#we love Steve

[stevesbipanic]

Steve is the guy that tells the kids to put on sunscreen and takes them to the quarry in Summer. Wraps scarves on them and builds snowmen in Winter. Makes flower crowns with El and Max and has field days with the boys in Spring. Rakes leaves into big piles for jumping and does pumpkin carving in Autumn. Steve is the best mother all year round to make sure his kids are happy and loved.

#mama steve #steve and the seasons #we love steve #stranger things #stranger things s4 #st4 #stranger things season 4 #steve harrington #the party

[faofinn]

29. Pounding Headache (Alt 3)

Part 1 | Part 2

“Hopefully this second crew should be here shortly and we can get you both off to hospital. Have you got someone to come and be with the kids?”

"Kit and Bug are seventeen."

“I’m sure it would be nice for them to have someone with them?”

"I don't know if anyone replied." He was starting to get more than a little tired of the situation, the nausea still there and the pain creeping in.

“Do you want us to call someone?”

"Maybe, yeah."

“How’s that pain? Do you want something?”

Harrison struggled to pay attention to the paramedic, rubbing his face with a groan. "Wait, what? I didn't get that."

“Painkillers?”

"For me?"

“Yeah, for you. If you’ve got pain.”

He dropped his head to his hands. "Yeah, a bit."

“I’ll get you something for that, then.”

As the paramedic busied himself sorting drugs, Harrison turned to Alfie. "Bug? Can…can you call Grandad Steve? Or one of your uncles?"

Alfie nodded. “Yeah, I’ll call them.” He said softly. 

"Thanks, Bug." He forced a watery smile. "You're doing amazing."

“Are you gonna be okay?” He asked, unable to help himself. 

"Me?" His heart broke, and he stretched a hand out. "Ah, Bug, come here."

“You look like shit.” He mumbled, reaching for his Dad’s hand. 

He squeezed it tight. "I'm okay, I promise. I've just got a headache, just a little bit of blood. I'm always, always, not very well for a bit after I hit my head, but then I'm better the next day. I'm even better from a few minutes ago." 

While it wasn’t a lie, it wasn’t entirely the truth. The nausea had subsided, but the pain was overwhelming. He forced himself to give Alfie a smile, trying to make it seem okay. 

“Still, though. Can we go with you?”

"Do you not want to stay here? Someone will come be with you."

“I don’t want to leave you.”

"You know I'll be okay." He promised. "I'll ask, yeah? You should be okay to."

He hesitated then. “Levi.”

"Mm?"

“Can he come? Or should we stay with him?” Alfie didn’t know what to do, too used to his Dads taking control. But now both of them weren’t well, and he wasn’t sure how to cope. 

"What does he want to do?"

He shrugged. "I don't know."

Harrison sighed, doing his best to not snap. It wasn’t Alfie's fault, and he could see his son was stressed and worried about them, but the pounding headache that had settled was testing his patience. 

"Go speak to Leaf, call your grandad, and then come back." He said. 

The second crew arrived as Alfie headed through to the kitchen, and Harrison couldn't help the groan. The extra people just added to the noise and activity, and couldn't be arsed to deal with it. He didn't bother raising his head as the first paramedic crouched by him again, wordlessly holding his arm out for the medication. 

"There you go, give that a moment to work, okay?"

His noise in agreement was more of a groan than a hum, his eyes closed as he rested his head back in his hands. 

Alfie was glad to get away from the noise for a minute, as the second crew arrived and started to fuss. It was overwhelming and all just too much. He didn’t know where his little brother was, or his twin, but he gripped the kitchen counter, tears suddenly springing to his eyes. He pulled out his phone, dialling for Steve. He’d help, he always did. 

Steve answered quickly, his heart breaking. "Alfie? I'm on my way, I'm not going to be long."

“Grandpa Steve?” He whimpered, trying so desperately to stop the tears. 

"Hey, it's okay. You're okay. I know it's scary. You're being so brave, though." 

“I don’t know what to do. I-I want to go with them but I don’t know about Kieran and Levi and everything and what if I’m not allowed to go, or they make me leave in hospital, and what if they’re not okay and they ask me questions and…” He trailed off, totally overwhelmed. 

