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Here was the thing about the relationship that Steve Harrington formed with a couple of middle schoolers a couple of years ago. They are clingy and underloved. So, Steve, after being not so gently guided by Dustin in this direction, decided it was mostly up to him to show these children that “Hey, life isn’t so bad. It’s not all monsters and terror and blood.” Which has been a monumental task in and of itself. It had been greatly rewarding for Steve, getting to see some really good kids grow up into some really good young adults would have that kind of effect on anyone.
He had no clue what the little group had been planning for him when on a fine Saturday in May the party had asked him what his plans would be for the following day. Assuming that they had just wanted him to drive them around to different arcades and comic book stores, he told them that he would be spending most of the day with Eddie. That had produced more questions on if he would be staying the night there or if he would be in his own home come morning. Considering the almost late hour, and the fact that everyone was piled around Eddie’s coffee table in his apartment, Steve informed them that he would be staying with Eddie after the rest of them went home. Which was the catalyst for the kids to huddle up around each other and whisper loudly. The kind of whisper where you knew that the others were talking about you, but you couldn’t make out quite what they were saying.
Eddie smiled at him, this soft conspiratorial smile that Steve had assumed was for him and the fact that they had once again managed to confuse their friends with the fragile nature of their will they won’t they relationship. So a few short hours later the kids were sent on their way and Steve and Eddie’s night had just begun. They shared a bottle of wine that Steve had procured from the massive collection in the Harrington Household, and made as pleasant of conversation as they wanted. Their main topics for the night being Gareth’s inability to make eye contact with Steve and their theories for why, Robin’s floundering for words in front of Nancy earlier that week, and Eddie’s own old paramour, Jordan, and what possible reason he could have for trying to contact Eddie out of the blue once again. They ended the day together in Eddie’s bed, which was how Steve had expected the next day to begin.
The day began with a few loud voices that probably thought they were being quiet. Steve knew these kids like the moles on the back of his hands, they were not quiet. They did not have the ability to be quiet. Most of them even thought loudly. He cracked his eye open and reached out for where Eddie should have been peacefully asleep, but was surprised to feel that the space was woefully empty. He patted around a little bit, hoping that Eddie would just materialize and go and quiet the kids for him, but to no luck. He sighed while sitting up and throwing his legs over the side of the bed. He slipped the pair of slippers that he knew made their home by Eddie’s desk since his feet got cold and Eddie was just kind like that to keep some slippers just for Steve. He picked up the black bathrobe that had been tossed over the back of Eddie’s desk chair last night and shrugged it on. Opting to hold the waist shut with his arms instead of using the tie he opened the cracked bedroom door and made his way out to the kitchen where all of the noise was coming from.
In the kitchen stood eight shocked and guilty faces while they stared at Steve who had just walked through the door.
“What is going on in here?” He asked, taking in the giant mess in the kitchen, only grateful that it wasn’t his own and he would not have to clean up any of the mess that had surely made home to every nook and cranny in Eddie’s kitchen. Dustin was surprisingly the first to speak up.
“You’re supposed to be asleep right now!” Steve was slightly taken aback by the words and put his hands on his hips, leveling Dustin with his best ‘Are you joking right now, mister?’ stare.
“For your information, I would be if you gremlins weren’t in here shouting. Now,” He turns to look at the rest of the group and levels them with the same stare, “Who is going to tell me what is going on.”
“It’s mothers day.” El said quietly from where she was fidgeting with a half of an orange that looked like it had all of the juice abused out of it. Steve cocked his head to the side in slight confusion.
“Okay? Don’t most of you have mothers to be celebrating right now?” He looked at the boys who only looked a little guilty. Eddie stepped behind Mike and shoved him forward, giving him a ‘Tell Him Now’ expression that Steve had taught him how to do.
“We wanted to celebrate our other mother first.” The words came out mumbled as Mike was staring down at the floor and speaking quietly.
“What?”
“We wanted to celebrate our other mother first.” Max spoke louder, she was always more proud than the rest of them. Steve just gave them another confused look that was meant to say ‘And, what’s that got to do with me?’
“We wanted to celebrate you.” Lucas said simply still attending to what looked and smelled like a pan of candied bacon. Steve nodded slowly, sort of understanding what they had been saying. He knew that they joked about him being like a mother to them, but that was only because he cared so much. He had no idea that any of those “Yes, Mom.” jokes had any bit of truth in them.
