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“Oh my,” Joyce gasped as she stared down at the stick of temperature in her hand—a whopping thirty-eight Celsius from her baby’s tongue.
“Does this mean I can’t go to–” Will fastly said, pausing a bit to suck in a breath. “–school, mommy?”
Joyce stares down at her little boy with pursed lips and an expression crumbling into something terribly soft.
She wished Will didn’t have to miss his fourth day of kindergarten, especially since he had made such a close friend on his first day. It was all his boy could seem to talk about as of late; his best friend Mike, Karen’s little alpha pup with a beaming smile that could match the sun. Joyce had been so excited when Will had been so lonely.
Her heart aches a little when she nods, running her fingers through Will’s smooth chestnut hair. “Unfortunately, sweetheart.”
“But I don’t feel sick,” Will insisted even if he let out a little cough afterwards.
Joyce tutted, turning over to squeeze the wet towel onto her bucket to spread it over Will’s forehead. “I know, you are very strong. But you don’t want to give Mike the bad bacteria too, don’t you?”
It made her pup pout, but ultimately lower his head in defeat, pressing his tiger plushie closer to his cheek. “…We were s’posed to play Space Monkeys on the playground today.”
Joyce huffs out a sound that was remarkably similar to an aw, but before she could muster up a response—Jonathan appeared in front of the entryway with his backpack strapped and attire fixed. “I’m ready,” he announced monotonously, only for his brows to tighten when he witnessed his younger brother’s state. “Hey, what’s wrong, bud?”
“Will’s caught the flu, baby,” Joyce told him. “He won’t be coming to school today.”
“Oh,” Jonathan lets out. “That’s okay, you won’t miss much.”
Will grumbled, turning his full back on him. It makes Joyce chuckle in amusement, still patting him gently by the hair. “How about this? You join me at the grocery store later and you can pick out a toy for you and Jonathan.”
“Mom,” Jonathan said, even though he was blushing. “I’m going to be late.”
The suggestion made her smallest pup’s mouth twitch.
Of course, Joyce noticed, her smile widening. “You’d like that?”
A small halt of silence. Then, a nod.
“Yeah, you’d like that,” Joyce teased, poking him in the side even as Will pretended to be upset by the way he tried to weakly swat away her fingers. “I’ll be back, okay?”
As she lifted herself up and gathered her keys that sat in Will’s lamp-stand, Jonathan gave his brother a toothy wave goodbye the moment Joyce made it to his side. “Bye, Will!”
“Bye…” he murmured.
But before Joyce had closed that door, she hadn’t missed the way her little boy’s legs would happily flail underneath the sheets as bursts of giggles escaped his lips.
Joyce had paced in the waiting room for hours by now, alongside the Wheelers, Jonathan, Hopper, and the rest of Will’s and Mike's pack after news got out that Will had officially gone into labor. A nine-hour-long labor.
Joyce had been anxious, to say the least.
Although Will’s pregnancy journey had been what you can consider normal—or very healthy according to Owen’s, deeming the group effort of lifestyle advice and gifts they’ve all put into her son these past months—Joyce couldn’t help her frayed nerves. She had packed pain medication, neck pillows, and all of Will’s favorite snacks in one large suitcase last night and had caused Hopper to go back and forth in their hotel room as to whether or not she’d add tea and herbal supplements to it.
It was just earlier than anyone could expect. Joyce always assumed that Jonathan would be the first one to give her a grandchild, not her Will who was only in his third year in college. Joyce was far from the kind to judge, even if she thought the situation was less than ideal and Hopper had thrown a full-blown fit at the discovery. But then again, her boy wasn’t anything like her.
Aside from the government hush money that is more than enough to settle a lifetime, Ted and Karen were fairly secure enough to provide for their needs. And unlike Joyce, Will had already found his soulmate at the age of five years old. Mike—
Whom, as of right now, had finally yanked the door to their room open, revealing himself to look absolutely disheveled.
His hair was a mess that his curls were all tangled, the bags under his eyes grew especially prominent, and Joyce could’ve almost sworn that his fingers looked a little crooked. Still, the essence of pure joy emitting from him was more than obvious.
“Only groups of five can come in for now,” Mike said with a weak but radiant smile.
“Sure, man,” Lucas said, grinning back. “How’s Will?”
“Exhausted,” Mike turned back to look at his omega with fondness. “But more than fine. He can’t wait for all of you to meet her.”
It was immediately yet silently agreed upon that the Byers-Hoppers aside from El and Karen and Ted to enter first. With the atmospheric scent of antiseptic and the clinical room that was somehow cozy with the large window across that sprouted out rays of morning sun; Joyce was finally able to witness her little boy lying in the hospital bed with half-lidded eyes and a serene smile.
“My goodness,” Karen gushes as she and Ted rush forward to the glass cradle. Mike followed to pick their pup and cradle her in his arms. “That’s her.”
“Little Clera,” Mike declared softly. “She’s got her mama’s eyes.”
“And her father’s lips,” Ted stated, hovering with his hands twitching in his sides. “Give it time. I think she’s going to have your chin.”
“Oh,” Karen cooed, clutching her chest. “She’s darling. Oh, you did so well, Will.”
Joyce’s pup lets out a small chuckle at that. Joyce could notice that Will’s hair was even more of a mess and he was looking a little pale, which is what prompted her to scramble to her bag to fish for a warm pack and tea with hot water in a flask.
“Hey, bud,” Jonathan greeted as he settled to the side of his little brother’s bed. “How are you feeling?”
“Like I could win against Vecna in an arm wrestle,” Will rasped. It made Jonathan laugh quietly.
“Try not to speak that into existence, kiddo,” Hopper huffed good-naturedly.
“And try not to strain too much,” Joyce fussed, offering Will his cup, which he accepted gratefully, taking an instant long sip from his mug. “You’re looking a little pale, baby.”
“Well, of course, Joyce,” Hopper said. “The kid had just given birth.”
“Congratulations,” the midwife exclaimed as she offered her pup and huddled him against her chest. “It’s a boy!”
“I know that,” she sniffed, still taking out her warm pack to press it to Will’s forehead despite his giggles.
Joyce looked down at her pup. Closed eyes and chubby fists, face blown red from wailing and she could feel tears threatening to spill.
Mike had rounded his way to Will and pressed a gentle kiss on the top of his head, murmuring; “Do you want to hold her?”
“Yes, please,” Will whispered, fixing his IV so that Mike could position Clera against his chest.
“What’s the fussy little guy’s name?” the midwife had asked.
Joyce could only continue to stare in awe, all exhaustion fading away as if it never existed the moment she laid her eyes on the babe that put on barely any weight in her arms. Already with small strings of brown hair and bright hazel eyes that could light up a thousand stars.
“Mmm,” her pup snivel.
Lonnie couldn’t be bothered to stand by her side during labor, let alone be there when she went over.
“Hi, Clera,” Will cooed, his pinkie wrapped around his pup’s fist. The babe thrashed a bit, letting out small whimpers despite keeping her grip powerful on Will’s finger. “Look who’s here, sweetie.”
But nothing could compare to the thousand feelings that made her heart burst and her eyes shone. Her ball of light that she had cherished and carried for nine months, and love for all eternity to come.
“William,” she said.
“My Will.”
“It’s Grandma Joyce with Uncle Jonathan and Grandpa Jim.” Will said, taking his baby’s small hand for a wave.
The older omega couldn’t have possibly stopped the choked out noise that was punched out of her.
And before she knew it, Will’s smile fell as he gazed at her in concern. “…Mom?”
She hadn’t even realized when tears started streaming down her cheeks and a grin that stretched ear to ear.