointedly.
Steve scoffed, wiping his hands, so he could cross them and convey his annoyance properly.
“She wouldn’t know who Dio is if not for you.”
Munson, of course, exhibited no remorse. Instead, he smirked with satisfaction.
“And you wouldn’t either.”
“I don’t think it would change much in my life,” he said, rolling his eyes.
“He was already listening to a lot of rock,” Max pointed out, the little traitor. “He kept most of Billy’s tapes.”
Steve’s eyes darted to Eddie, whose eyebrows were raised with curiosity. He didn’t say anything, though, and Steve was grateful for that.
“I see,” he nodded instead, dragging his eyes along Steve’s body. “I hope you'll dress your father accordingly as well.”
Steve frowned, looking down at his polo and jeans.
“What’s wrong with my clothes?”
Max sighed deeply and Eddie leaned back, with played-up pity in his eyes.
“Oh, darling, where do I even start?”
Darling, darling, darling, darling.
Eddie loved his nicknames and playful banter, but they usually didn’t have time for it. Which might be a good thing, considering how quickly Eddie’s whole persona was growing on Steve.
Thankfully, Gareth's voice came through the garage door.
“Eddie! We don’t have whole day!”
The man straightened up, fumbling with his back pockets.
“Coming!” he yelled back, before turning back to the Harringtons, holding something out. “I got you these, just in case. I know it’s not the most kid-friendly environment but backstage will be open for you guys to hang out without being trampled by drunk metalheads.”
Before Steve could react, Max was snatching the offerings from Eddie - two lanyards with laminated plaques.
“Holy shit!”
“Language,” murmured Steve, eyeing what appeared to be backstage passes for the two of them. He looked up, meeting Eddie’s gaze, and felt himself go soft. This guy was thoughtful enough to think about Max. “Thank you. That’s very considerate of you.”
“Yeah,” Max nodded along. “Thanks.”
“No problem,” he shrugged. “Wouldn’t want my suburban middle-class guests to mingle with the common folks.”
“That an insult?” Steve raised his eyebrow, to which Eddie started backing out toward the garage.
“Ehhh,” he waved his palm in a ‘kinda’ gesture. Then he pointed at Max to say, “Dress him up!” before disappearing.
She grinned at him, but her smile faltered when Steve’s gaze dropped to her pants.
“Don’t think I forgot about the pants, Maxine.”
“Will you forget about them if I help you to impress Eddie?” she asked innocently, making Steve straighten up.
“What?”
“Don’t make me spell it out for you,” she rolled her eyes. “You acted the same around Billy.”
His head whipped to the garage, but the doors were already closed and the faint sounds of a guitar were coming from behind them. He leveled Max with a gaze he hoped was threatening but she was, of course, unfazed.
“What? You’re allowed to date, you know?”
“I know,” he gritted out,  brows furrowing at being reprimanded by a teenager.
“We’re doing well. My therapist thinks so, and so does the social worker,” she points out, the little smart ass. Steve wouldn’t change her for anyone else. “We can move on.”
Steve hummed in consideration. Maybe he should have gone into therapy as well. It was true he hadn’t dated since Billy. His death, fighting for custody while trying not to lose his business, and then dealing with a kid aged him ten years in a short time. But they settled into a comfortable routine now. Max might be right, as insane as it sounds.
“Fine,” he spat out. “I’ll forget about the pants if you keep your hands out of my love life.”
Her eyebrows shot up mischievously.
“Who said anything about love?”
“Go. Go call Mike to brag about the passes, I know you want to.”
“Hell yeah I do!” she admitted with a wide grin before darting to the phone.
------
Steve didn’t want to admit the comments about his appearance got to him, but the fact that he was staring at a pile of rejected tops was speaking for itself. His hair was certainly ruined by now with the amount of frustrated finger combing he was doing.
“Need help?” Max’s amused voice approached from the entrance of his bedroom. He turned over his shoulder, glowering. Her smile only widened. “Because I might have just the thing,” she continued, waving a piece of fabric in her hand. Steve’s eyes followed.
“What is it?”
With a smile that said evil demon child spawn of Satan, Max let the fabric unfold. It was a raglan t-shirt with a logo Steve recognized from the drums residing in his garage. His eyes widened.
“Where did you get that?”
“Won it at a music trivia Mr Eddie was hosting. It’s not exactly kid-sized though, sooo…” she trailed off suggestively.
“They have their own merch?” Steve asked curiously, motioning with his hand for the shirt.
“Yep. Mr. Eddie makes it himself!” She beamed like it was her own accomplishment and not just her music teacher being a crafty nerd. Steve smiled despite himself.
“That’s pretty cool,” he admitted.
“He makes t-shirts for school clubs too. He said he’ll try to host a screen printing workshop in the summer,” she said with that particular intonation that made Steve know she wanted something.
“Hm. That sounds like a fun activity to keep you away from drugs.”
“It does, it does,” she agreed, nodding aggressively.
“Well, consider me convinced. Now shoo, I'm not stripping in front of you.”
“Okay, Dad,” she rolled her eyes, pushing herself away from the door frame and skipping away.
As he pulled his shirt off, Steve remembered his concerns about raising a teenager by himself. Meanwhile, Eddie was a significant enough influence on her to make him feel more at ease. Was he a cookie-cutter role model? Hell no. Was he a responsible teacher who also remained cool and aloof enough to make kids listen to him? Absolutely. With someone like that on his side, parenting didn’t sound that scary.
The t-shirt with Corroded Coffin’s logo, while not being kid-sized, wasn’t Steve-sized either. It stretched across his chest and ended just at the hem of his jeans. When he pulled his arms up, his happy trail was on display.
But…
Seeing Eddie’s band on his chest, wearing a t-shirt he made himself, made all the best knots in Steve’s stomach tighten. He ran his fingertips across the exposed sliver of skin above his waistline, wondering fleetingly if the girls wearing his letterman felt similar to this.
He found a flannel Robin left in his closet at some point and threw it on to finish the look. He looked at himself in the mirror, rubbing the fabric of the overshirt between his fingers. The memory of his best friend soothed his nerves a bit.
He ran downstairs, eyeing the clock. The Hideout wasn’t a far ride from their place, so they still had time to grab a bite before leaving. A quick PB&J sounded perfect for his nerves.
“Maaaax!” he yelled from the kitchen, halfway through lathering a piece of bread in peanut butter. His precious housemate came rumbling down the stairs as he expected, just as eager to leave as he was. In fact, they still had sandwiches hanging from their mouths as they entered the car.
it's been A WHILE and this and the next part will be lower quality than my current writing bc its OLD so let me know if u want off the taglist i dont care if u do: @blasvemous @wheneverfeasible @phantomcat94
@dreamercec @theohohmoment @ellieslapdancer @hellowhatthehellisgoingonhere
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queenie-ofthe-void · 5 months ago
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Tiger Club (part 1)
Steddie || ~2.1k words || rating: M || tags: single-dad steve harrington, teacher eddie munson, teacher chrissy cunningham, eddie and chrissy are best friends, steve harrington is dustin and max's dad, dustin and max are twins, meet cute, humor and fluff
~~~
Eddie’s not usually a teacher to bitch about his job. He loves getting his little kiddos excited about reading and story-telling, and surprisingly, teaching is just as fulfilling as he’d hoped it’d be.
This year, however, he drew the proverbial short straw for extracurricular activities. When he was asked to coach soccer he supposes he could’ve politely declined instead of gagging in the middle of the teacher’s meeting, embarrassing the new Principal and causing the history teacher to actually vomit. Empathetic vomiting– Eddie’s a teacher and he’s still learning something new every day.
Does he really seem like the kind of guy who coaches sports? No, of course not. He’ll leave that to the gorgeous and talented math teacher Ms. Cunningham, and the unbearable meathead Phys. Ed. teacher Mr. Carver, who won’t stop drooling over her like a jock peacocking for the head cheerleader. A relatively adept assessment since Chrissy coaches the Little Tumblers gymnastics team and Jason coaches Tiger Cubs basketball.
Regardless, because of Eddie’s little stunt, he’s been relegated to alternating his after school hours between Tiger Club, and detention. The two most boring extracurriculars for kiddos and teachers alike. All he does is wait for parents to pick their kids up, and they’re either too busy demanding to know why they’re child is in detention, or screaming for them to get in the car, to stop and say well hello Mr. Munson, thank you for watching little Joanie today. The small consolation to his predicament is he alternates each week with Ms. Cunningham.
When Chrissy started at Hawkins Middle last fall, Eddie knew exactly what to expect: an ex-high school jock turned girl’s sportsball coach, hoping to relive the glory days. Someone who’d be cocky, self-righteous, and bitchy.
