Chapter Text
Stebbins is walking down Carolina Beach road with his hands shoved deep in his Letterman pockets, the road isn't busy at this time of day. A pickup drives past, tires hissing on the cracked pavement, and then it's quiet again except for the cicadas buzzing in the trees like the electrical wires.
The air smells like salt, pine, and old asphalt baking in the sun.
He checks the piece of paper that Patrick wrote the address down on, looking up at the numbers on the houses. He really should question how Patrick knows how to work the principle's computer to his advantage, so maybe he can change his algebra grades instead of creeping on someone. Well okay, he's not creeping on him, he's doing a wellness check, at least that's what he keeps telling himself.
But he knows exactly who taught Patrick to pick locks, it's the same kid who hot wires school buses for joyrides.
But anyway Stebbins is worried about Richard because he doesn't miss tutoring sessions, he doesn't forget anything, he still remembers Pete stealing his juice box in preschool, he also doesn't just vanish into thin air.
So that calls for a wellness check, at least Stebbins version of one.
Because Richard does everything in this town it appears, Stebbins gets called Superman, but in reality Richard is the towns Superman, he tutors half the school, knows where every class room is, he runs this odd ball coffee shop downtown inside what use to be a movie theater, he turned it into this western theme cafe well keeping the outside original. It doesn't make much sense for a coastal North Carolina town, but that makes it even more exciting to tourist and locals alike.
He hosts old movie nights every weekend, he has people vote via the paper, it's honestly a genius marketing move.
Speaking of newspapers, he stays late at school to help Pearson with the school paper, editing or just finding the pictures Barkovitch took that match the topic.
He's an overachiever, but he'd never admit that out loud.
Stebbins hates that he notices that little detail about Richie.
Stebbins slows his stride as the houses start to thin out, getting older, the lawns bigger than normal houses, said lawns aren't mowed, the porches are sagging.
Stebbins notices that someone has both Halloween and Christmas decorations out, even though it's spring.
He looks down at his piece of paper figuring he must be close, Stebbins takes a deep breath telling himself that he's only checking on Richard because he needs good grades to keep playing basketball.
Not because he cares or has a small crush on Richard.
But because basketball is his whole world, it's his chance to get into a good college and get out of this coastal town.
Still, his chest feels funny at the simple thought of Richard Harkness.
Then from across the street, a voice cuts through the silence.
"You stalking me Stebbins?"
Stebbins stops dead in his tracks, his head spins to the left.
Richard is lounging on the front porch like he's been there the whole time, he's got one converse halfway on, his right leg ends in a prosthetic foot, some childhood accident everyone has their tales about what actually happened.
Richard's got his old acoustic guitar that use to belong to Collie Parker, until Collie sold it to Richard at a yard sale because his parents were divorcing and he needed less stuff to travel back and forth from Arbor Bluff to Sioux Falls, the guitar is now resting in Richard's lap.
He's not even looking at Stebbins, he's looking at the guitar as he moves his fingers lazily over the strings. When he does finally lift his head, he gives that half smile of his, the one that makes it so hard to tell if he's joking or dead serious about something.
Stebbins exhales, it's sharp and loud. "What, God no. Um, I didn't see you at the library, and I got worried..."
He so wanted to smack himself to shut up, because who says that?
"What I meant to say was, you stood me up, you were suppose to help me with that Stephen King paper. But you never showed up."
That sorta sounds better, at least to Stebbins it did.
Richard hums remembering now, he strums a cord that rings a bit into the open air. "Right, Mrs. Warren book project on The Shinning, Stephen King was giving you brain fog. Which is fair honestly, I thought I called you, left you a voice mail saying something came up, also can I ask how you got my address?"
Stebbins froze, embarrassed by himself again, because his phone is dead in his gym locker, he looks down at his sneakers.
"Smith." Stebbins says sheepishly, rubbing the back of his neck.
Richard nods because that makes a perfect amount of sense.
"Ah yes, everyone's favorite lock smith."
"Yes he is," Stebbins starts to smile, just a little. "Don't worry I'll shred this when I get home, I promise I'm not a creep. I just got worried because you're always punctual..."
