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When Jim Hopper was told he was going to be a grandfather for the first time his first instinct was fear. It had been time for his weekly call with his son. He had made him promise to keep in touch when he moved to Indy with Munson. He thought the guy was going to be passing fancy but apparently not, they're in it for the long haul.
His dislike of Munson was well known to all three of them, which was why he was so concerned and annoyed when Munson answered the phone and would not give the phone to Steve. Munson waffled for several minutes before getting to the goddamn point and at Hopper's strong insistence, he blurted out.
“You're going to be a grandpa!”
“What?” Hopper said
“Well I and then Steve and then there was a baby, and then well you see” Munson stuttered
“Munson, what the fuck are you trying to say?” Hopper asked. It sounded like they had had a threesome with some girl and gotten her pregnant. With how possessive Munson was of his son he cant imagine him ever letting Steve fuck someone else even if he was also involved.
“Fuck” Munson exclaimed “Listen it's too much to explain over the phone can you just come up here this weekend and well explain everything” Munson pleaded
“It'sFridayy” Hopper replied
“Please, Steve really wants to see you, '' Munson pleaded, sounding more despite this time.
Hopper sighed, his one goddamn weakness was his children
“I'll be there tomorrow at 7 am and you best be up Munson,” he said and then promptly hung up the phone while packing a bag.
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He left for Steve and Eddies early the next morning, arriving at their apartment at seven am sharp and to his credit Munson was up and waiting for him, opening the door before he even had the chance to ring the doorbell.
“Steve’s asleep” he whispered “With everything that going on he needs all the sleep he can get”
“Speaking of that, what the hell is going on?” Hopper questioned, Eddie stared at the ceiling for a moment before launching into an explanation that made his head spin. But he got the jist.
Something about upside down exposure gave Steve the ability to get pregnant, he and Munson didn't know that and Munson knocked his son up. Hopper was about to call horse shit and shout at Munson for wasting his time. when Steve came down the hall into the living room, a hand on his back supporting his significant bump
“Eddie,” Steve said sleepily, “who are you talking to?”
Hopper saw the way Munson perked up at the sight of his son, it was like the whole world had just been handed to him on a platter and he was in disbelief he was the one who was chosen.
He also saw Munson fall over himself to get to Steve he helped to Steve to the couch and said
“Your father” Steve's eyes snapped to him as he settled on the couch next to him
“I know you wanted to tell him but were scared, so I thought he would tell him for you” Munson rambled looking for all that matters like a man facing execution.
“And how do you feel?” Steve asked him
“How do I feel? Steve, I don't think it matters what I feel I'm not the one about to have a baby” Hopper said
“Yeah but you are going to be a grandpa,” Steve said, and that hit Hopper right in the chest. He had missed so many of his son's milestones but he wouldn't have to miss this one. the birth of his first grandchild, he found himself tearing up. He wrapped his son up in a tight hug or as tight as he could with his bulging stomach in the way, he squeezed his boy one more time before pulling back to put a hand on his stomach
“How far along are you?” he asked choking a bit
“She's about six months” Steve said
“She?” Hopper asked, “I'm going to have a granddaughter?” The mist had turned into full-blown tears rolling down his face. Steve nodded and he couldn't resist pulling his son into another tight hug, he noticed tears soaking his shoulder but he didn't say anything just held Steve tighter. that was until Munson thought it was necessary to open his mouth
“See Steve I told you it would be alright”
Steve looked at Eddie glared and said
“Eddie”
“Yeah baby”
“Shut the fuck up”
“Yeah shutting the fuck up” Munson mimed zipping his lips and plopped down on the floor next to Steve his hand resting on Steve's knee clutching him like a lifeline.
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Later that day after lunch a soft knock was heard on the door. Eddie scrambled to open it before Stev could even think about getting up, Wayne munson was standing behind the door. Huh Hopper thought he knew Eddie lived with his uncle but he really hadn't considered that Wayne would also be considered grandfather. He feels a bit embarrassed but it's what he thought.
Wayne walked in the door and got the same explanation Hopper did with a few key details missing. He saw the man's eyes snap to Steve several times through his nephew's rushed explanation Hopper found himself wondering what he was thinking. Wayne didn't have the same context as all of the others and Eddie's confusing explainton couldn't be helping either. To Wayne's credit, he took it all in stride, and Hopper was almost impressed until Wayne said,
“How's my favorite grandchild?” and Hopper realized he wasn't the only grandad in his granddaughter's life. and only one of them could be grandad, the loser would be regaled to Papa or something horrible of the like. The game was on the donkey kong and Hopper intended to win.