To his surprise, she turned out to be quiet and withdrawn, separating herself from the rest of the staff. He’d thought she’d warm up soon enough, but when she still hadn’t made any friends by winter break, Eddie decided to do something about it.
He adopted her as one of his sheep– a practice of gathering misfits he’s continued into adulthood. She looked skeptical when he first invited her out for happy hour, wary after weeks of Jason’s obnoxious flirting. 
Two margaritas later, he’d learned Chrissy had come out to her family who’d then promptly disowned her for her sinful ways. She moved out, got her degree, and took the first job offered to her at Hawkins Middle.
Eddie couldn’t be more grateful for her presence in his life. Chrissy is his other half and she seems to feel the same. She’s not cocky or arrogant, although she’s definitely bitchy, but in a way which perfectly matches him. Chris knows how to take him down a peg, and he knows how to lift her up. They balance each other inside and out.
The other staff, however, see them as an odd pair solely because of their severely opposing aesthetics. Where Eddie’s etched in hard edges and dark colors, donning leather jackets and a myriad of old concert t-shirts, Chrissy flows in soft lines and pastels, garnered in sundresses and cardigans with the occasional jersey for game days. 
Many of the staff also love to gossip about a possible secret relationship between the pair– opposites attract and all of that nonsense– which actually works well for them. Better for everyone to think they’re sleeping together rather than the rural people of Indiana discovering queers working around their young, impressionable children. 
From their first happy hour, they’d started the Friday tradition of swiping dating apps and bitching about their love lives over margaritas and nachos. It’s one of the best parts of Eddie’s week.
And it’s Friday, which means they should be huddled in their corner booth right now, one shot of tequila each under their belts. But here he is, standing outside next to the jungle gym at 4pm waiting for the twins to be picked up by their dad. 
Go figure the guy’s late. Again. 
According to Chrissy, this guy Steve has been late every day this week– and it’s only the first week of school. He’s probably one of those parents who thinks teachers work to serve them, like they don’t have their own lives outside of school. It’s Friday for shit’s sake, he’s hungry and he needs a smoke.
“Chris, this is ridiculous. Detention ends at 3:30, same as Tiger Club. Are we just going to keep letting this guy get away with this?” Eddie’s fingers twitch towards the vape in his back pocket. Obviously he doesn’t smoke in front of the kids, but they’re supposed to be gone by now.
“Eddie, just relax, okay? He’s a nice guy, and it sounds like he’s a single dad with a chaotic job. Try to cut him some slack.” She gives him a reassuring smile, knocking her elbow into his side. “Don’t worry we’ll get some salsa in you and you’ll be good as new,” she snarks.
He shoots her a seething glare but she just smiles at him and smoothes out her sundress against the summer breeze. As Eddie crafts the perfect retort– it was going to be a really good one too– a maroon BMW SUV pulls up to the curb.
Fucking finally, Eddie thinks. If Chris isn’t going to say anything to this guy about his chronic tardiness, then he will.
They both start towards the car when a tall woman with a dark blonde bob and a pale freckled face steps out of the driver’s seat. She’s wearing a cropped Hozier t-shirt and oversized cotton overalls covered in pins. Eddie notices a small white, pink, and orange flag next to a pin of a cartoon ghost with boobs that just says “boooooobies”. He likes her already.
Eddie turns to ask Chrissy who this mystery woman is, but it seems she’s also clocked the pins.
“You’re not Steve,” Chrissy shouts. She winces as the woman arches her brow at the abrupt outburst. “I just mean that Steve has been here every day, and that’s his car, but you’re not Steve. I mean, obviously you’re not Steve, you’re you. You know you’re not Steve, you don’t need me to tell you that.”
The following silence is solid and impenetrable. Eddie’s never seen Chrissy this flustered before. Her bambi eyes shine wide and bright, paired with a hot pink flush climbing up to her ears. She’s fiddling with the buttons on her lavender cardigan and it seems like she can’t decide if she should stare directly at the woman in front of her, or very intensely in absolutely any other direction.
Not-Steve’s growing smile and matching blush tells him maybe he’s not the only one who’s noticed Chrissy’s little crush.
Interesting.
Just as Eddie steps in to save his friend from mortal anguish, he’s interrupted by high-pitched screeches from the playground.
“Auntie Robbie,” the twins cry in unison. It’d be creepy if they weren’t so goddamned adorable. 
“My munchkins!” The kids crash into her, the three of them falling to the ground in a heap of limbs. “Oof okay let’s make sure you don’t take me out before I can get you twerps home.”
He only knows of the twins from what Chrissy has told him this week, since she gets to see all of the incoming sixth graders, whereas Eddie teaches seventh and eighth grade. Working with younger kids is great, don’t get him wrong, but the available reading material for his literature units only gets better with age.
The curly-haired boy scrambles up to collect his Minecraft hat from where it’d fallen off in the scuffle. He’s small, hyperactive as all hell, and missing his front teeth, which Eddie can only tell because of the kid’s unbridled megawatt smile. 
While the boy raves about his school day, the young red headed girl rolls her eyes at his antics, but it’s easy to spot the fondness underneath. Her two copper braids are adorned with small butterfly clips, matching the fake butterfly tattoos on her left wrist. In contrast to her more girlish accessories, she’s wearing a Hawkin’s Hospital softball team shirt which has to be a men’s medium, at least. It’s been tucked into her hot pink shorts, but it drowns her nonetheless.
In short, they’re both absolutely adorable.
When Eddie turns his attention from the kids, Chrissy’s finishing gently explaining the pick up times. Thank God.
“Yeah, sorry about that,” Robin sheepishly replies. “His shifts have been really hectic this week and he’s on call today so–”
“Wait,” the girl interrupts. “Does that mean he won’t be home for dinner?” She moves to stand away from the mess of tangled limbs, scowling to hide the obvious hurt in her eyes.
“Max, honestly I’m not sure. I know he’s trying really hard to change his shifts, so hopefully it won’t be forever. Okay?” The reassurance seems to ease a bit of the tension in Max’s shoulders and scrunched brow. “But to make up for it, we’re going to have dinner at Aunt Nancy and Uncle Johnny’s house. I think the Sinclairs will be there too.”
“Ooooooo,” the boy teases, a shit-eating grin on his face, “Lucas will be there!”
“Shut up, Dustin!” Her fingers reach up to fidget with the small heart pendant on her necklace, while a light blush coasts across her freckles.
“Okay kiddos that’s enough, let’s get you out of here so your wonderfully patient teachers can actually start their weekend,” Robin replies, smiling while coaxing the twins towards the car. “I’m sorry again for being late, I swear it won’t happen again.”
“Totally cool, don’t worry about it,” Chrissy replies, a little too casually. The scarlet that invaded her chest and ears has receded to a dusting of pale pink on her cheeks. Robin’s smile grows wider as the two women stare at each other, cartoon hearts and flying babies in diapers wielding bow and arrows floating around their heads. 
Eddie clears his throat– loudly.
“OH, right,” Robin starts. She reaches up to fiddle one of her many pins as she finally notices Eddie’s presence. “I should let you get back to your, to your uhh, him, I mean.”
“Mr. Munson! He’s just Mr. Munson.” Eddie can actually see the wheels in her brain spinning faster than they can take off. It’s cute, he’s just trying not to feel a little slighted. “He’s my coworker. My friend, actually, he’s my best friend, Eddie.”
“Oh,” Robin says again, more relaxed this time. “It’s nice to meet you. I’m sorry if you’ve had to wait for Steve too.”
“No, I’ve been doing detention, but I’m sure I’ll get to meet him next week. I’ve heard a bit about him from Chrissy. Chaotic work schedule, single dad, twins,” Eddie says, gesturing to Max and Dustin talking amongst themselves.
“Yeah,” Robin absently draws the word out, eyes roaming over Eddie top to bottom.
Surprisingly, he feels himself blush. He’s not even into women but damn has it been awhile since he’s been checked out so blatantly. One of the many queer struggles he and Chris have bonded over is how difficult dating is in Bumfuck Nowhere, USA. So other than the occasional weekend fling in the city for Eddie, and one five-month long-distance relationship for Chrissy, neither have seen any recent action.
Sue him for getting flustered at being so obviously ogled, even if she is clearly into Chrissy. That just leaves Eddie wondering why he’s being visibly raked over by a random lesbian.
“So, Eddie, you said you’ll be here next week, yeah? When Steve’s here for pick up,” she asks, with innocent curiosity in her voice but a glint of something suspicious in her eyes.