He steps off the curb without thinking, babbling about how much of an idiot he is, how he should remember to charge his Motorola, and that he didn't wait to long before he came looking for him, when a horn blasts loud enough to make him jump back onto the curb as a Trailblazer flies past, going way to fast for a residential neighborhood.
Richard just starts laughing at Stebbins.
"That was Mrs. Peters, she must be late for Pilates, but I give that a seven out of ten, you could have executed the form better."
He continues to laugh it's loud, and completely unfiltered, he gently puts the guitar on the step next to him as he leans forward, laughing like he watched a toddler get jump scared.
And Stebbins is just standing there, his heart pounding out of his chest, before he just bursts out laughing as well. Richard's laugh is very contagious, because it sneaks up on him, it cracks him open, leaving him bent forward with his hands on his knees, breathless and grinning despite himself.
"Clearly you've been hit in the head to many times," Richard says fondly.
Stebbins manages to flip him off for that comment alone, he then catches his breath before standing up straighter. He looks both ways before jogging across the street.
Closer to Richard now, Stebbins notices that he looks tired, but he doesn't look sick or hurt, just slightly worn down, he's got shadows under his eyes.
Which makes sense at the end of the day with how much he does everyday.
Stebbins tries not to stare as he sits down next to him.
So instead he brought up the weather, and how rainy it's been lately, and Richard tells him that it makes sense, he says something along the lines of April showers bring May flowers.
Richard brings up about how the cafe's gonna have a soda machine again in a couple days because Hank is fixing it after Art found new parts at a flea market, Richard loves buying used and or old models because even though it's been loved, it still deserves another chance.
He also brings up Pearson nearly missing another deadline because someone not naming names forgot to turn in his memory card.
Well he talks he strums soft like the guitar is a part of him.
Stebbins sits against the stairs railing, nodding along or adding his opinion, pretending everything is casual and that he didn't walk halfway across town because he was worried about Richard.
After Richard finishes talking, Stebbins coughs to clear his throat.
"Hey, here's a thought. Why don't I come in?" He shrugs like it's a genius idea. "You could help with my paper, I can buy takeout. That way you won't have to re-arrange your crazy life schedule to squeeze me in, because I wouldn't want you to do that for me."
Richard's fingers stop moving on the strings.
For a second, he doesn't say anything.
Then he just stops playing altogether, resting the guitar flat in his lap. "I don't think that's such a good idea," he says, way too quick. "Today, I mean. Like I said something's come up."
"Oh," Stebbins blinks. "Okay, anything I can do to help?"
Richard stands, slinging the guitar over his shoulder like he's doing everything but looking at Stebbins. "No, I'm okay, I've got it, beside the house is a mess right now."
Richard realizes how much this sounds like he's blowing him off, when in reality that's so far from the truth.
Stebbins suspicious of Richard just nods slowly, feeling the heat creeping up his neck.
"Right, I gotcha you," He forces a laugh that doesn't sound like it belongs to him. "It's no problem seriously, don't worry about it."
Stebbins starts walking down the stairs, hands shoved back into his Letterman, shoulders curling in on themselves.
He makes it about halfway down the porch steps when he hears Richard's voice over his shoulder.
"Wait a minute, Billy."
He stops, one foot on a lower step, he turns towards Richard waiting for whatever he has to say.
Richard is in the front doorway, he pushes his glasses back up on his nose, one hand on the door, he hesitates for a minute like he's thinking about it, his jaw tightening before he exhales.
"Come in," he says gesturing him over. "You should be the first one to find out about this."
Find out about what? Stebbins ponders what this could be, he turns around fully going up the steps and onto the porch.
Richard moves over for him so he can come in.
Stebbins takes off his Letterman putting it on the coat rack, kicking off his sneakers before following Richard deeper in the house.
It's warm, smells like fresh coffee, there's also something sweet in the air along with the Gain laundry detergent. It's honestly quieter than Stebbins thought it would be, it's dim in there the curtains half drawn to keep the afternoon glare out.