“So why don’t we get Momma Steve back in bed and then you can continue your plan.” Eddie speaks slowly and walks towards Steve to guide him back into “their” room. Steve follows silently, still processing the fact that somehow all of those kids managed to make it to Eddie’s apartment with what seemed to be a truckload of groceries that Steve was 100% sure were not in Eddie’s kitchen the night before. He knew that fridge was bare; he searched for cheese and found a single wilting onion and three cans in what used to be a 24 pack of Rhinelander Beer.
Eddie is also silent as he guides him back into “their” bed. Steve takes the robe off and settles it back into its place on top of the desk chair. He takes his own on the right side of the bed, away from the door. He curls up on top of the covers silently and stares at the wall opposite him. Eddie settles in his own place on the left and runs a hand through Steve’s hair.
“What’s wrong, Stevie?”
“I don’t get why they want to celebrate me of all people. Most of them still have moms or even mom figures that love them. So why are they all here?” His voice comes out flat and emotionless which Eddie knows by now means that Steve is experiencing quite a lot of emotions and doesn’t know which to let take the wheel yet.
“Well, they are only here for breakfast. I made them promise that they would go home because I knew that you would not be happy if they spent all day here with you.”
“You knew that they were planning this?”
“I helped. They wanted to show you that they care about you. That you mean a lot to them. It was Dustin that suggested that they do breakfast in bed for you for mother’s day. You know how those kids are. They get an idea and run with it until they can’t run anymore.” Steve smiles slightly at that, but doesn’t move his gaze from the wall.
“Do their mom’s know they are here?”
“Of course. Do you think I was just whisking children away with no notice? Most of their mothers were in on it too. Ms. Henderson sent some muffins and Mrs. Sinclair made sure that Lucas knew how to make that candied bacon of hers that you love. Joyce said she would be by later to pick up Will and would love to sit and have iced tea with you, like you like to do.”
“what about Mrs. Wheeler?” Steve asks softly and Eddie sighs.
“I don’t know if Mike talked to her. I told him to, but he was waiting outside alone when I came by to get him. Not even Nancy was out with him.” Steve stayed silent. “Come on. You and I both know that Mike’s relationship with his mother has been complicated.”
“He should be with her now.”
“What?”
“He should be with her. It shouldn’t matter how rocky their relationship is at the moment. Mother’s day is to celebrate your mom. No matter how shitty she is.” The words come out matter of factly and Eddie stares down at Steve.
“Then why are you here?”
“Huh?”
“Why are you here, Steve? You knew it was mother’s day today. You work retail. It is impossible to miss a holiday when you work retail. Your parents have been back for at least a week now. You could be at your home with your mother, on mothers day, but you’re here. You purposefully brought wine so that you would have some sort of an excuse to not drive home last night, even though you never need an excuse with me.”
“I-” Steve pauses and stares at Eddie meaningfully, “I don’t want to celebrate her. She has not done anything to make me want to celebrate mother’s day for her. She hasn’t done anything to make her a mother besides give birth, but there should be more to it than that.” Eddie goes back to petting Steve’s hair softly.
“And there is. You are a man, but you are also a mother. It doesn’t have to be more complicated than that. Now let those kids show you how much you mean to them. Then you can go and show the mothers in your life how much they mean to you.” Eddie stares down at Steve meaningfully and Steve smiles softly.
“I did get something for Claudia, Joyce, and Sue.”
“Yeah?”
“I just didn’t know if it would be weird or not, since I’m not related to any of them. I got them cards. It isn’t much.”
“I’m sure they will love it. Like you are going to love this breakfast. El was making fresh squeezed orange juice. She is so fast at it. She did them all at once with her mind. It was really cool.” Eddie goes on to tell them what each of the kids was getting up to while Steve cuddled into his side enjoying the now quiet morning.
If he decided to act surprised when the kids came in with a giant tray of food as well as cards and some handmade gifts that was just for them. Once breakfast had been eaten, cards read, and gifts unwrapped all of the kids piled onto the bed with Steve and Eddie curling around the both of them and settling down for some quiet time. Steve smiled over their kids' heads at Eddie who smiled back, running a hand over Erica’s back, who had fully fallen asleep, while Steve made sure that each of the other kids were comfortable and content.
“What do you want for father’s day, Eddie?”
“Oh no. I am not taking any credit for these munchkins. That was all you mama bear.”
“Well, papa bear, I think you need to do some thinking of your own then.”