Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

“So that’s it?”

Jason looked at the woman he thought he could call his wife, the woman who was now standing in front of the courtroom, shrugging on her coat.

“That’s it, Jason. It’s over. Everything has been filed. We’re divorced.” She sniffs, indifferent. “I’ll send Thomas and CJ over to get whatever’s left at the house.” She turns, leaving him standing there.

That was it. Seven years down the drain. He couldn’t have expected her finding a new man, someone who caught her heart like he did so many years ago. He needs to sit down.

A hand tugs at his suit, Jason looking to the left. He moves his arm, pushing his hair back to look at blue eyes, so much like his, stare back at him.

“Daddy?”

Jason doesn’t sniff, isn’t crying. He’s just empty right now. But he clears his throat from the thickness that dared settled there to pull his son into his lap. The six year old lays his head on Jason’s chest. His ex-wife didn’t want him either. Said she wanted to start over entirely, gave all rights of their son to Jason.

His son.

“Yes, Peter?”

Peter clings to him, dressed in a smaller suit similar to his. He had to sit there through the entire proceeding, listening to everything that was said. “Why does mommy not want me?”

Jason rubs his hand down the boy’s back. He still smells of the lemon shampoo he was washed in. His hair combed and tucked neat on his scalp. “She doesn’t have the time to take care of you. Her heart isn’t big enough anymore. Don’t worry, daddy’s here.”

Peter frowns. “Why does mommy not love me?”

“She does. But she thinks I’ll be able to love you more.”

Peter is silent for a while. The boy raises his head to look up at Jason. Jason wipes away the tears threatening to fall down his cheeks.

“I miss her.”

“Me too, Peter. But there’s nothing we can do. The divorce was final.”

Peter sniffs loud, Jason pulling out a tissue from the box that was right next to him on the small table and hands it to him.

“Blow.”

Peter blows hard into the tissue, Jason wiping his face and tossing it in the nearby trash. It was real convenient.

Jason doesn’t move until Peter had calmed down, getting up and holding his son’s hand. Jason had driven his ex-wife to the court, but it seems she had taken a bus back. He straps his son into his booster seat, then drives home.

Everything was left in his name. The house, the car, a majority of the money. Even child support was arranged, only up until Peter was old enough to start middle school. Nothing more. It wasn’t as if Jason was in need of cash, but children got costly and Jason needed the extra cash just in case. All she got was her stuff back, a few thousand in the bank, and the freedom from having to care for a child.

He looks at Peter in the backseat, the boy playing with an etch-a-sketch.

A boy needs his mother. Anyone who could watch him. Jason was attentive, but he wasn’t that attentive. He knows the risks, leaving his son alone without someone to properly discipline him. It could get bad.

“Peter.”

“Yes, daddy?” Peter doesn’t look up from his toy, turning the knobs this way and that.

“Would you like to come with daddy to work? Until we find you a new mommy?”

Peter looks up at him. “A new mommy?”

He nods, even though he knows that he’s probably taking it too fast. They just got out of the courtroom, Peter just lost his mom.

But Jason needs someone to help him. That’s what makes a family. One father, one mother, and their children. He can’t do this alone.

Jason starts to speak once more. “Someone who can help me take care of you, love you as much as I do.”

Peter stares at him, Jason glancing at him with the rear view mirror between watching the road. He was close to their neighbourhood anyways, and the roads were considerably empty.

“I don’t know,” Peter eventually says. Jason simply nods, pulling into their street.

“I understand. Until then, you and me are gonna have fun together, okay?”

Peter gives him a shy smile.

“Okay daddy.”

His coworkers cooed over Peter in the weeks following the divorce. Jason kept him busy with a backpack of toys, Peter staying in the break room during his shifts.

“Why don’t you hire a babysitter? It makes way more sense to hire a babysitter.” Steve asks him one day while Jason was wiping down the sticky countertop. Someone had spilled the vanilla syrup all over it, and as manager Jason had to make sure the shop was clean. There was a lull in business, leaving time for Jason to putter around.