“Umm yeah,” he says, very eloquently, “I did just say that.”
“Good! I’ll make sure Steve’s definitely here next week to grab the kids. He should meet all of his kids’ teachers.”
Before Eddie can correct her– he’s not their teacher– Robin shoots him a coy smile and a wink while turning to leave. The kids say their goodbyes, scrambling into the car, and as it pulls away from the curb Dustin rolls down his window to wave as they drive off.
Eddie stands in stunned silence next to his unusually quiet best friend, the two slowly processing the whirlwind of whatever the fuck just happened.
“Well,” Chrissy says, a shell-shocked smile on her face, “I guess we have something to talk about over margs.”
“Yeah,” he agrees, still reeling after the odd interaction, “I guess we do.”
~~~
Part 2
full story on ao3
thank you @carolperkinsexgirlfriend for all the beta work!!
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spongebob-connoisseur · 6 months ago
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I love how the comments under the Nosferatu 2024 trailer is filled with Spongebob references. Spongebob is basically free exposure for the movie lol
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afewproblems · 1 year ago
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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
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rt3nenbaum · 1 year ago
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single dad forcing his kids from different marriages to hang out together
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strangersatellites · 2 years ago
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Eddie’s zoned out as he prattles off care instructions and wraps up the man’s (very strong) bicep, careful to tug it tight enough as to not hurt him. 
He’s distracted. Has been for the better part of the past hour. 
Steve’s been the ideal client. Perfect, he might even say. 
Hardly nervous at all as he climbed into the chair and made himself comfortable. No flinching at the needle, and he’s been as easy-going as anything. 
His eyes were heavy lidded and fluttery as the needle pressed into his skin, a soft smile gracing his face as he watched his spitfire little girl flip through Eddie’s books for a design she liked. 
“You find anything you like, baby?” He asked.
Eddie took a pause to peek up at the little redhead across the room. Her hair in two little braids, eyebrows furrowed, and tongue poked out in concentration.
“No, I wanted a dinosaur but these are all flowers and stuff,” She pouted.
Eddie huffed a quiet laugh. 
“Tell you what kiddo,” He stole a glance at Steve, blissed out in the chair. “Since your dad has been such a good sport and you’ve been so good, I’ll draw you up a dinosaur when we’re finished okay?”
Max’s eyes lit up and she giggled behind her hands and nodded.
Now that Steve’s tattoo is done, a pumpkin on the inside of his bicep, he sits up and calls her over.
“Come see, pumpkin.”
And Eddie hadn’t asked, but now, as he watches her bounce across the room and gasp at her dad’s tattoo he feels his face split into a smile.
“Daddy it's me!”
Steve laughs and it's so so lovely. He drops a kiss to the top of her head before he stands. 
“It is you, bug.”
Eddie peels off his gloves and puts his hands on his hips.
“Alright miss lady. Let’s draw you a dinosaur. What kind are you thinking? Stegosaurus, pterodactyl?”
She jumps up with her arms bent to her body and roars. 
“I’m a T-Rex!”
Eddie laughs and gets settled at his table. 
“Alright firecracker, let’s draw you a T-Rex.”
*****
After he’s sketched the outline, a little cartoon dinosaur, he runs it through on his temporary tattoo sheet and sets to “prepping” his station.
He sprays down the chair and tugs on more gloves.
He sits on his stool and pats the chair. 
“Come on up Red.”
She squeals and runs over and Steve hoists her up onto the chair.
In the meantime, Eddie rolls over to his mini-fridge in the corner and grabs the cold rag he’s had in the freezer.
He can hear Steve whisper as he tucks a loose hair behind her ear. 
“You excited, huh? My brave girl.” 
And Eddie’s heart melts. 
He rolls back over and puts on his serious face. 
“Okay Max. You’re gonna feel a sting but you’re a tough girl, aren’t ya?”
She furrows her brows and nods. She rolls up her own sleeve. 
“I’m strong!”
He can’t help but smile. 
“You sure are. Look at those muscles!”
He peels off the plastic covering the ink. 
“Where do you want to put it?” He asks.
She pats her upper arm.
“Here. Just like daddy!”
Eddie grins again and Steve is biting back a smile from his spot behind the chair. Eddie sends him a wink and watches the flush bloom across his cheeks.
“You ready, Red?”
Her focus face is back and she nods resolutely.
Eddie lines up the sheet and sticks it to her arm. She turns her head back towards Steve.
“Daddy? Will you hold my hand?”
As if Eddie’s heart wasn’t already a puddle on the floor.
“Here we go, sweetheart,” Eddie says as he presses the cold rag to her skin.
He hisses through his teeth and grimaces like he’s in pain. He holds back a laugh as she puffs out her cheeks and visibly squeezes her dad’s hand.
“You’re doing so good, baby,” Steve tells her. 
She lets out a sharp little breath as Eddie shifts and presses the rag back against her skin. 
She looks up towards him and giggles. 
“It’s not that bad. I’m tough like daddy.”
He flops the rag back down on his tray and goes to peel the paper away from her skin.
“Yes you are!” He says as he smiles down at her cute little dinosaur, “Do you like it?”
She looks down at it and squeals. 
“Look daddy! Look!”
Steve hoists her up onto his hip and swings her around, giggles filling the space and Eddie’s heart. 
“I love it, pumpkin! You’re the coolest little girl in the whole world!”
He puts her down and she runs around the chair to where Eddie is peeling off his second set of gloves and bumps right up next to him. He furrows his eyebrows and goes to ask what’s wrong when he’s interrupted.
“Look dad! Just like Eddie!”
And now that he looks at it he sees it. Max’s dinosaur is in the same place as her dad’s tattoo. But it’s in the same place as Eddie’s dragon too.
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millionsknives · 11 months ago
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since the dash is entirely mad max fury road tonight here r some furiosa pics i never posted
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thewritingofspencerrose · 9 months ago
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general masterlist
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Max Verstappen x Single!Mom OC
can you tell i'm finishing up/ cleaning out my drafts? this is based on max's padel match with other drivers a few races back that kelly & p attended
"If it isn't my favorite little muppet!" Lando's voice is the first to reach us as we enter the facility, Claire's entire face lighting up at the sight of Max's friend. Although it's not just Max and Lando, there's Daniel, and a few other drivers that we have been acquainted with, most that I recognize from the track but cannot for the life of me remember the name of.
"Mijn liefje," Max whispers into my hair, kissing the top of my head before hauling Claire into his arms, peppering kisses all over her face and pulling giggles from her little lips.
Five years old and you'd never know there was a time she was a colicky baby for months on end. You'd never know when she's around Max.
"Sorry we're late, someone decided to spray her juice box all over all over the front of my dress," I muse, partly amused by her and also still bothered that the once-white dress is now stained.
Max just chuckles, shaking his head at our girl before he pulls me to his since once more, kissing the side of my head. "You look gorgeous regardless. Thank you for coming."
His eyes are shining, nearly brighter than all of the lights in this court.
"Of course, Love, you know we appreciate any extra time we get with you," and I truly mean it. "Plus, this gives Claire a perfect place to run around so we're not cooped up with a crazy lady tonight in the hotel," I joke, said little girl giggling brightly.
"She enjoys the chaos she brings," Max's comment makes her laugh more, ever clearer that she has certainly been raised in part by him. For the last two years that we've been together he's been her second parent, her father figure, and it's obvious day in and day out that she's taking after him.
"Max, mate, don't hog my favorite members of your household!"
Lando's voice reminds me of the other driver's presence. His arms reach out, stealing Claire and throwing her onto his shoulders, wandering away without even a greeting.
"Be careful with her!" Max is quick to remind, taking my hand into his and pulling me along, closer to his work friends.
"Are you going to introduce us?" One I know to be Yuki asks, approaching us all from the other side of the court, lunchbag in hand.
He doesn't wait for an answer though, turning to me with a smile. "Can I share a snack with her?"
"Oh," my hand comes to my heart, "She has a couple allergies, so it depends on what the snack is?" Max's hand slips from mine to my waist, looking down at the Japanese driver.
"She's allergic to peanuts and gluten," He offers, offering a small smile.
Yuki nods, going over to Lando's shoulders and beginning a broken conversation with Claire, handing her what looks to be an apple slice.
"Schatz, these are my fellow drivers, Daniel Ricciardo, Charles Leclerc, Carlos Sainz, Fernando Alonso, Yuki Tsunoda, and then you know Lando," Max introduces, pointing to each man as he names. He turns to me now, smiling down on me as he speaks words meant for his friends. "This is my girlfriend Jean," He begins, turning to where Claire is still perched on Lando, "and our daughter Claire."