Richard moves carefully across the house his prosthetic foot is making this soft, uneven rhythm against the hardwood floors.
Stebbins notices this like everyone else does, but he doesn't say anything about it.
Richard then stops gesturing to the pack and play in the middle of the room. "So, um....this is my big dark secret."
Inside the pack and play, is a baby no older than six months old.
She's awake when she definitely shouldn't be, kicking her little legs around before attempting to shove her toes into her mouth, she's not succeeding and she's clearly frustrated about this, she has managed to kick one sock halfway off, her hair sticks up like she stuck her finger in a light socket.
It's clear someone braided her hair, but all her rolling around caused them to fall out.
Stebbins looks at Richard, and then her confused about what exactly this means.
"You have a little sister? I just thought you had a twin sister." he asks eventually, because his brain can't even fathom going there.
Richard snorts because he's heard that question a million times, it doesn't make it any less funny to him. "No, you can guess one more time."
Stebbins looks at the baby, then at Richard absolutely puzzled, he then looks at the baby again for good measure. "Okay I've got no clue," he says slowly. "Whose baby have you stolen then?"
Richard shifts his weight, pushing his glasses up again. "Nobody's, she's my kid."
The word sticks there like a sore thumb, it makes Stebbins stare at him just to make sure he's serious.
But Richard just looks at him with this serious look.
Stebbins opens his mouth to say something, anything, but nothing comes out, he opens his mouth to try again.
But still nothing comes out.
Until eventually.
"You...you have a kid?"
"For the past six months," Richard says. "Her name's Marge."
Marge hears her name and she let's out this delighted squeal as she finally manages to grab both her feet, she beams as she's triumphant in her mission.
Stebbins blinks, then, he very carefully asks, "Who's the other parent? Do I know them?"
Richard just nods, as he thinks about if he should tell Stebbins or not.
But he's found out this much already, so why not tell him the full truth.
"It's Barkovitch, her other parent is Barkovitch."
There's a considerably long pause.
Then Stebbins burst out laughing, at just the sheer idea of Richard Harkness and Gary Barkovitch.
"Gary Barkovitch?" he asks, voice cracking. "As in, the one who walks around like he's made out of concrete Barkovitch, wears sunglasses inside like a douche bag Barkovitch, thinks Sunglasses At Night was a staple of it's time Barkovitch?"
"Yep one in the same."
"The same Barkovitch who once got pissed at a vending machine for stealing his quarters?"
"That's him."
Stebbins bends over, hands resting on his thighs, he's laughing so hard that he has to suck in air through his teeth. "You've got to be kidding me, how do you of all people manage to knock up Gary Barkovitch of all people? That would be like Collie knocking up Pete."
Richard just shrugs it's all he can offer right now, he's completely helpless and slightly amused by explaining this whole situation.
"All I can say was it was an odd experience, it was both our first time, and we didn't know what we were doing, and well that has lead us to being the poster children for what not to do when it comes to sex."
Marge squeals again breaking the moment, she's kicking her legs again like she's riding an invisible bike, clearly thrilled at the noise caused by both Richard and Stebbins. Stebbins eventually straightens out, still grinning like a maniac.
He makes his way over to the pack and play crouching down to look at her through the mesh, he then pulls his keys out of his back pocket and shakes them gently where she can see them, and sees them she does, she watches the metal glint. She freezes with what she's doing, eyes going huge like saucers, then she let's out this delighted shriek and starts trying to reach for them.
"Oh my god," Stebbins softly, like he's afraid if he breathes to close to her, she'll explode. "You're so adorable."
Richard watches them, his expression loosens at watching the two. "Most people freak out when they find out I have a baby," he admits. "Or they ask if they should call someone or offer Hallmark level of advice."
Stebbins snorts at those images, but he can honestly believe people would do that.
"Yeah, no don't worry I'm not gonna start freaking out or telling you your insane or that you need Jesus. Because Art wouldn't even say that, she's awesome like you."
Richard laughs under his breath at that.
