Chapter Text
“Mr. Met, Met, Mr. Golden Met, please shine down on meeeee!” the little four year old boy sang as he skipped alongside his dad. The sun glinted off his red hair as they walked down the busy streets of New York City, his Mr. Met backpack bouncing on his back. Stiles smiled and shook his head as he held his son’s hand.
“What should we have for dinner? Macaroni and Cheese?” He asked.
“Pizza!” The little boy said jumping up and down. Stiles thought about arguing, but he was just too tired. The day had been long, spent studying reports and looking at numbers. Not meeting a deadline. And while he was tired, the energy of his kid definitely picked his spirits up a little.
“Alright. Pizza, but only one bed time story Greyson.” Stiles bargained.
“And one show!” his kid said with a grin.
“Let no one say you aren’t my kid.” Stiles grumbled, while the little boy cheered.
Stiles held his son up to the window so he could choose which piece he wanted before selecting a piece of pepperoni and a meat lovers for himself. Knowing Greyson had chosen cheese, he would ultimately end up trying to eat Stiles’ piece, while picking off all the meat.
“It has more flavor Daddy!” the little boy said, 3 bites out of his slice of cheese, and already picking off all the sausage of Stiles’ slice as he pulled Stiles’s plate towards him. Greyson watched as Stiles started putting the sausage on the pepperoni.
“Nuh uh,” Stiles said, recognizing the look on his son’s face. “No. You are not also eating this slice. It’s the exact same as the one you’re pulling off all the toppings of.” he said. The little boy eyed his father suspiciously, but said no more about the pizza. Instead he chattered about his day at preschool, while Stiles nodded in all the right places.
After their dinner they finished their walk home, Stiles wishing he had the energy of the four year old. It had been three years since he had finished school and found a job in New York. It wasn’t a dream job by any means, but it allowed for him to get by.
Stiles set up an episode of Paw Patrol for Greyson, before moving to set up his computer at the table that doubled as his desk from home. He glanced over and saw his son sucking on his thumb and got up, grabbing an apple and joining his kid on the couch. When he saw that apple, Greyson took his thumb out of his mouth and started munching on the apple.
“Is mommy gonna call?” he asked, eyes still trained on the TV.
“I’m sure she will buddy. She never misses a night.” he said gently. The little boy nodded.
Lydia was based in Boston, like she’d been since the two traveled to the east coast for school. Not many of their other friends had gone so far away and the two had often spent the weekend in one city or the other, catching up, and relieving their stress. When Greyson had accidentally made an appearance, Stiles had been adamant in supporting Lydia in whatever she chose and Lydia had been adamant that they both still make their lives and co parenting work. They had made it work. They’d each had to give things up, but they did their best to make sure everyone was happy.
Just as the show ended, the ringing tone came from the computer. Greyson jumped up.
“I got it! I got it!” he called racing around the couch to where Stiles’ computer was on the table. But he cut the corner and clipped the couch, sending himself sprawling across the floor. Stiles had barely registered what happened before the little boy was jumping up.
“I’m okay!” he yelled, before scrambling up the chair and just missing the call. The little boy tried moving the mouse but the sticky residue from his apple made it hard. Stiles walked up behind him and hit the call button. It was a few seconds before Lydia’s face popped up.
“Mommy!” The little boy screamed and was quickly talking about his day. Stiles laughed and went to get the wipes, cleaning up Greyson’s hands and making sure he hadn’t busted his chin from his fall. Greyson never stopped talking.
While Lydia and Greyson talked, Stiles went back and pulled some PJs out of the dresser they shared, and started the bathwater so it’d be ready for him as soon as he was done talking to Lydia. He took a couple of minutes to just sit on the bed, before he went to stop the water and get Greyson started on his bedtime routine.
“Why don’t you go take your bath buddy. The water is all warmed up for you.” Stiles said, tousling Greyson’s hair.
“Okay! Love you mommy!” The little boy said, jumping and running to the bathroom.
“And no cannonballs, Greyson!” Stiles called after him. Lydia smirked as the faint complaint from the little boy could be heard.
“You doing okay?” Lydia asked fondly. Stiles ran his hands over his face tiredly but nodded.
“I’m fine Lydia, just need to get this project done.” he sighed. She studied him through the video call closely.
“We could pay for a nanny, you know. I’m sure I know someone who knows someone.” she said, already pulling her phone out. But Stiles shook his head.
“You know I don’t want that Lydia. I don’t want my kid raised by someone else. My dad did it with me, I can do it too.” he said. Lydia raised an eyebrow.
“I seem to recall a lot of nights in high school where your dad definitely had no clue where you were because he was working. He had a whole support system, Stiles. It’s okay to ask for help.” she argued. He waved her off.