Our daughter.
I can't help how large my smile gets, looking up at Max like he's the sun. Because to me he is.
"You have a child?" Alonso is the one to ask, chuckling to himself, elbowing Carlos. "Man beats me on the tracks and to having a child, que sigue (what's next)?"
Typically I would join the boys in there laughter, but I'm too focused on the near tears in Claire's eyes as she stares at a laughing Max.
"You called me your daughter?"
That sends a pause over everyone.
"Wait, she is not his child?" Carlos questions, meant to be a quiet comment to his teammate.
"You're my daughter in the ways that matter," Max answers, pulling away from me and to take our tearful girl from Lando, hugging her tight to the space between us.
"Max and I got together when Claire was two, she's five now," I explain, offering a small smile to Max's friends.
"He's my dad," Claire smiles, arms wrapped tight around his neck.
"Well, it's very nice to meet you both," Charles is the one to greet. "It is nice to meet those who are Max's family."
"And it is nice to meet the famous inchedent man- i mean, his track family."
Everyone laughs once more, Max kissing my head. "You're a menace. No wonder Claire is chaos."
Claire just giggles, "You love us."
Max just smiles, shaking his head.
"I do."
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madammuffins · 6 months ago
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Fifth Column
Fandom: An Extremely Goofy Movie
Ship: Single Dad!Max x Bradley Uppercrust III
Rating: Explicit
Posted: Wattpad, AO3
Playlist
☆ Chapter 8 Snippet ☆
“Speaking of,” Skye wandered back to the chair, not sitting but gathering her belongings. “How was the casserole?”
Bradley couldn't fight the warmth flooding up his neck, spreading to his cheeks, ears. “It was surprisingly good.” He averted his gaze, suddenly very interested in the uneven crease of his folded up sleeves. “Very fatty though. I'll need a gym membership if I continue to eat like that.”
“Noted.” Skye teased, earning a glare. “I'll take it you've gone grocery shopping then?”
The glare intensified. “I will.”
“Mm.” Skye pulled on her coat. “I'm sure. And unpacking?”
“And unpacking.” Brad mocked her. “What are you," tone turned to a snarl, "my mom?”
“Better.” Skye shouldered her bag. “I'm your assistant.” She beamed, kissing his cheek. “See you tomorrow, Sir.”
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mattmurdockismyspiritanimal · 9 months ago
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For any Lestappen fans out there despreate for content, I've just updated my AU Lestappen fic yesterday!
Like a freight train
Read it on Ao3
Summary:
Max Verstappen is a single dad, and he is tired. He cannot go home until his kids' school program is properly financed. The only problem is that the money is coming from a very unusual source.
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mewniemoon · 4 months ago
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Narinder as a dad would simultaneously be both "Kids are indestructible, they got rubber bones. Throw em off the roof for landing-on-thy-feet practice? Sure why not, theres a matress at the bottom they'll be fine, walking it off builds character, Shamura raised me and I turned out fine." and "These are my precious vunerable tiny darlings, my little meow meows, my kibby cats, and I will protect them with my entire being. The worlds cruel and unjust and if you even look at my baby shittens I will vaporize you to dust with my rage alone." And these are both true at once and can flicker on and off at any second.
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fuctacles · 2 months ago
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*puts mouth on microphone* I would like to ask about single dad steve for WIP title game please
hahah, can you believe i wrote this over a year ago, then promptly went 5k deep into the continuation and immediately forgot about it? bonkers. hahah. Here's a part of it. And here's the next part.
Just as Steve expected, his neighbors started giving him the stink eye as soon as they got wind of what was happening in his garage. Eddie even offered to close it up not to make a scene but Steve protested the idea. Said he’s not going to let himself be terrorized in his own home and more so won’t let his guests suffocate in a closed garage.
Every Tuesday Steve was preparing dinner to the sound of metal vibrating through the walls. When he got a free moment, waiting for the water to boil or the oven to heat up, he would step into the little rehearsal space.
Corroded Coffin was just an arm’s reach away whenever he felt like listening in. He just had to open the door and could sit on one of the steps leading into the garage. The guys played many original songs but just as many covers, some of which Steve recognized. He has always been a pop guy himself, but both Billy and Max liked some harsher music. It grew on him regardless if he liked it or not.
And watching them play felt amazing. Sometimes, between being a single parent and owning a hair salon, he felt older than he actually was. But right outside his door, in his space, there were four guys his age, jumping around the garage with contagious energy and playing songs from simpler times. He found himself tapping his foot to a cover of Queen. To think that at first, he was hesitant to let them practice here. Now it was a highlight of his week.
Max’s teacher, Eddie, was jumping around like it was a real stage, not a cramped square of stone flooring. He was the lead guitarist, which Steve knew thanks to his kid’s lengthy ramblings about her teacher. The guy also did most of the singing, but all of them joined in, depending on the song. It was clear though who was the frontman of their band.
They were playing an especially energetic song tonight, one that left Steve bopping his head happily. The members of Corroded Coffin shared the sentiment, jumping around and swooshing their fairly impressive manes of hair.
Eddie noticed him halfway through the song and grinned like he always did. Steve grinned back, genuinely happy for being able to have his own little show in the cookie-cutter cul-de-sac in the middle of the day.
But the music teacher didn’t stop there. He approached the steps Steve was sitting on and motioned him to join them. Steve looked at him with confusion and Eddie used the seconds-long break in his part of the song to pull him up. He fumbled for a second but the overall energy and Munson’s feral grin loosened him enough that he let himself be crash-coursed into headbanging.
He hasn’t felt more alive in years.
Eddie played his guitar, jumping around Steve and throwing his hair around. Most of the singing in this song was done by Jeff so besides playing the guitar he could do as much of a show as he wanted. When the track came to an end, they were both panting, leaning into each other and grinning. Steve couldn’t stop the breathy laugh that escaped him.
“Have I told you guys how great you are yet?”
“Only every Tuesday!” Gareth piped up from behind his drums, grinning. Eddie laughed as well.
“Didn’t know it was your scene, Harrington,” Eddie teased with a glint in his eye. Steve shrugged.
“Picked up some stuff from my ex,” he explained shortly.
Eddie quirked up his eyebrow with interest, strumming his guitar softly.
“Was she a metalhead or something?”
Steve observed him for a second, considering if he should correct him. It’s been already a month since they first met and the initial interest he had in the musician was only growing. Maybe it was a good idea to come out and test the waters. Worst case scenario he would have enough of a reason to drop this feeling before it turned into something more.
“He had a thing for classic rock.”
A look of surprise passed through the man’s face. He quickly schooled it into something friendly, but Steve could tell there were a million questions buzzing beneath.
“I see. Well, great to see some of the Hawkins folks educated,” he grinned, and it was genuine enough that Steve knew he didn’t have to worry about any kind of prejudice. He did a cursory glance around the other band members but they either weren’t listening or didn’t care about his impromptu coming out. Some of the tension seeped out of his bones. He motioned to the steps he just abandoned.
“I have some coke if you’re interested.”
Eddie’s features softened.
“Dude, you’re letting us use the garage, we should be treating you.”
Steve scoffed.
“Either you drink it or Max and you don’t want to see her on this amount of caffeine.”
Eddie barked out a laugh, and it warmed Steve all over knowing he caused it.
“Okay, fair. Thank you, then,” he smiled genuinely, disarming Steve.
They had the sodas while Steve came back to the kitchen to cook the pasta. He was still waiting for Max to come back from school too. She had basketball practice that day, which she picked up in honor of her brother, after bullying the teachers long enough to put together a small team of girls to play. The dead brother spiel worked in her favor of course. 
When the dinner was mostly ready, he stepped back into the garage, expecting another song he didn’t recognize, but instead, Eddie looked up at him, barely breaking out of their idle jamming.
“Do you know the words to Should I Stay or Should I Go?”
Steve frowned, taken aback by the abrupt question.
“I think so?” he answered hesitantly.
“Sweet,” Eddie grinned back at him. “Wanna sing for us?”
“Uh,” he hesitated, taken aback.
“C’mon, we’ll sing together,” Eddie offered and Steve hesitantly nodded. Eddie didn’t waste time and pulled him to the mic standing in the middle. It was the only one they had, rotating between Eddie and Jeff.
The familiar notes played around him and nudged with the metalhead's arm right against his, he joined him in singing.
Eddie’s voice was breathy from exertion, from playing for the past hour and jumping around. But here was a gleam in his eye, a delight from playing and maybe, maybe, from Steve agreeing to join them.