Jason shrugs. “I prefer keeping Peter where I can see him. He’s not bothering anyone is he.”

Steve lines up the syrup bottles on its designated shelf, the vanilla one now clean from any drippings. “He’s a sweet kid. So no babysitter? I mean, if you’re just having trouble I-”

Jason turns his head to his fellow barista, offering a smile. “I have it covered, Harrington, I promise. He’s got toys to keep him busy, and he does homework with me at home. It’s only a temporary setup until I can find someone I can trust to stay at home with him. I’d rather not have some stranger in my house with my son, do you understand?”

Steve stares at him, then smiles. “Oh, so you just need someone you know to watch him.”

“I-”

Steve barrels on, Jason sighing and letting the older man speak. “I know someone who can watch Peter over the week. We used to go to high school with him.”

“Him? Harrington, as much as I appreciate the offer-”

“He takes care of Frey and Fern all the time when I can’t. Here, lemme just-” Steve grabs a piece of paper from his notepad, scribbing a number down. He shoves it down the front pocket of Jason’s apron, patting it twice. “If you ever think about it.”

Jason sighs again. “Thank you, Harrington.”

Steve smiles and goes back to organising everything. Jason turns and scrubs at the stain, wiping his hand across the surface to make sure it was clean.

It takes him a few tries before he’s satisfied, dumping the used rag into a bin to toss into the sink later. Steve was chatting up some customers, ringing up their orders as he goes. Jason figures he has time to check up on Peter, sneaking behind Steve to head to the break room.

Peter was right where he left him, building a tower of blocks. He looks up at his father.

“Hi daddy!”

“Hi Peter. What’re you doing?”

Peter holds up his tower. “I’m making a lighthouse! Lighthouses help guide ships in the dark!”

Jason hums, staying right at the door. “That’s great, Peter. Are you hungry? Thirsty? Remember, the stuff are-”

“Right in the fridge. I know daddy!” Peter rolls his eyes, letting out a small laugh. Jason smiles and nods, shutting the break room and going back out. Steve repeats one of the orders for Jason without looking up from where he was steaming some milk, Jason grabbing the appropriate cup.

Time flies by, and soon it was time for Jason to clock out. He takes his apron off, shaking it once before hanging it up on its designated hook.

“Come on Peter, we’re going home now! Clean up!” Jason says loudly.

Peter looks up from the table, whining. “But daddy I’m not done yet!”

“Well daddy’s shift is over, which means we have to go home now. Come on, I’ll help you clean up.” Jason walks over to the table, zipping open Peter’s backpack and grabbing the scattered blocks, dumping them back in the bag. He sweeps his hand across the table, the lighthouse dropping into the bag with a clatter.

Peter freaks out. Jason halts, eyes wide as Peter screams out, roughly grabbing at the backpack. Jason yanks his hand away with a confused scowl. Peter’s face was getting red, yelling ‘no’ over and over again, reaching forward to try to grab at his backpack again.

“Peter!” Jason says. “You’re causing a scene!”

“Daddy I’m not done!” Peter yells out, reaching for his bag again. Jason holds it away from his son, grabbing his arm with his other.

“Peter please, you are causing a scene. Come on, you can play more when we’re home.” He pulls Peter’s arm to urge him out of the chair, but Peter remains steadfast. The boy’s hair was shaking  wildly, brown curls flying this way and that.

The door swings open, Steve poking his head in. “Is everything okay in here?” Steve asks, but the answer is clear as day. Steve’s mouth drops open in understanding, the man walking in and approaching Peter, waving Jason to stand back as he kneels down in front of the boy.

“Hey, Peter? What’s wrong buddy?” Steve asks, drowned out slightly by the screams of a six year old boy.