"It's okay. Where's Hars? Is he taking to the ambulance now? Why don’t you ask him when he's free? See what he thinks, hmm?"

He sniffed. “I can’t. He’s… he’s hurt too, they’re both not well. They called a second ambulance.”

Steve took a second, of course his son wouldn't make things easy. "What did he do?"

“I… I don’t know, he said he fell? Hit the kitchen c-cabinets and hit his head. He’s been sick, and it’s bleeding everywhere, and there’s paramedics with him too and I don’t know what to do, because I dont want to leave him but I don’t want to leave Kieran and Levi if they don’t want to come and I don’t want them to see me like this, not Levi.”

"Bug, take a breath. It's okay." Steve soothed. "Harrison has always been sick when he hits his head, he always has been. And head injuries, however small, bleed a lot. You split your head open when you were younger, and it looked like you'd tipped a bottle of juice on the floor. I know it's scary, you're being so brave. So, so brave."

“I don’t know what to do.”

"Just take a moment, take a deep breath, breathe it all out. You're being so brave, Alfie. You're doing really well."

Alfie forced a deep breath, fighting against the sobbing, and managed to get a little bit of control. “Sorry.”

"Don't apologise, you're okay."

“I… I don’t know what to do.”

"You don't need to do anything, you're okay."

“But I do.”

"Not right now. Get yourself a glass of water and take a moment."

“But Dads…”

"They're being looked after, aren't they?" He said softly. "I'm only a few minutes away.

He sniffed again. “I guess.”

"Think what your Dads would say."

“He just said to call you.”

"So that I could do the thinking for you, so you didn't have to worry."

“I need to find Levi.”

"He'll be around."

“The house is so busy.”

"I know, it will be. They're just  doing their job."

“I don’t like it.”

"I know, kiddo. I know. Is the front door unlocked?"

“Yeah.”

"Alright. Did you get your glass of water?"

“No.” He admitted. 

"Get that for me, okay? I'm just pulling into the estate now."

“Okay.” He mumbled, reaching into the cupboard for a glass.

"Thank you."

He filled it with water, sniffing again and trying to stop the tears. “Sorry.”

"Don't apologise, Alfie. You're doing really well."

“Are you nearly here?”

"Just parking, kiddo."

“Okay.”

Steve didn't put the phone down until he was inside, calling through to the living room but heading straight for the kitchen. He pulled Alfie in for a hug, holding his grandson close.

Alfie wrapped his arms around him. “Thank you.” He mumbled. 

"You're okay, you’re okay." He murmured. "You've been so brave."

“I should find Kieran and Levi.”

"I'll go get them, you stay here, hmm?"

“Okay.”

"I won't be long." He promised. 

Alfie nodded, feeling infinitely guilty. It should be him helping, not Steve, but he felt rooted to the spot. 

Steve headed upstairs, where he found Levi and Kieran. The older brother was comforting Levi, keeping him distracted. The relief was so obvious on his face as he saw Steve, dropping the tablet and rushing at his grandfather. 

"Grandad!"

"Hey, Kit." He pulled him in for a hug, Levi quickly joining them. "And Levi, there we go. You two are okay."

Levi pulled back, moving to sit on his bed again. "Are dads really sick?"

Steve sighed. "Tai's doing a lot better, but he'll have to go in with having such a low. And Hars, the idiot, he's always been sick when he hits his head. He always has, always used to have my life with it. So he'll have to go and get checked, but it probably just looks worse than it is."

Kieran dropped his head. "Is Alfie okay? I'm sorry, I had to leave, I couldn't…it was just…I'm sorry, I -"

"Hey, it's okay." Steve's heart broke, and he reached to rub Kieran's back. "You don't need to apologise. He's just worried about you two. Obviously your dads are going to have to go in the ambulance, but do you want to go with them?"

Kieran paled. "In the ambulance?"

"No, no. You don't have to, you can come with me in the car."

He let out a shaky breath. "Okay."

"Could I go with dad?" 

"I'm sure you'll be allowed, Leaf." Steve gave him a smile. "Right, I'm gonna go check on them, make sure they're behaving now, eh? Why don’t you two stay up here? Maybe grab your dads' hospital bags, just in case?"

"We can do that." Kieran nodded. "Thanks, grandad."