He met Wayne's eyes over Steve's shoulder and saw the same detention reflected at him, Operation Beat Wayne Munson and Be the Best Grandpa in the World ago.
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Hopper ended up staying the weekend and leaving early Monday morning. He had spent the weekend in honorable battle over who could be the better grandfather. However, instead of deaths and casualties, it was dishes washed and laundry folded. And instead of bombs and guns it was baby clothes and a second and crib. But boHopperper and Wayne had work so they had to leave and agreed silently to a truce for then. Eddie promised to tell them if anything was wrong with Steve because lord knows he wouldn't tell them himself.
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When Hopper got home someone was waiting by the front door. someone who goes by the name Richard Harrington. he was pacing around the front porch occasionally banging on the door.
“Can I help you?” Hopper asked to prepare himself for a fight, Richard spun around stumbled, drunk very very drunk.
“You!” Richard accused pointing an accusing finger at Hopper. “This is all your fault, if you had never come around everything would be perfect, and I wouId still have my office”
“What” Hopper asked very slowly, he really couldn't believe the nerve of this man. When his family fell apart his only worry was about his job. It's been years and he hadn't even tried to talk to Steve.
“Forced to resign in disgrace. this never would have happened if you had never told him. a threat to family values, and the secretary expects me to marry her now that she's pregnant. And then Quayle is all like, Senator Harrington you need to resign lest you be impeached, How was I supposed to know she was only seventeen? and now all the money is going to the secretary, her brat and the boy, court mandate, and none of this would have happened if it wasn't for you!” Richard ranted drunkenly stumbling and nearly taking a nose drive off the porch before he caught himself on the railing.
There were several things Hopper could say, give Richard what he wants and escalate to a fight, but instead, he said
“Get off my property before I have you arrested for trespassing” Richard spluttered yelling every insult he could think of at him but Hopper didn't rise to challenge. He had won after all and he was going to be a grandfather. Something as small as Richard Harrigton couldn't ruin his mood.
Richard soon seemed to realize he wouldn't get the fight he wanted. Richard stumbled away towards his car parked about a block down. It looked like Hopper would have to call in a drunk driver, but he couldn't resist one jab at Richard.
“Make sure this one's yours dick” he called and entered his house before Richard could come over and sock him in the face.
Hopper leaned back against the front door as Richard banged on it and laughed to himself. All these years Hopper had thought that when he had his inevitable confrontation with Richard he would be in the same place Richards is now, but instead of damading rebellion he would be begging to see his son.
That's not a problem anymore though he might just have to call Steve and Eddie to let them know just how far Richard had fallen. He knew Eddie would get a kick out of it. Eddie hated Richard just as much as Hopper did. Maybe he and Eddie could find common ground after all Hopper thought with a laugh.
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It would be a month and a half before Hopper was crushed with having to hear Munson's voice again. Eddie had called from the hospital, and told him things were touch and go for a while but both Steve and the baby had pulled through.
Steve would have to stay in the icu for a while longer but he was able to have visitors now. Hopper didn't waste any time getting to hospital. He already had a huge disadvantage considering that Eddie almost definitely called Wayne first and according to Eddie his granddaughter was born almost two weeks ago. Apparently Eddie didn't tell anyone but Robin at Steve's orders until he was sure both Steve and baby were going to make it.
When Hopper arrived at the hospital he saw Eddie bouncing on his toes, Wayne sitting on a bench smoking a cigarette almost down to the butt. When Eddie saw him he seemed to quiet down, and waved his arm as if Hopper couldn't pick him out of a crown of a thousand. When Hopper got over to them Wayne stood up with a sigh. Eddie started leading them to Steve's room, Eddie rambled the whole way.
“So the baby’s still in the NICU but they were able to bring her up for just a little bit…” Eddie trailed off and picked up with his weird monologue.
A couple of minutes later they arrived at room 2305 and Eddie pushed the door open. Steve was revealed to them sitting tiredly up in bed, looking over at the bassinet, “Oh look how it is” he could feel it this was it the decisions for who would be grandpa and who would be pushed to the side.
“It’s Pops, and grandpa Wayne and grandad Jim '' huh why did Hopper never think of that he looked at Wayne and Wayne looked at him acceptable.
“What's her name?” Wayne asked tearfully, Hopper realized he was tearing up to looking down at her in the bassinet
“Her name is Riker, Riker Munson”