Jason takes a backstage to the tantrum, Steve talking to him quietly. Peter can’t even answer, only pointing towards Jason with a sniffle. Steve doesn’t even turn his head to look at him, only reaching into his pocket and handing Peter a tissue.

Peter eventually collects himself enough to talk. “My lighthouse…”

Even though Steve hasn’t even seen what Peter was referring to, he nods as if he understands what Peter was so upset about.

“You want to keep playing, right?”

“Yeah…”

“There there buddy. Your daddy just needs to get home, and so do you, and you don’t want to leave your lighthouse up here, do you?”

“No…”

“See? So your daddy over there just wants to make sure you don’t leave it behind. He’s not doing it to be mean to you,” Steve says.

Peter pouts. “But I’m not done playing.”

“Playing is so much fun, isn’t it? Makes you want to play forever and ever. But sometimes we have to stop playing for a little bit. Do you want to go play at home, with all the rest of your toys?”

Peter is quiet for a bit. Nods in agreement.

“Then go and follow your dad so he can take you home, say hi to all your toys at home. They must miss you.”

Steve was so good with children, Jason thinks. Knows how to handle them. Why he chose to work as a barista instead of taking care of children Jason hasn’t a clue.

Steve stands up, Peter hopping down from his chair and walking over to Jason.

“I’m sorry daddy,” Peter says.

Jason accepts the apology. Mouths a thank you to Steve as well, Steve saluting with two fingers and returning back to work.

It takes a few weeks for Jason to crack. Between shifts he’s been looking for girls on Tinder, but nobody has been a match. Nobody wants a man with a kid in tow.

Peter has thrown more tantrums than he’s ever seen before, mostly about the most menial of things that Jason couldn’t understand. One moment it was about the food he was served, another moment it was over his PJs for the night. It was tiring.

Jason grabs a stirrer from the cup, stirring in the sugar for his morning tea. Perks of being a barista: Free drinks.

Steve pops in through the front door, waving at a departing car.

“Morning Harrington,” Jason greets.

“Morning Jason!” Steve greets back, walking through the small gate separating the front from the back.

“You’re chipper this morning.”

Steve smiles. “Well, woke up to some good-”

“Aaand stopping you right there. It is 6:30 in the morning and I do not need to know what you do in the privacy of your home.”

Steve snickers. He glances towards the break room. “Is Peter back there?”

“No. My parents came down to watch him this morning.” Jason takes a sip of his tea. It’s cooled down just enough to not burn his tongue. “How’s your kids?”

Steve beams, going on a spiel about his children as he goes to the back to grab his apron. Jason is half listening, but listening all the same.

After a while, he asks Steve a question while the other man was turning on the open sign. “Harrington? I have a question.”

Steve rotates his fist near his ear like he was turning a key. “Ears on and open, Jas. What’s up?”

Jason glances at the currently empty street. “I- I know you raise your kids with your roommate, and I know your youngest is around my son’s age. How do you do it, Harrington?”

Steve walks over to the serving counter, stepping behind it once more only to lean against the wall counter. There’s an odd glint in his eye, but it disappears before Jason could pinpoint why. “Well, support from others is always a plus. Peter’s a sweet kid though, are you having problems with him?”

“He’s never been so… irritated, I suppose the word is. He’s in a fuss about anything and everything lately. I think the fact his mom isn’t around anymore has finally sunk in, or I’m doing something wrong. He apologises after like I’ve taught him, and he comes to church every Sunday, but he’s gotten fussier than before. I don’t understand.” Jason clings to his cup of tea. “I haven’t done anything different with him, and he’s far past the age of diapers and babbling. He’s six, he should be able to behave for himself.”

Steve tilts his head. “Sounds rough. He’s six though, kids that age can get fussy all the time. They have opinions. Big opinions.” Steve chuckles. “And they’re sure their opinion is right. And they have tantrums too, it’s normal.”

“But I’ve never seen him have as many as he does now,” Jason says, confused.