"You're welcome, Kit. Just give me a shout if you need anything, okay? I love you boys."

Happy they were okay enough upstairs, Steve returned downstairs. He popped his head back into the living room, taking a second as he finally noticed the state of the room.

"You've made an impressive mess, kid." He sighed. "You alright, Tai?"

Tai gave a shrug. "Been better. Think Hars is worse than me."

Harrison cracked an eye open in his direction. "Oh. Hi dad."

He walked over to Harrison's side. "How are you feeling?"

He learned into his arm on his shoulder. "Fucking shit. I feel like my head is going to explode. And they've even been nice and given me morphine."

"Not good, eh?" He winced as he caught sight of the lac the paramedic was cleaning. "You've done a pretty number there, what happened?"

Harrison didn't answer for a moment, all too aware Steve would see through his lies. "I hit my head on the counter."

"Was it your leg again?" Tai asked from across the room.

"Mm. Something like that."

"Harrison." Steve warned.

"Ooh, full name. I'm in trouble."

Tai snickered from the other sofa. "Uh oh."

"What happened, Hars?" He hated the thought, the worry that he might have been drinking, but Harrison knew better, was better. He knew that really.

"It wasn't his fault." He said quietly.

Tai frowned. "Who?" 

Harrison closed his eyes. "You wouldn't let me help you, I asked to do your sugars and I was in the way."

"No." Tai was pale, the nausea overwhelming. 

"Oh, Hars."

"You didn't mean it, I know you didn't." His voice wavered and he took a shaky breath. "You wanted past me, I guess. You…you shoved me pretty hard." 

The room was silent. Harrison didn't dare to raise his head, couldn't bring himself to look at his husband. Tai, on the other hand, couldn't look away. He could feel the panic in his chest, and the monitor was quick to protest.

"Hars." His voice cracked, his emotion obvious. He didn't yet trust his legs to hold him up, but all he wanted was to hold his husband. "Hars, love, I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. I wouldn't have…I don’t… I'm sorry."

#sicktember 2023 #29. pounding headache #alt prompt 3 #headache #concussion #whump writing #whump prompt #harrison cunningham #taidgh cole #alfie cunningham cole #keiran cunningham cole #steve cunningham #ambulance #vomiting #bleeding #pain relief #morphine #anxious kids #steve to the rescue #we love steve

[ch0sos-bxtch]

the most unrealistic part of stranger things is the fact that steve thought wanting 6 kids would make nancy swoon

#steve harrington x reader #steve harrington #steve harrington is a dumbass #we love steve #steve the hair harrington #nancy wheeler #6 kids #who tf wants 6 kids #steve has no game but we love him #poor nancy 😭 #stranger things #netflix #stranger things volume 2 #st4 vol2 #stranger things 4 #stranger things 4 spoilers #stranger things x reader #st spoilers #duffer brothers #eddie munson #dustin henderson

[haven-of-the-anonymous-writer]

In season 3 we built the ship Steve and Billy but it stopped sailing when the ending arrived. (I was traumatized) However, now we have been blessed with Eddie Munson. Yay! WE SHIP STEVE HARRINGTON × EDDIE MUNSON !!!

Ps : We also have Nancy × Robin as a coping mechanism! <3

#stranger things #steve × eddie #steve harrington #eddie munson #billy x steve #st4 #stranger things 4 #stranger things ships #st fanfic #we love steve #nancy wheeler #robin stranger things

[red-velvet-eyeballs]

my gender is Steve holding anything to use it as a weapon

#steve harrington #stranger things #we love steve #stranger things consumed me #stranger things 4

[eddie-munsons-wifey]

I know that we’re all for himbo steve (and i LOVE that) but he isn’t stupid in the slightest. like surely if you found out there was another dimension with big weird monsters you’d ask “stupid” questions and double check EVERYTHING too, right?

#steve harrington #himbo steve #stranger things #steddie #byler #we love steve #justice 4 steve

[ducky-the-mucky]

On my way to find hurt/comfort Troll Hunters fan fiction where Jim does struggle with delusions like Claire thinks in season one and probably the rest of the school too until the whole secrets out thing, because apparently I'm not allowed to rewatch shows in peace.