When the chorus came on, Steve felt confident enough to hip-check him out of the way and hoard the microphone for himself, He could hear Eddie cackling next to him, but he was now focused on singing and enjoying himself.
The song ended with cheers and a distant clapping. Someone whistled and Steve noticed Max applauding from the top of the stairs.
“Hey, if you’d want to sing for us sometimes, hit us up,” Jeff threw his arm around him. “You’re good,” he praised and Steve grinned his thanks.
Before he could say anything else though, someone was punching him in the ribs. He winced, knowing full well who it might be.
“You’re supposed to be my father, not a cool dude.”
Steve frowned.
“I don’t see how I can’t be both.”
“It’s a well-known natural order,” Eddie chimed in unprompted. “Parents can’t be cool.”
“Huh. Then I guess I should give you up,” he said, mock-seriously, making Max roll her eyes.
“Suuure, after all the legal shit we’ve been through,” she scoffed, looking at him in that way only teenagers could.
“Well, I think all the natural rules of a normal family are above us anyway, don’t you think?’ he raised his eyebrows, making Max smirk devilishly.
“Hell yeah. Fuck the rules.”
Steve pressed his lips not to scold her for language, but he looked to the side where, as he expected, Eddie was donning his proud teacher look. It warmed him up inside.
“Fuck the rules indeed, Red,” he grinned, holding his hand out for a high five,
Steve shook his head before gathering Max towards the kitchen.
“You guys keep it up, Max and I are gonna have dinner. Yell if you need anything.”
“Actually,” Eddie started, making both Harringtons turn in interest. “We have a show on Saturday if you guys wanna come.”
“Can I?” Max asked immediately, eyes darting between her teacher and Steve.
“We don’t usually have an audience this young, but with a guardian, it’s not gonna be a problem,” said Eddie, turning his gaze to Steve. He worried his bottom lip between his teeth.
“I usually work on the weekends, but I guess we could drop by.”
Max whooped happily and Steve couldn’t help but smile himself. He actually really wanted to see Eddie on stage, if he was anything like he saw today it would be a treat to witness.
“See you at the Hideout at 8 PM then,” Eddie grinned at them before they retreated to the kitchen.
At the table, Max eyed Steve with curiosity, pushing the broccoli on her plate out of the way. He was chewing with a distant look on his face, a foot tapping to the beat coming faintly from the closed door.
“The Hideout is a kinda shady place, don’t you think?”
Steve made a noncommittal grunt and shrugged before finally focusing his gaze on her. He frowned, cocking his head.
“Do you not wanna go?”
She scoffed, getting angry for something Steve couldn’t grasp.
“Do you want me to go?”
His frown deepened as he straightened up.
“Okay, wait. Do I want you to go to a concert with me? A concert we were invited to by your music teacher?” He raised his eyebrows, trying to find a hole in the idea.
“A metal concert. In a bar,” she pointed out, squinting at him. He squinted right back.
“So? You’ll be with me. I can get a leash if you’re insinuating you’re gonna cause problems.”
She puffed her cheeks, raising her hands.
“No insinuating here,” she assured. “Just, it’s not very,” she waved her hand. “Responsible parent of you.”
“No, but a very cool parent, I hope.”
“In your dreams”, she scoffed.
He smiled at her. She didn’t question his decision anymore, but Steve could feel her gaze on him later when they waved the band goodbye.
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queenie-ofthe-void · 5 months ago
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Tiger Club (complete version)
Steddie || 6k words || Modern AU single dad Steve and teacher Eddie || rated: M (for very very light d/s undertones at the end NO EXPLICIT CONTENT they don't even kiss you honor it's ok) fluff and humor
~~~
Eddie’s not usually a teacher to bitch about his job. He loves getting his little kiddos excited about reading and story-telling, and surprisingly, teaching is just as fulfilling as he’d hoped it’d be.
This year, however, he drew the proverbial short straw for extracurricular activities. When he was asked to coach soccer he supposes he could’ve politely declined instead of gagging in the middle of the teacher’s meeting, embarrassing the new Principal and causing the history teacher to actually vomit. Empathetic vomiting– Eddie’s a teacher and he’s still learning something new every day.
Does he really seem like the kind of guy who coaches sports? No, of course not. He’ll leave that to the gorgeous and talented math teacher Ms. Cunningham, and the unbearable meathead Phys. Ed. teacher Mr. Carver, who won’t stop drooling over her like a jock peacocking for the head cheerleader. A relatively adept assessment since Chrissy coaches the Little Tumblers gymnastics team and Jason coaches Tiger Cubs basketball.
Regardless, because of Eddie’s little stunt, he’s been relegated to alternating his after school hours between Tiger Club, and detention. The two most boring extracurriculars for kiddos and teachers alike. All he does is wait for parents to pick their kids up, and they’re either too busy demanding to know why they’re child is in detention, or screaming for them to get in the car, to stop and say well hello Mr. Munson, thank you for watching little Joanie today. The small consolation to his predicament is he alternates each week with Ms. Cunningham.
When Chrissy started at Hawkins Middle last fall, Eddie knew exactly what to expect: an ex-high school jock turned girl’s sportsball coach, hoping to relive the glory days. Someone who’d be cocky, self-righteous, and bitchy.
To his surprise, she turned out to be quiet and withdrawn, separating herself from the rest of the staff. He’d thought she’d warm up soon enough, but when she still hadn’t made any friends by winter break, Eddie decided to do something about it.
He adopted her as one of his sheep– a practice of gathering misfits he’s continued into adulthood. She looked skeptical when he first invited her out for happy hour, wary after weeks of Jason’s obnoxious flirting.
Two margaritas later, he’d learned Chrissy had come out to her family who’d then promptly disowned her for her sinful ways. She moved out, got her degree, and took the first job offered to her at Hawkins Middle.
Eddie couldn’t be more grateful for her presence in his life. Chrissy is his other half and she seems to feel the same. She’s not cocky or arrogant, although she’s definitely bitchy, but in a way which perfectly matches him. Chris knows how to take him down a peg, and he knows how to lift her up. They balance each other inside and out.
The other staff, however, see them as an odd pair solely because of their severely opposing aesthetics. Where Eddie’s etched in hard edges and dark colors, donning leather jackets and a myriad of old concert t-shirts, Chrissy flows in soft lines and pastels, garnered in sundresses and cardigans with the occasional jersey for game days.
Many of the staff also love to gossip about a possible secret relationship between the pair– opposites attract and all of that nonsense– which actually works well for them. Better for everyone to think they’re sleeping together rather than the rural people of Indiana discovering queers working around their young, impressionable children.
From their first happy hour, they’d started the Friday tradition of swiping dating apps and bitching about their love lives over margaritas and nachos. It’s one of the best parts of Eddie’s week.
And it’s Friday, which means they should be huddled in their corner booth right now, one shot of tequila each under their belts. But here he is, standing outside next to the jungle gym at 4pm waiting for the twins to be picked up by their dad.
Go figure the guy’s late. Again.
According to Chrissy, this guy Steve has been late every day this week– and it’s only the first week of school. He’s probably one of those parents who thinks teachers work to serve them, like they don’t have their own lives outside of school. It’s Friday for shit’s sake, he’s hungry and he needs a smoke.
“Chris, this is ridiculous. Detention ends at 3:30, same as Tiger Club. Are we just going to keep letting this guy get away with this?” Eddie’s fingers twitch towards the vape in his back pocket. Obviously he doesn’t smoke in front of the kids, but they’re supposed to be gone by now.
“Eddie, just relax, okay? He’s a nice guy, and it sounds like he’s a single dad with a chaotic job. Try to cut him some slack.” She gives him a reassuring smile, knocking her elbow into his side. “Don’t worry we’ll get some salsa in you and you’ll be good as new,” she snarks.
He shoots her a seething glare but she just smiles at him and smoothes out her sundress against the summer breeze. As Eddie crafts the perfect retort– it was going to be a really good one too– a maroon BMW SUV pulls up to the curb.
Fucking finally, Eddie thinks. If Chris isn’t going to say anything to this guy about his chronic tardiness, then he will.
They both start towards the car when a tall woman with a dark blonde bob and a pale freckled face steps out of the driver’s seat. She’s wearing a cropped Hozier t-shirt and oversized cotton overalls covered in pins. Eddie notices a small white, pink, and orange flag next to a pin of a cartoon ghost with boobs that just says “boooooobies”. He likes her already.
Eddie turns to ask Chrissy who this mystery woman is, but it seems she’s also clocked the pins.
“You’re not Steve,” Chrissy shouts. She winces as the woman arches her brow at the abrupt outburst. “I just mean that Steve has been here every day, and that’s his car, but you’re not Steve. I mean, obviously you’re not Steve, you’re you. You know you’re not Steve, you don’t need me to tell you that.”