“That’s because his mom handled it,” Steve says. “You didn’t. So you didn’t see the half of it. And now you have to see all of it. Don’t you remember being six?”

Jason has vague ideas, but that was so long ago. He only answers in a small shrug.

“Well, six year olds are still learning, and he just went through a big change in his life. He’s gonna test you, Jason.” Steve walks over to the cash register as the bell chimes. “Welcome in!” He chirps, the man just grunting in reply.

Jason sighs, putting on his professional face and getting to work with preparing the orders as more people slowly filter in. Steve’s words still linger in the back of his mind as he goes through the motions. Peter’s just having a hard time, that’s all. Nothing that Jason was doing wrong. He was being a good dad.

Jason reaches in his pocket to grab a pen, his fingers brushing against a piece of paper. He pulls it out, unfolding it and looking at the scrawled chicken scratch of a phone number.

Oh, right. The babysitter.

Jason glances at Steve, who was waving at a little girl held in the arms of her mother.

Steve was good with kids. There was no way he could have possibly led him astray with this potential babysitter. He could try it out, see if it works.

He’ll find a girlfriend soon and then won’t have to worry about Peter anymore, he just knows it.

“Peter, I need to talk to you.”

Peter looks up from the floor, in the middle of pushing a Thomas the Tank Engine along the wooden tracks. His father looks up as well from the chair he had settled himself down in, nodding his head in greeting.

“Afternoon, Jason,” He greets Jason politely.

Jason smiles and nods back. “Good afternoon, dad. How was he?”

“Behaved very well for me. We already gave him breakfast and lunch. Your mother stepped out to get you groceries, you can’t be sitting around with an empty fridge with a growing boy Jason.” His dad tuts.

“Thank you dad. Peter, come here.” He goes to pick Peter up, the boy going easily with him. He heads to the boy’s room, not exactly keen on talking in front of his dad.

“What wrong daddy?” Peter asks as Jason sets him down on his bed, sitting down next to him.

“Nothing’s wrong. I just want to let you know that someone will be coming over tomorrow and I don’t want you to be alarmed.”

“Is it a new mommy?” Peter asks. Jason shakes his head.

“Not yet. An old friend of mines will be coming to watch you from now on, okay? So you don’t have to worry about having to stay in the back alone anymore.”

Peter’s face crunches in confusion. “But I like coming with you daddy,” He says.

Jason smiles. “Well did you have fun with grandma and grandpa?”

Peter nods.

“Then you’ll like this babysitter even more.”

“Daddy, do you even know who is coming over?” Peter questions.

Jason, with the confidence of a man who knows nothing, answers with a proud, “I do not! But Harrington would not give me a bad reference. He said I used to go to school with him. I’m sure it can’t be terrible.”

Peter stares at his dad like he is being silly. Jason thinks he’s being very serious. “Okay daddy.”

“Good. You are released, go and play. I need a shower.” Jason gets up.

Peter giggles loudly. “Daddy is stinky! Go! Go shower!”

The next day, Steve texts him that the new babysitter was coming over later and not to freak out.

Jason raises an eyebrow at the second half of the message.

The doorbell rings.

“I’ll get it!” Peter shouts out, running towards the door. Jason intercepts him, scooping him up. He holds Peter on his hip when he goes to open the door.

Jason’s grip only tightens when he comes face to face with Eddie Munson.

Eddie smiles, waving.

“Hey, Steve said-”

Jason slams the door shut.

Chapter Text

There was no way. That couldn’t possibly be Eddie Munson in front of his house.

Jason didn’t even know Eddie was around town still. Sure, he hasn’t been keeping track of every person he ever knew, but surely he would have known if that metalhead freak was still in town. He figured Eddie would have gone for darker pastures, coalescing with other sinners of his kind.

Eddie knocks on the door again, Peter peering over his shoulder.

“Daddy, aren’t you gonna get that?”