#all my past and recurring hyper fixations are staring at me with the judgmental eye #along with my school work #and my book #and my WIPs #and also my shows that I should be watching too #instead of rewatching Troll Hunters with ma dad #but it's fine #it's all good #go listen to the cellar letters #we love steve #also if you're still reading this that means you should learn about pigeons #because you are likely bored #so go here #https://learn.genetics.utah.edu/content/pigeons/ #and learn about pigeons #have a good time

[chloesimaginationthings]

The tragedy of being William Afton’s daughter in FNAF..

#myart #chloesimagination #comic #fnaf #five nights at freddy's #vanessa afton #vanessa shelly #fnaf vanessa #elizabeth afton #circus baby #william afton #steve raglan #springtrap #fnaf movie #sister location #fnaf fanart #here’s your daily dose of angst guys 🩵🩵 #Vanessa and Elizabeth’s stories make me sob #They are both betrayed by their fathers #both assuming they at least wouldn’t hurt them #both just wanting their father’s love #THE scene in the movie where Vanessa is stabbed by William #and she whimpers ‘dad’ you can just tell she was shocked #she really thought he’d at least never hurt her #this is why the Williams go to super hell #neither of them deserved their daughters #and their daughters deserved way better than what they got #WE HERE care about Elizabeth and Vanessa 😤

[steddieas-shegoes]

Steve grows up playing piano, absolutely hates it, but is so good at it. His parents aren’t around enough by the time he’s a teen to force him to his practices, so he slowly stops going.

His music teacher happens to be Robin’s mom, who studied at Juilliard, and traveled for nearly a decade with various orchestras and bands before settling down with her husband in Hawkins.

She can see what’s going on with Steve from day one, but knows better than to interfere.

Until he quits.

She can’t stand by and let someone so musically gifted give it up.

She shows up at his house with a violin, her own violin that she hadn’t used in years.

He’s hesitant at first, but decides to give it a try as long as she doesn’t tell his parents. The last thing he wants is for them to find out he picked up a new instrument.

She can’t give him official lessons, so she shows up to his house twice a week and hopes that he practices in his own time.

He’s a natural.

He takes to it like a duck to water.

She encourages him to perform in a local talent show, all kids under 18, most of them not half as talented as he is.

He only agrees when she says she’ll be front row.

And sure enough, for once in his life, someone shows up when they say they will. She’s sitting front row with her husband on one side and her daughter on the other. She smiles as he takes the stage, nervous about people who know him seeing him and reporting back to his parents.

He performs with heart, something he lacked with the piano. He performs with talent, something he may have with any instrument he picks up.

But most importantly, he plays with a smile. He’s having fun.

He sticks around to watch some of the other people performing: Tammy Thompson singing a very out of tune rendition of America The Beautiful, some kid from one of his classes playing piano miserably, and some band performing very loud, very angry music.

Steve wins, and for once, it feels better than when he wins at a swim meet or basketball game.

He spends the next three years secretly practicing, only performing in shows out of town, never saying anything to his parents.

He doesn’t want them to ruin this for him.

He applies to Juilliard, not thinking he has a chance in hell, not with his academic grades.

Luckily, they see that he’s “exceptional with the strings” and “plays with emotion that can’t be trained.”

He gets in.

He goes.

He thinks he may actually be able to do this, use a gift he has to make his life better.

His parents even find it acceptable, mostly because he got into the best school he could have. They still don’t bother showing up for his shows, but Mrs. Buckley always finds a way.

In his sophomore year, Robin gets in, and they both move into a small apartment off campus together. He promised to look out for her.

She tells him that music wasn’t really her passion, she was just good with a trumpet. She really wanted to be an engineer.

In his junior year, Robin transfers to Columbia, starts doing what she really wanted to do from the start. He’s proud of her, but misses having someone on campus during the day to have lunch with.

Until he stumbles, literally, into someone vaguely familiar.

“Sorry, man. Running late.”

Steve pats the man on the shoulder and turns to get to his class when the man stops him.

“Harrington? You’re a student here?”

He turns back and finally recognizes the man in front of him.

“Munson? When did you get here?”

“I got in this year. Kinda fucked up my first audition last year and they were kind enough to give me another shot.” Eddie smiled. “What on earth are you here for?”