“I’ve got support here too, Lyds. Scott and Kira aren’t that far away. I can call a babysitter if I need to. I’ll be fine.” he said.
“When was the last time you went on a date?” she asked, quirking an eyebrow. Stiles rolled his eyes.
“I’m fine, Lydia.” He grumbled.
“Mmm, that long?” she asked. He looked over his shoulder before giving her the finger. Lydia laughed.
“If all you’re gonna do is laugh at me….” he said.
“No, no, no. Sorry. I’m sorry. I’m not. I just wanted to let you know your birthday gift should be in your email by now. And maybe you should try and find someone besides your son to take with you?” she hinted.
“Pfft. As if. Greyson would lose his head if I went to opening day without him.” Stiles said, shaking his head.
“I had no idea what I was getting myself into the day I agreed to go to a game with you and I was pregnant with Greyson.” she huffed.
“He’s got the Stilinski blood in him, of course he was going to baseball games before he was even born!” Stiles grinned. Lydia rolled her eyes.
“Fine, how about this. I take Greyson to the game but promise to take some me time and go on a date before the end of the month?” he asked. Lydia sniffed but gave a sharp nod.
“Deal Mr. Stilinski. I will be holding you to that.” she said.
“Daaaaddyyy, I got stuck again!” Greyson called.
“And that’s my cue. Night Lyds!” Stiles said, getting up. He didn’t bother hanging up. If she wanted to keep talking she’d stay on, but if not she’d hang up herself.
Stiles walked into the bathroom to find Greyson with his pants off but head and arms stuck in his shirt.
“Come here you little monkey.” Stiles said, untangling the flailing limbs and pulling the shirt off.
“Can I play with the letters tonight?” his son asked as he climbed in. Stiles hesitate but dumped the foam letters into the warm water.
“Yep, but I clean you and then it’s off to bed.” Stiles said.
“After a story.” the red head said, already picking through the letters and placing them on the wall.
Eventually, Stiles got the kid clean, dried off, and into bed.
“What’s it going to be?” Stiles asked.
“Good Night Baseball!” Greyson called out as Stiles pulled the book out and sat with his son. They read the book together, and the little boy was almost out by the time he finished the book. Stiles pulled the covers up and turned the lamp on lowly. He placed the book beside the little lump that was his son and pulled his phone out to take a picture. He placed one last kiss on the top of Greyson’s head and put the book away before walking back to the couch and collapsing onto it. He turned the tv on to whatever was on that night before reaching back over the couch to grab is laptop from the table.
Lydia had hung up so he placed his laptop next to him and pulled out his phone again, opening up to the Instagram account he had set up a long time ago for Lydia. It had originally just started as a place to keep family updated on Greyson and then Lydia when they had decided it made the most sense for Stiles to look after Greyson full time. But it had somehow ended up becoming mostly centered around baseball. And people loved it. It wasn’t super popular and neither Stiles or Lydia were trying to exploit their son. But Stiles enjoyed connecting with other fans, Greyson liked choosing photos and occasionally telling his dad was to say, and Lydia had been the one that had made Stiles get a specific preset to use on all of the photos. They managed to make it a family thing they did together, even if they weren’t the most conventional family together.
He uploaded the photo he had taken of the little lump that was his son. Before adding a caption.
Babymet: Twas the night before Opening day, and all through the city, little boys were sleeping, and dreaming of the homeruns to be hit, outs to be made, and flyballs to be caught.
#LGM #gomets #babymet
His phone chirped with a text.
--Text Message: Today: 8:15 PM --
Lydia: Cute. Clever. But you didn’t have the same syllables from Twas the night before Christmas.
Stiles: Can’t have it all.
Lydia: did he go down okay?
Stiles: out like a light. You wanna read him a story tomorrow?
Lydia: isn’t the game tomorrow?
At her question, he remembered she had said his birthday gift was in his email. He opened his e-mail and checked, finding the tickets there were for Saturday night.
Stiles: Game is saturday. So tomorrow would be a good night
Lydia: I thought I got the opening night tickets…..
Stiles: Opening weekend, it’ll be the second game in the series.
Lydia: series? Nevermind. I’ll look closer next year.
Stiles: Don’t worry about it Lyds! These will be just as fun. Better even. I’d rather go on the weekend than a week night any way.
Lydia: …. If you’re sure.
Stiles: Totally! Go finish researching and working on what you need to in the lab. Greyson and I will enjoy the game.
He set his phone aside and pulled out his own work he had left to do. Lydia and Stiles both worked hard. It was tiring, but Stiles wouldn’t give up his life for anything. They made it work.