“Peter, how about you go play in your room for a little bit.” Jason sets his son down, nudging him away from the door. Peter walks away, thank goodness, Jason taking a deep breath before turning around again. Opening the door, Eddie was still standing there, hand raised as if prepared to knock again.

He looks… different. It was still Eddie, donned in a black leather jacket over a red plaid shirt, a silver chained collar pin on the lapels of the jacket. A shoulder bag was slung across his chest, more pins decorating it amongst patches of things Jason doesn’t know. The pins were at the very least more recognisable, his eyes focusing in on the blue striped flag that sat at chest height. There was a plush bat attached to where the strap met the top of his shoulder. His hair was tied out of his face, but a curl remained hanging to the side.

But he looked less like the massive annoyance Jason remembered.

Eddie smiles, bowing dramatically. “Well how do you do, Carver. Haven’t been raptured I see. They skip you?”

Jason scowls. “Munson. What are you doing here? Are you lost,” Jason asks perhaps a little sharper than he intended to start with.

Eddie laughs, loud and brave. “Lost? No, no no. I got the right address. You were the one who texted me it. I checked twice.” He pulls an android out of his pocket, waving it.

Jason blinks. His mouth hangs open in shock. “Wait. Are you the-?”

“Babysitter that Steve ever so graciously offered his services without asking me first, absolutely.” Eddie opens his arms, nodding his head in a bow. “May I come in, or is Hawkins High’s basketball captain too afraid to let ol’ Munson into his American Dream Barbie dollhouse?”

Jason sputters, but steps aside. Eddie walks in, looking around and shoving his hands in his pocket. “Nice digs, Carver. Totally what I expected from you. Now, before I do anything we need to talk. Face to face.” He kicks off his shoes, Jason silently noting the sneakers were clearly scribbled on. Eddie walks in as if he knew the place, Jason shutting the door and following after. Eddie finds the kitchen easily, sitting down on one of the stools that lined the kitchen island.

“First of all, you got any rules I need to follow? Steve always makes sure I don’t let the twins get ahold of the tablet after 8.” Eddie spins back and forth, hand gripping the seat between his legs, his feet perched on the footrest.

Jason raises a finger. “First of all, how are you a babysitter? Never expected someone like you to be…” Jason trails off. He knows Eddie’s good with kids, or at least good with freshman. Jason was not deaf, he’s heard Eddie’s grandiose tabletop speeches. Saw him approaching kids and try to drag them down to the dark side all the time.

Eddie shrugs in reply. “Life’s strange, don’t you think, Carver? Course, it came naturally. After herding so many sheep into my flock it came to no one’s surprise when a few lambs were being born. And it’s I, their shepherd, to care for them.” Eddie wiggles his fingers.

Jason narrows his eyes slightly, Eddie still swaying. “Besides, it is a side job. Stevie boy pays me well to play with his kids. Spreads the good word for me. Bet yours is way more behaved than his.”

Jason merely hums. “And people… trust you?”

“5 stars all around, Carver. So, what’s the plan here? I’m sure you need to be heading to work soon, so lay down the basics.”

Jason looks at him with caution. “Don’t go corrupting my son. This is a Christian household, none of your…” Jason glare at him. “Unholy thralls.”

“Oh, never! What kind of man do you take me for?” Eddie rests a hand over his chest, grinning. “Only the hymns and Hozier in these four walls, I promise. Anything else?”

Jason continues on, laying down what he figured Eddie would at least need to know. He wasn’t allowed to go into his room, keeping to the main area, Peter’s room, or the bathroom in the hall. Nowhere else. Lunch was in the fridge, and Peter was to be put down for a nap at 4.

Eddie had pulled out a notepad from his bag during his instructional talk, the paper black and using a white crayon. Why Eddie couldn’t be normal Jason doesn’t know, but he chose to keep his mouth shut.

By the time he was done, he was well on his way to being late, so he heads out after calling out to Peter he was leaving and to keep an eye on the house.