“Violin. You?”

“Guitar and songwriting.”

“That’s great, man. I’m just really running late. Catch up soon?”

Soon was two weeks later, when Steve ran into Eddie again while leaving class.

“We should probably stop running into each other like this,” Eddie smirked. “The universe is trying to tell us something.”

“What’s it trying to tell us?”

“Not sure. Maybe we should go grab dinner and find out.”

“Now?”

“Why not? Got better plans?”

Steve thought about how Robin was barely at the apartment due to studying for midterms. He thought about how his only other friend from here was busy rehearsing for their senior showcase.

“Nah. Let me bring this home first,” he held up his violin case. “Actually.”

Steve was on a budget. His parents gave him money, sure, but they thought he was living on campus so the money they sent covered rent and groceries and nothing else.

“I could make dinner. If you want?”

“Steve Harrington cooks? And plays violin?” Eddie fake swooned. “Be still my beating heart. How will I not be seduced?”

Steve rolled his eyes. He remembered Eddie’s dramatics from school and knew better than to feed into them.

“I can make some spaghetti. Nothing fancy.”

“Spaghetti sounds great,” Eddie’s fake swoon turned to a soft smile. “You want some help?”

Steve didn’t need help, usually didn’t even want any.

But something about the way his stomach dipped when Eddie stepped closer, and the way he thought about having Eddie in his apartment, made him agree.

“Sure.”

They walked to Steve’s apartment in a comfortable silence, though Eddie kept tapping the back of his fingers against Steve’s hand.

Eddie fit next to Steve. They cooked together, they ate together, they even managed to clean up together. It was easy to find something to talk about. He’d never clicked with anyone like this, not even Robin.

By the time Robin came home, Steve and Eddie were both passed out on the couch, fingers laced together as if they hadn’t been brave enough to do anything more before they fell asleep.

By morning, Steve’s head was on Eddie’s shoulder, Eddie’s arm wrapped around him loosely.

Waking up to a soft kiss on his lips was something Steve couldn’t have imagined when he first ran into Eddie, but he was pretty glad it was how he started his day.

And almost every day after that, whether he woke up to a kiss, or met up with Eddie on campus for a kiss, he started his day with love on his lips.

#steddie #steve harrington #eddie munson #stranger things #headcanon #drabble #musician Steve Harrington #musician eddie munson #we love alternate meetings in this house #we’re gonna say it’s a modern au to make things simpler #just go with it

[lazylittledragon]

something something more alt dads

#steddie #stranger things #eddie munson #steve harrington #robin buckley #i can't believe we never even CONSIDERED how robin would react to what eddie did to steve #she would calm down eventually but at first #it's execute on sight #that's her BOY #i don't see her as Designated Mean Lesbian UNLESS it's steve #if steve wasn't still so sickeningly in love with him eddie would be dead

[cowboygirlfriends]

Obsessed with the idea your alpaca has a favorite Taylor Swift song. How do you know?

to be clear: steve isn’t actually my alpaca, he has humans, he’s just the animal i work with (and i love him). but to answer your question: of the 10 songs i played for him, it’s the only song he had a reaction to (he danced) and he also asked me to repeat it twice.

#answered #we love steve #steve appreciation

[ftmsteveraglan]

the fnaf movie really was a win for bisexuals. we got:

-sad pathetic wet cat short king who's actually a single mother

-evil dilf who's canonically gross and stinky and calls himself daddy

-perfect angel woman who has never done anything wrong in her entire life fighting through the horrors™

-matpat

#for legal reasone i'm not thirsting over matpat i know he's married lmao #we just love him around here #but hey i'm just thirsty for these three #every type is your type when you're chronically thirsty #william afton #steve raglan #mike schmidt #vanessa shelly #vanessa afton #ness the waiter #fnaf #five nights at freddy's #fnaf movie #shitpost #ftmsr

[deoidesign]

Happy pride from Adam and Steve, my t4t gay vampire and werewolf!!!

They're from my webcomic. It's good. I'm not biased. It's funny and gentle and they time travel to a new location every full moon, where there's a new little mystery to solve!