The following silence is solid and impenetrable. Eddie’s never seen Chrissy this flustered before. Her bambi eyes shine wide and bright, paired with a hot pink flush climbing up to her ears. She’s fiddling with the buttons on her lavender cardigan and it seems like she can’t decide if she should stare directly at the woman in front of her, or very intensely in absolutely any other direction.
Not-Steve’s growing smile and matching blush tells him maybe he’s not the only one who’s noticed Chrissy’s little crush.
Interesting.
Just as Eddie steps in to save his friend from mortal anguish, he’s interrupted by high-pitched screeches from the playground.
“Auntie Robbie,” the twins cry in unison. It’d be creepy if they weren’t so goddamned adorable.
“My munchkins!” The kids crash into her, the three of them falling to the ground in a heap of limbs. “Oof okay let’s make sure you don’t take me out before I can get you twerps home.”
He only knows of the twins from what Chrissy has told him this week, since she gets to see all of the incoming sixth graders, whereas Eddie teaches seventh and eighth grade. Working with younger kids is great, don’t get him wrong, but the available reading material for his literature units only gets better with age.
The curly-haired boy scrambles up to collect his Minecraft hat from where it’d fallen off in the scuffle. He’s small, hyperactive as all hell, and missing his front teeth, which Eddie can only tell because of the kid’s unbridled megawatt smile.
While the boy raves about his school day, the young red headed girl rolls her eyes at his antics, but it’s easy to spot the fondness underneath. Her two copper braids are adorned with small butterfly clips, matching the fake butterfly tattoos on her left wrist. In contrast to her more girlish accessories, she’s wearing a Hawkin’s Hospital softball team shirt which has to be a men’s medium, at least. It’s been tucked into her hot pink shorts, but it drowns her nonetheless.
In short, they’re both absolutely adorable.
When Eddie turns his attention from the kids, Chrissy’s finishing gently explaining the pick up times. Thank God.
“Yeah, sorry about that,” Robin sheepishly replies. “His shifts have been really hectic this week and he’s on call today so–”
“Wait,” the girl interrupts. “Does that mean he won’t be home for dinner?” She moves to stand away from the mess of tangled limbs, scowling to hide the obvious hurt in her eyes.
“Max, honestly I’m not sure. I know he’s trying really hard to change his shifts, so hopefully it won’t be forever. Okay?” The reassurance seems to ease a bit of the tension in Max’s shoulders and scrunched brow. “But to make up for it, we’re going to have dinner at Aunt Nancy and Uncle Johnny’s house. I think the Sinclairs will be there too.”
“Ooooooo,” the boy teases, a shit-eating grin on his face, “Lucas will be there!”
“Shut up, Dustin!” Her fingers reach up to fidget with the small heart pendant on her necklace, while a light blush coasts across her freckles.
“Okay kiddos that’s enough, let’s get you out of here so your wonderfully patient teachers can actually start their weekend,” Robin replies, smiling while coaxing the twins towards the car. “I’m sorry again for being late, I swear it won’t happen again.”
“Totally cool, don’t worry about it,” Chrissy replies, a little too casually. The scarlet that invaded her chest and ears has receded to a dusting of pale pink on her cheeks. Robin’s smile grows wider as the two women stare at each other, cartoon hearts and flying babies in diapers wielding bow and arrows floating around their heads.
Eddie clears his throat– loudly.
“OH, right,” Robin starts. She reaches up to fiddle one of her many pins as she finally notices Eddie’s presence. “I should let you get back to your, to your uhh, him, I mean.”
“Mr. Munson! He’s just Mr. Munson.” Eddie can actually see the wheels in her brain spinning faster than they can take off. It’s cute, he’s just trying not to feel a little slighted. “He’s my coworker. My friend, actually, he’s my best friend, Eddie.”
“Oh,” Robin says again, more relaxed this time. “It’s nice to meet you. I’m sorry if you’ve had to wait for Steve too.”
“No, I’ve been doing detention, but I’m sure I’ll get to meet him next week. I’ve heard a bit about him from Chrissy. Chaotic work schedule, single dad, twins,” Eddie says, gesturing to Max and Dustin talking amongst themselves.
“Yeah,” Robin absently draws the word out, eyes roaming over Eddie top to bottom.
Surprisingly, he feels himself blush. He’s not even into women but damn has it been awhile since he’s been checked out so blatantly. One of the many queer struggles he and Chris have bonded over is how difficult dating is in Bumfuck Nowhere, USA. So other than the occasional weekend fling in the city for Eddie, and one five-month long-distance relationship for Chrissy, neither have seen any recent action.
Sue him for getting flustered at being so obviously ogled, even if she is clearly into Chrissy. That just leaves Eddie wondering why he’s being visibly raked over by a random lesbian.
“So, Eddie, you said you’ll be here next week, yeah? When Steve’s here for pick up,” she asks, with innocent curiosity in her voice but a glint of something suspicious in her eyes.
“Umm yeah,” he says, very eloquently, “I did just say that.”
“Good! I’ll make sure Steve’s definitely here next week to grab the kids. He should meet all of his kids’ teachers.”
Before Eddie can correct her– he’s not their teacher– Robin shoots him a coy smile and a wink while turning to leave. The kids say their goodbyes, scrambling into the car, and as it pulls away from the curb Dustin rolls down his window to wave as they drive off.
Eddie stands in stunned silence next to his unusually quiet best friend, the two slowly processing the whirlwind of whatever the fuck just happened.
“Well,” Chrissy says, a shell-shocked smile on her face, “I guess we have something to talk about over margs.”
“Yeah,” he agrees, still reeling after the odd interaction, “I guess we do.”
~~~
Weeks go by, and Eddie always seems to miss Steve’s pick up days. Chrissy’s only seen him a few times, but both her and Eddie have been privileged with the presence of almost every other adult family member in the twins’ lives.
Aunt Robin picks them up most days. She always feigns exasperation at Dustin’s boundless energy and Max’s sassy jokes, but laughs every time they tackle her to the ground. Eddie was surprised to find out she actually lives with the kids and their mysterious father. He considered asking her more about the situation, but decided it wasn’t his business.
However, he did find out from Chrissy that Robin and Steve went to the same high school but ran in different crowds. The two reconnected working at Hawkins Hospital, Robin as an interpreter and Steve as a paramedic. They bonded over a particularly difficult patient who’d come in through Emergency and didn’t want someone like Robin working with him, not realizing– as Robin had joked– that Steve was someone like Robin too.
The more Eddie learns about the duo, the more it reminds him of his relationship with Chrissy. It’s at least a small comfort to know they’re not alone in this backwards town.
Aunt Nancy and Uncle Jonathan are the next most frequent visitors. He learned Nancy is a journalist at the Hawkins Post, but is looking to get hired working remotely at a bigger paper like The Chicago Times or Indianapolis Journal. Jonathan is a free-lance photographer, sometimes working for Nancy or the Post, but mostly shoots weddings and family photos. They seem nice enough, although he once caught Jonathan checking him out in the same way Robin had, glancing between Eddie and his own wife with a smirk on his face.
The nerve of these people checking him out, leaving him flushed and spluttering when they aren’t even interested.
Hell, he even got to meet Dustin and Max’s grandparents before meeting their mysterious and elusive dad.
“Munson,” Jim Hopper, Hawkins Chief of Police, the twins’ adopted grandfather, scowled at him. He looked about the same as the last time Eddie had seen him, maybe a few more greys in his mustache and lines around his eyes. Easier to see the fine details when Eddie’s not cuffed in the backseat making faces at him in the rearview mirror.
Jesus Christ, is he lucky Hopper only ever brought him back home to Wayne for dealing instead of throwing him in a jail cell for the weekend. Eddie was twenty the last time the Chief picked him up, almost a decade ago now. He practically tossed Eddie in the backseat, drove them both out to the quarry, sat him down, handed him a beer, and explained in fine detail the differences between being a juvenile delinquent and an actual felon. Needless to say Eddie quit dealing and decided his calling was more educational.
“Oh Hop, leave the poor boy alone.” The small woman next to them playfully back-hands the Chief’s beer belly to get him to back off. “I’m Joyce, the kids’ grandma. And you must be Mr. Munson! We’ve heard so much about you.”
“Nice to meet you, Mrs. Hopper,” he says, unsure of how to navigate this extremely awkward interaction. The Chief’s stern glare hasn’t left Eddie’s face since he stepped out of the car. “I, uhh, wasn’t aware that you had family, Chief?”