"If you're wondering me and Gary trade off, he gets one week, and then I get one week. It use to be longer because she needed to be with him those first few months, but now she's older and on a pretty water tight schedule she can go back and forth just fine. It was suppose to be his week, but his Meemaw's sick, real sick. So I agreed to take Marge for another week, that's why I couldn't make it, I was picking her up."
Stebbins nods like that makes perfect sense, he continues to shake the keys for the baby, still smiling as Marge reaches for him from the other side of the mesh.
"So why didn't you tell anyone about her?"
Richard leans his back against the wall, this smile coming across his face.
"We thought about this giant coming out party for the entire town, you know balloons, cake, and even a banner that says 'Surprise, we made a human.' like some sick science project."
Stebbins snorts so hard at that image, it causes Marge to jump, before she starts laughing with him.
"That's the worst idea ever."
"Yeah, now you see why didn't we say anything," Richard says. "It wasn't because we were ashamed of her but because we knew how some people would react. So we celebrated her in private, Gary had this baby shower thrown by his family in the Blue Ridge Mountain range, it reminded me of Alaska up there. She was born in Durham, at Duke University Hospital, because if she was born in Arbor Bluff her birth would have been in the papers."
Stebbins just listens to him, the room feels softer as Richard talks about this side of his life that he keeps hidden from everyone but Barkovitch of all people, as Stebbins listens to Richard he looks at Richard, really looks at him, his tired eyes, the careful way he talks. Just all these little things that he carries without telling anyone.
Richard eventually coughs to get Stebbins back to reality. "So," he says, nodding towards Marge as he speaks, who's currently trying to chew on the mesh. "You wanna hold her?"
Stebbins eventually ends up in this Lazy Boy by the window, trying to figure out how to sit correctly for this, because how do you? He watches as Richard disappears into the kitchen.
He comes back a few seconds later with his backpack, he digs around in it before producing a tiny bottle of hand sanitizer.
"Here use this first," he says. "Germs and everything, Gary would absolutely not want your werid jock germs on our child."
Stebbins squints at him, trying so hard not to laugh because that's such a parent thing to say.
"He's a reporter, he's around my jock germs all the time."
Richard pauses at this.
"Okay that's a fair point, but still...please? The worst she's had is the sniffles, and I don't want her first time getting sick for real be this week."
Stebbins at that takes the hand sanitizer from him, he pops the cap putting some in his hands before he starts rubbing it into his skin like he's preparing for open heart surgery, his fingers are slick and cold, he's way nervous about this it's causing his heart to beat way too fast in his chest.
Richard once he's satisfied with Stebbins hand washing goes over and gently picks up Marge from her pack and play. She's calm in his hold, blinking softly at him, thumb drifting towards her mouth and completely missing, well her other hand reaches for his glasses.
Richard carefully hands her over, Stebbins makes this sound that can only be described as this laugh and gasp, it's like a mixture of both.
"Oh," he breathes out. "Oh hi there."
Marge immediately settles against his chest like she's always belonged there, she's like a little furnace, and Stebbins can feel her little heart beating in her chest, her tiny hand closes around his shirt like she probably does with Barkovitch when she nurses.
She's so fierce and determined just like her dads, maybe a little more.
Stebbins doesn't move an inch, because he's convinced if he does, she'll shatter like a porcelain vase.
Richard sits on the arm of the Lazy Boy, close enough that his knee almost touches the other boys, he watches them quietly, one hand resting on the back of the chair, glasses reflecting the sunlight.
His expression is soft in a way Stebbins has never gotten to see before.
"You're a little to good at this."
Stebbins swallows at that, babies always had a soft spot for him, during any family reunion if there was a screaming baby, he'd just gently pick it up and hum Metallica to calm it down.
Always did the trick.
"Don't tell anyone, it's my secret super power."
Marge yawns it's long and slightly dramatic, then she wiggles for a bit before pushing her head against his chest, Stebbins looks down at her and then at Richard.
There's something unspoken between them that's coming to light at this moment, but neither of them say anything about it, neither of them has to right now.
Because for right now, everything feels exactly where it's suppose to be.