#pride month #lgbt pride #pride #steve is trans and bisexual #adam is nonbinary and gay #(they use they/he pronouns) #and they are IN LOVE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! #RAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA #I kind of gave up on trying to come up with a composition like I did last year #it just wasn't clicking #like I said the adhd is hitting HAHAHAHAHAH #my brain is truly empty #HOWEVER!!!!!! #I've been getting more done! #just.. not.. anything I have to like... think about....... #lol #anyways #adam and steve #time and time again #ttawebcomic #webtoon #webtoon originals #webcomic #the background is just art I've done #where are we going? #somewhere gay!!! #If you're one of those people who wants to see people being fucked up then don't read my comic HAHAHAA #I mean they do some fucked up things. that's true. #but they character develop and now theyre just cute and nice... #idk...

[blushweddinggowns]

If Stranger Things Season 5 ends with Nancy and Steve having 6 kids in Hawkins and she gives up the journalism dreams for "true love" then the duffers will owe me 2.5 million in emotional damages.

#steve Harrington #nancy Wheeler #stranger things #am i paranoid or can we see this happening #i can see her big life lesson being “love” over amibiton and it makes me ill #we will see #i dont even like nancys character that much #but what a betrayal

[livwritesstuff]

Middle-aged Steve, Eddie, Robin, and Nancy definitely have a group chat once Apple introduces it. They actually love it because it makes it way easier to stay in touch while Robin and Nancy travel.

Steve and Eddie's three daughters are usually the main topic of conversation.

As is the case one morning in October 2013:

Steve: Which one of you got my children to call froot loops gay cheerios

His text is accompanied by a video taken in their kitchen that starts with Steve, behind the camera, asking, “Wait - what did you guys want for breakfast?”. Robbie and Hazel giggle from their seats at the counter as they respond, “Gay cheerios, please,“ and “yeah, gay cheerios.”

Steve's long sigh is cut off when the video ends.

Nancy: Not me.

Steve: I know

Eddie: definitely not me

Eddie: Apple Jacks are way gayer than froot loops

Robin: ???

Robin: in what world are Apple Jacks gayer than Froot Loops?

Steve: Okay so it was Robin

Steve: Great work team

#Nancy definitely sticks to formal grammar structure even when she texts #punctuation and all #we love her #the thread devolves into ranking cereals by perceived homosexuality #fruity pebbles wins #steddie #ronance #steddie dads #liv’s steddie dads verse #steve harrington #eddie munson #robin buckley #nancy wheeler

[unclewaynemunson]

"What. The. Fuck."

Over years of living in a trailer park, Eddie has seen his fair share of weird shit. But this right here? This surpasses everything.

Wayne is sitting on the couch in the living room, with an actual baby in his lap and a completely deadpan expression on his face like this is something that happens every day.

"Hey, Ed. Meet Sasha Munson."

"Sasha Munson?" Eddie repeats, hoping that saying the name out loud will make this whole thing less surreal. It doesn't, so he automatically switches right into disbelieving panic mode instead. "Sasha Munson?! What the fuck? She isn't mine, I promise, it's literally impossible, someone must've - Wait, hold on - Is she yours? Aren't you like fifty years too old to knock someone up? What the fuck did you do? Who's the mother? What were you thinking, man, we can't take care of a -"

"Eddie, sit down."

"No, I'm not sitting down, this is ridiculous, what the fucking fuck, we can't -"

"She ain't mine and she ain't yours."

"What the-" It takes a few seconds before Wayne's words sink in. Then, Eddie freezes mid-sentence, giving his brain a second or two to catch up to what Wayne just said.

"Wait, what?" he asks.

He gives the sleeping baby a distrustful look. It's small - too small to be a human, if you asks Eddie. It scares him a little bit.

"Then whose is she?"

"I told ya to sit down, Ed."

And Wayne's voice is so strict and serious that Eddie can only obey.

"Your dad was here earlier."

Those few words are enough to tell Eddie exactly what happened. He immediately feels sick to his stomach. He wants to cover his ears, or walk out of the trailer and never come back. But instead, he keeps sitting, frozen in his chair, and listens to what Wayne tells him.