The man grunts, but uncrosses his arms, shoving one hand in his front pocket and wrapping the other around his wife. “Steve’s not my son, but I’ve been looking after that boy since I picked him up for his first speeding ticket. Just a few years before the kids, back when he was dating Nancy.”
“Wait, wait, wait a second,” Eddie interrupts, shocked “Nancy, as in Auntie Nancy and Uncle Jonathan?”
“Jonathan’s my boy,” Joyce answers Eddie’s slack-jawed confusion. “Nancy and Jonathan met just after her and Steve broke up, but they’re all still good friends, obviously.”
“Yeah, obviously.” Eddie zones out a bit, trying to connect the dots in the tangled web of Max and Dustin Harrington’s family life. “Wait, wouldn’t that make Steve my age? And if you raised him–” he points to Hopper accusingly– “then that means he went to school here. With me. So why don’t I know him?”
But Hopper’s already shaking his head. “Kid went to the private school two towns over. Parents have an estate on the opposite side of town from Forest Hills, just barely inside my jurisdiction. I’m not surprised you two didn’t cross paths, he was only ever here for sports, which–” he gestures at Eddie’s everything, and yeah, Eddie gets it. But an estate?
This is the most information he’s been able to dig up so far. He looks back to the playground where Chrissy is still trying to rally the twins’ spilled bags. It’s an opportunity Eddie refuses to pass on.
“And the twins?” He turns back and just catches the end of a silent conversation between the couple, eyeing each other while glancing at Eddie. They stop when they notice him watching, and Hop sighs.
“Dustin and Max came around just after his senior year. The kid was set up for a full-ride to Indy on a swim scholarship his dad paid for. The mom was a girl he met at a party, and he didn’t see her again until she dropped them off on his doorstep. Parents kicked him out, then I took them in. Same week I picked you up for the last time,” Hop adds on with a laugh, like this entire conversation is chock full of cosmic coincidence. “What a hell of a week.”
Eddie tumbles the new information in his head over and over throughout the next few days. He feels himself growing bitter that someone like Steve Harrington exists. Someone who sounds too good to be true. Fake, like the many charming princes and noble knights he’s woven into his campaigns over the years. Except it’s hard to deny when it’s not just the kids, and Auntie Robin, Uncle Jonathan and Aunt Nancy, or hell, even the grandparents.
It’s Chrissy. Every time Chrissy gets to talk to Steve, she raves about him until Eddie starts fake gagging just to get her to stop. She typically rolls her eyes, but he’s sick of hearing about how great this guy is and at this point, he’s not even sure if he wants to meet him. No one’s this great.
“Don’t you think it’s weird,” Eddie rants, like he has been for the past ten minutes, “that he can’t even be bothered to pick up his own children? And it’s like you’ve said, Chris, even when he does pick them up he’s always late! What kind of father is that, really?”
He’s halfway through his second margarita, and he’s lost track of the conversation entirely, not sure how they transitioned from Chrissy’s hinge matches to Steve fucking Harrington. Again.
Chrissy frowns at him, and yeah, he might’ve went a bit too far there. Maybe he’s a little sensitive about topics revolving around bad dads.
“Just because you’re hungry doesn’t mean you get to be a dick, Eddie,” she shoots back, pushing the basket of chips closer to him as they wait for their food. “It’s not my fault you decided to switch to detention yesterday and missed him because you were cold. I told you it was going to be chilly out and you still didn’t wear a jacket.”
“I was wearing a jacket, Chris,” he pouts.
“An actual, warm jacket. Not that threadbare, leather monstrosity you got from Goodwill for ten dollars. Just because you cover the holes with patches doesn’t mean the holes aren’t there.”
He lets out an undignified shriek, but she continues on to the actual conversation, used to ignoring his dramatics. “You know it’s not the same as with your dad, or mine. Steve really is a great guy, even if you refuse to admit it. I think you’re just jealous you haven’t met him yet.”
“Of course I want to meet him,” he snaps back, but Chrissy just grins in response. “I have to listen to everyone talk about how great he is, and I’m just supposed to believe it all on face-value? Honestly, I’m sick of hearing about him, and if we keep talking about this it’s gonna ruin my buzz.”
Eddie refuses to believe a former trust-fund kid who hosted parties at his estate just to act like a fuck-boy actually leveled up to become a loving single father who’s adored by his family and friends, saves literal lives every day, and is one of the only queer people in this god forsaken town.
Not that he spends his free time thinking about a random guy he’s gathered enough general information on to build a well-rounded NPC. A disowned nobleman cast out from his kingdom into squalor. With the help of the lonely prince’s new found family, he redeems himself by serving as Hawkins’ most beloved Paladin.
Again, not that he’s actually building this character for next year’s campaign or anything, it just goes to show how much people won’t stop bragging about this guy, and Eddie’s over it.
“You’d really like him,” Chrissy says, putting an end to his stewing. She’s smiling like maybe she knows something he doesn’t, and it reminds him of the same smiles he’s gotten from Robin and Nanna Joyce.
“Yeah, well I’d actually have to meet him to like him.”
~~~
It’s Eddie’s week for Tiger Club and by Thursday he still hasn’t seen Steve once. It’s been Robin every day so far, but she promised yesterday that he’d be doing pick ups today and tomorrow. Eddie hadn’t really believed her after so many previous missed connections, but when the kids ran out to the playground screaming about Dad bringing them for ice cream after school, he thinks maybe he should’ve taken her seriously.
Because now here he is, fiddling with the sleeves of his leather jacket and smoothing a hand over his flyaways like he’s about to meet the goddamned Pope. He’s not nervous– he’s not. It’s just some guy– nay, an ex-trust fund kid. Sure he sounds amazing on paper, but Eddie’ll decide that for himself.
“So is he here yet?” Jumping out of his skin, he turns to find Chrissy smirking at him. He checks his watch and sure enough, it’s 3:45, and Max and Dustin are the last kids on the playground. God, he really should’ve noticed all of the other kids leaving. “Eddie, you seem nervous,” she says, giggling as he scoffs at her implication.
He is not nervous.
“What would I have to be nervous about?” He almost shouts it, gesturing wildly with his hands. “I don’t even know the guy. I just know he’s late. Again!”
Chris nods toward him, eyeing something over his shoulder and he turns in time to see a familiar maroon SUV pull up to the curb. But the man stepping out onto the sidewalk definitely isn’t Robin.
No, he’s just the prettiest man Eddie’s ever been lucky enough to set his gaze on.
He’s wearing tight, acid washed jeans and a navy henley that’s holding on for dear life across his broad chest. The aviator sunglasses should really make him look like a stereotypical douchebag, but of course it just makes him look hot, accentuating his full, pouty, pink lips. His thick, chestnut hair is feathered to appear casual. Even from across the playground it looks soft, and Eddie’s desperate to touch, to hold and pull tight.
The fucking guy is effortlessly cool, and Eddie hates that cool ex-jock is a look that’s apparently his type.
The man scans the playground, a wide grin brightens his face when he catches sight of the twins. Eddie watches as the literal fallen angel pushes his fingers into his mouth– sending Eddie’s thoughts careening dangerously off course– and whistles loud enough that Dustin and Max pop up like adorable groundhogs.
“Daddy!” Max yells, jumping up and running full speed towards him with Dustin hot on her heels.
Daddy? Eddie’s never heard either of the twins call him that– it’s always been Dad. Although Eddie’s also pretty sure he’s never seen Max this excited before.
Steve drops to his knees– Eddie’s jaw hits the ground at the same time– to catch his kids as they send him toppling over. The three are a pile of limbs and smiles, and it’s melting Eddie’s cold, grinch heart.
Chrissy nudges him. He can tell she’s already reading him like an open book, the same way he had when she’d first laid eyes on Robin. Instead of teasing, her smile is full of comfort and encouragement. She lightly tugs his arm, pulling his frozen legs behind her towards the chaos. As the kids disentangle themselves, he can hear them excitedly talking over one another.
“No, Daddy listen, Lucas told the funniest joke at recess–”
“Max, oh my god, no one cares! I literally made a volcano in science–”
“Shut up, Dustin, no one cares about your stupid science volcano!”
“Hey!” Steve’s up on his feet clapping loudly to get the kids’ attention. “Language, Max. How many times do I have to tell you that Dustin’s science stuff isn’t stupid? And Dustin, don’t interrupt your sister when she’s talking. Just because you’re louder doesn’t mean you get to talk over her. Both of you apologize. Now.”
The kids look equally cowed, and mutter their apologies before turning back to their dad with their proverbial tails between their legs.
“And?” he prompts.