"Sasha is his daughter. He had this girlfriend, Melody, 'bout a year ago. She's much younger than him, is all I know 'bout her. I think they were kinda serious at the time. But Clyde went and messed it up, of course. Cheated on her. She dumped him. Then showed up again a few weeks later all sobered up and told him she was pregnant. Far as I know, things went okay for a while after that. But she caved right after she gave birth. It took a toll on her, Clyde said. So she needed the drugs again. He left her; he didn't see a way to help her and he was worried 'bout Sasha's safety. So he took Sasha with him and brought her to me. Said he couldn't take care of a baby and that was that."

It is a story eerily similar to what Wayne told Eddie about his own early years, whenever he'd ask him questions about his parents.

Eddie looks at the tiny human in Wayne's arms. Her eyes are closed and her mouth is just slightly agape. She's wrapped in a blanket that has a soft shade of pink, with tiny elephants printed across it.

"He never learns, does he?" Eddie remarks with a sigh.

"He doesn't," Wayne affirms in a soft voice, shaking his head. "But you know what, if these are the consequences of his actions..." He first looks up at Eddie, then down at the baby in his lap again. "I can't even be too mad at him for it."

"Jesus Christ, what a mess."

"Don't think too badly of him, Ed," Wayne says. "He wanted to help them. Both of 'em. But he didn't know how. He did what he thought was gonna be best for Sasha. Just like he did with you. He ain't evil. Just a coward who makes bad decisions."

Eddie swallows thickly.

"We'll make it work," Wayne says with certainty in his voice. "It'll be tight, but we'll survive. We did it before, we can do it again."

Eddie nods.

"You wanna hold her?"

He shifts uneasily. She seems so fragile. He doesn't know a single thing about babies; he is his father's son, after all, not Wayne's, no matter how much he wishes he were.

"C'mon, Ed, she's your sister."

It's only now that Eddie notices how well it fits, Wayne with a baby in his arms. Like he was made to be a father. Like Sasha belongs there. There aren't any pictures of Eddie as a baby, as far as he knows, but he imagines it must've looked somewhat like this scene: the exact same couch, a different blanket, and a younger version of Wayne. One with less wrinkles and more hair; less worn-out by the sorrows Eddie has given him over the years. It's simple for Wayne, in a way it isn't for Eddie's father, and in a way that Eddie fears it won't be for him. To hold her gently and let her sleep to the rhythm of his heartbeat. To sit with her quietly and do nothing else. To give love and patience without expecting anything in return.

Eddie rises from his chair and sits down next to Wayne on the couch. He utters a shaky breath, trying not to show his nerves, and wipes his sweaty hands over his jeans before holding out his arms.

“Just like that,” says Wayne softly while he places Sasha in Eddie's arms.

She's warm and has that specific newborn baby scent clinging around her. She's heavier than Eddie expected. She stirs a little bit and makes a tiny sound, but then she continues her peaceful sleep. He studies her: her closed eyes, her tiny nose, the way her head rolls around helplessly if he doesn't support her steadily enough; the hand that's hanging out of the blanket, with minuscule but fully developed fingers that grab around nothing. He listens to the steady sound of her breathing and imagines the tiny lungs inside her body working on pure instinct to keep her alive. His sister.

He looks up and finds Wayne staring at the two of them with tears in his eyes. He only catches Eddie's gaze for a fraction of a second, then he looks away, to the window on his right side.

“You're wrong, you know,” Eddie says.

Wayne turns his head back to him.

“Bout what?”

“She isn't his. Neither am I.” He looks up from the girl in his hands to meet Wayne's eyes. “We're both yours. He didn't do jackshit for us, just dropped us here with you and ran away. You're the one who raised me, Uncle Wayne, and that makes me yours way more than his. And Sasha? We're both gonna be here for her, every step of the way. We're gonna change her diapers and feed her milk - I don't really know anything else about babies, but we're gonna do all of that, together. We're gonna see her grow up and become a person. She's ours.”

Wayne produces a noise that sounds somewhat like a choked-off sob. He puts an arm around Eddie and drags him closer towards him. He doesn't say anything, but Eddie didn't expect him to. He understands.

#wayne munson was in dire need of an accidental baby acquisition trope okay #i said so #i know we all love steve accidentally becoming a parent to a baby half sibling but #consider this please #don't mind me rambling about stranger things #eddie munson #wayne munson #stranger things #fruity ficlet