“Sorry for arguing, Dad,” they answer in unison.
“Good. Now, let’s go find Miss Chr–”
The end of Steve’s sentence is lost to the autumn wind as he catches Eddie’s eye. He watches as Steve slowly pushes his sunglasses up onto his head and jesus christ those are the warmest honey hazel eyes Eddie’s ever seen. Steve’s mouth has dropped open, drawing Eddie’s gaze to his plush lips.
Up close, Eddie can pick out the golden shine to his hair and the moles scattered across his skin. Two on the man’s neck hold his attention, filling Eddie with the strong urge to bite. Steve pushes up his sleeves to reveal toned forearms. His hands are large with long fingers and Eddie needs them wrapped around him.
“Daddy, what are you looking at?”
Both men jolt at the sound of Max’s voice. A heavy blush coats Steve’s face, and Eddie wants to explore where else the man turns red and wanting. Mouth suddenly dry, he darts his tongue out to wet his lips, only for Steve’s gaze to immediately track the movement.
“Daddy, oh my god why are you being so weird!”
Steve tears his eyes from Eddie’s mouth, briefly turning to face Max again.
“I’m not being weird. You just haven’t introduced me to your teacher yet.”
“Oh, right I’m so sorry,” Chrissy steps forward, not sounding sorry at all. “This is–”
“Mr. Munson, right?” Steve says. “And I’m–”
“Daddy,” Eddie finishes.
It’s quiet. Too quiet, and Eddie realizes everyone is staring at him. Steve’s eyes are wide, mouth open in shock. He’s flushing red down his neck and up to the tips of his ears, but his eyes never leave Eddie’s.
“Did you just call our Dad, Daddy?” Max asks, pointing and laughing.
And oh.
Oh god no.
He called him Daddy to his face in front of his children, and the universe, and everyone. A beautiful, gorgeous, perfect specimen of a man he’s never met before, and he called him Daddy like Eddie was cursed in a past life to make a total ass of himself. He’s on the verge of melting into the ground when Dustin’s shrill voice cuts through the fog to come to his aid.
“Don’t worry, Mr. Munson. Last week I accidentally called Mrs. Click, Mom, but it was an accident,” the boy reasons. “It happens to everyone, it’s okay.”
Except it’s very much not okay, and Eddie thinks nothing will be okay ever again.
He chances a look and sees Steve’s finally closed his mouth, though he’s chewing on his bottom lip and still blushed up to his ears. Eddie can only imagine how red his own face is.
“Well,” Chrissy clears her throat– loudly. “Eddie, this is Steve. And Steve, this is Mr. Munson, but you can call him Eddie.” She looks a little too pleased with herself, but Eddie doesn’t know whether to thank her or remember this for next time Robin comes around.
“Hi,” Steve says, dazed, absently reaching out for a handshake because of course Steve’s the kind of man to shake a guy’s hand who’s just accidentally called him Daddy. The nerve of some people.
“Umm, hi,” Eddie responds while he grabs Steve’s hand. It’s not a firm handshake between two people meeting for the first time. It’s gentle, Steve practically cradling Eddie’s hand in his and he was right. Steve’s hand is bigger, softer than his own, but Eddie’s fingers are thicker.
Over far too soon– but maybe too long if Chrissy’s scrunched expression is anything to go by– Steve lets go. Eddie’s forced to stand and watch Steve flex his fingers, stretching until they’re white, before balling them into a fist and shoving his hand into his back pocket. His other hand rakes through his auburn hair, and– for absolutely no reason whatsoever– Eddie considers including a Jane Austin unit next semester for his eighth graders.
“I’ve heard a lot about you from the kids. And Robin. Oh and Jonathan and Joyce,” Steve rambles. If Eddie didn’t know better, he’d say the man sounds flustered. It helps him relax a bit.
“All good things?” Eddie teases, twirling a strand of hair between his fingers before pulling it in front of his face.
“Yeah, they just failed to mention,” Steve gestures vaguely to all of Eddie, much the same way as Hopper had but also very, very different. He looks down at himself to make sure he didn’t wear anything especially heinous today, but all he finds are his typical combat boots, black jeans, and his gray t-shirt underneath his leather jacket.
He steps a little closer to Eddie, putting them within middle school slow-dancing distance from each other. Eddie can’t look away from his eyes, warm and golden, just like everything else about him.
“Kids,” Chrissy cuts in, “why don’t we go get your stuff together while your Daddy talks with Mr. Munson a bit?” Eddie could kiss her for being such a saint, and the three of them wander off while Eddie remains a captive to the intensity crawling around in Steve’s stare.
“So,” Steve sighs, voice low and smooth. Chills spread down Eddie’s spine, and he knows he’s done for. “Daddy, huh?”
Heat scorches Eddie’s face as white hot embarrassment spreads to his core. Steve smiles like he’s successfully cornered his prey, and Eddie can’t figure out what to do with his hands. He stands frozen as Steve takes another step forward, now toe to toe.
“Yeah,” Eddie drags the word out, not quite sure of what he’s agreeing to. He’s only sure of Steve’s breath mixing with his and Steve’s eyes roaming his face and Steve’s everything.
He clears his throat, smoothes his clammy hands over his jeans, and tries again.
“Yeah, I’m sorry about that.” He chuckles, hoping to play it off as casual. “It really was just an accident like Dustin was saying, you know? An awkward slip of the tongue. See, the thing is that Max was calling you Daddy, right? Which is totally weird because she always calls you Dad. So I was just kind of surprised and confused and I couldn’t stop thinking about you– I mean Daddy! The word Daddy, not you as a Daddy.” Eddie groans scrubbing his hands over his face, hiding behind his fingers. “Fuck, god, I’m so sorry, this is so unprof–”
“I don’t think you’re sorry,” Steve interrupts. “In fact, I think you liked it. And if I had to guess, I think you want to do it again.”
This isn’t happening. This is not real life.
Things like this don’t just happen to people like him, to the Eddie Munson’s of the world, and certainly not with men like the golden god leaning into his space. Except here he finds himself, trapped in a real-life porn intro with a man he’s never met yet has been crushing on for over a month. The tightness of Eddie’s black skinny jeans is becoming an increasing problem and he reminds himself this is a school and there are children here.
Before he can recover enough to save himself, Steve’s cooing at him, pulling at the edge of his leather sleeves and asking “would you like to do it again?”
Eddie nods, dumbstruck and inappropriately turned on.
“Good,” Steve praises, saccharine, “all you have to do is ask for my number and I’ll give it to you.”
Eddie looks around the playground and sees Chrissy with the kids well on the opposite side. They’re playing on the swingset, thoroughly distracted.
“I know they’re there. It’s okay, they can’t hear us,” Steve says and grabs Eddie’s hand. He tangles their fingers together, goosebumps shiver up Eddie’s arm. “Now, ask me.”
“Umm, can I have your number?” he mumbles.
Steve shakes his head and gives Eddie's hand a firm squeeze. “No Eddie, you need to ask nicely. Go on now, I won’t say it again.”
Eddie swallows against the dryness in his mouth and Steve’s darkened eyes flit down to catch his neck flex around his empty throat.
“Please, Daddy, may I have your number?” Delicious shame coils through his chest while heat curls lower in his core. He’s not used to such brazen affection, nor so immediately trusting to reciprocate. And fuck, normally Eddie’s the Daddy. But from everything he’s heard– all of the kind and caring people who talk about how amazing Steve is– he thinks this might be okay. Hopes and wants and craves it all to be okay.
Steve’s answering smile is surprisingly gentle. He rubs his thumb against the back of Eddie’s knuckles before taking a step back, not far enough to leave him self-conscious, but Eddie feels like he can breathe for the first time since Steve stepped out of the car.
“Of course you can have my number, Baby, thank you for asking so nicely.”
Eddie unlocks his phone and hands it over just as Chris makes her way back with the kids. They all say their goodbyes, and much to Eddie’s delight, Steve texts him before the SUV even pulls away from the curb. To top it off, Steve waves as they drive by, a dorky spirit-finger wave that sends Eddie into a fit of giggles, like he’s a school boy with his first crush.
Chris elbows him in the side, a smirk on her face and her eyebrow arched.
Eddie sighs in faux-defeat. “He’s alright, I guess,” he answers her unasked question with a giant, smitten, shit-eating grin plastered on his face.
He loves the twins, has met basically Steve’s entire family, and is almost positive Chris and Robin have hit it off. Eddie’s hopes are already too high up to pull back down to earth, excited to see where this journey will take him. He’s loath to admit it after weeks of petulant moping and pining, but Steve Harrington does, in fact, live up to the hype.
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