Jason arrives at the coffee shop 5 minutes before his shift, waving at his co-worker for the afternoon and slipping his apron on.

When Jason arrived home, he expected the house to be a mess.

Sue him, he knows Eddie’s type. No loudmouth could possibly understand the sanctity of a neat home.

But he stands corrected when he walks in through the front door. There wasn’t a speck out of place, and he could hear giggling from somewhere in the house.

Faintly, he hears Eddie’s voice. “Oh, sounds like the king has returned from his long journey! Onwards, my fair knight!”

There was a pattering of footsteps, Peter rushing around the corner. “Daddy!” The boy shrieks, Jason kneeling down to let Peter crash into him with a hug.

“Hey Peter. Did you have fun?”

Peter nods, Eddie arriving a few moments later. His jacket was gone, leaving him in just the shirt.

“There’s daddy. Peter had a lot of fun with me,” Eddie says.

Peter nods again, opening his mouth and regaling the past few hours to Jason. Jason stands up, Peter trailing off with his hands clinging to Jason’s pant leg.

“Thanks. How much do I owe you?” Jason begins to reach for his pocket.

Eddie waves him off with a smile. “First night’s free. Once you got a schedule on when you want me here just text me, mm?” He kneels down, saluting. “I’ll see you soon, Peter. Keep protecting the kingdom, got it?”

Peter pouts. “Are you leaving already?”

“’Fraid so, kiddo. Don’t fret, you’ll see more of me. I’m sure Carver can’t get enough of me.” Eddie winks at Jason teasingly, standing up once more. The man turns around, walking into the kitchen where he takes his jacket and bag that was hanging over a chair, slinging the bag over his shoulder and the jacket over his arm. He walks past Jason with one last salute for the elder Carver before heading out of the house and down to a beat up truck with decals pasted all over its side and in the windows.

Peter peeks out of the door, waving to Eddie as he climbs in. Jason keeps a hand on his son’s head to keep him from rushing out after Eddie.

Once Eddie was gone, Jason shuts the door. Peter tugs on his shirt.

“Daddy, when will Eddie come back?”

“Daddy’s gotta think about it, okay? Did you eat lunch?”

Peter nods proudly. “I ate all of the sandwiches! All of them! And Eddie showed me how to eat sunflower seeds!”

Jason raises an eyebrow. “Did he now.”

Peter nods even harder. “He’s good at eating sunflower seeds. He cracks them in his mouth, daddy! Like a baseball player!”

Jason didn’t have sunflower seeds in his house. “That’s nice Peter. Did you clean up your room?”

“Uhh… No. But that’s because Eddie was playing king with me! I was the knight and he was the big and scary dragon!” He giggles. “But Eddie wasn’t scary at all! He’s silly, daddy!”

Jason thinks he is. Scary because he’s dangerous. He’s nothing like Jason likes.

But Peter likes him. He hasn’t seen Peter this happy in…

Jason kneels down. “Go clean your room for daddy, okay? And afterwards we can do homework-”

“That’s okay daddy, Eddie helped me! He’s so smart.”

Jason pauses, Peter already walking away.

Eddie helped him with homework?

Jason stands there. He supposes it would make sense to, Jason never stopped Peter from doing homework on his own before.

But doing homework together was their activity.

He slips his shoes off and heads to his room, passing Peter’s on the way. The door was cracked open, Peter dutifully setting his toys back into the brightly coloured toy box. He was still smiling even though there was nobody to see him.

Jason walks past to his room. He sits on the bed, peeling off his shirt and pants, tossing them into the laundry basket. Makes sure to remove his phone and keys from his pocket. The last time he forgot, spent far too long trying to dig in the laundry for them the next morning when he had the morning shift. The moment his home clothes were on, he flops backwards on the king sized bed. Jason takes up the entire thing with how he’s spread.

Peter had fun. That was the main thing he could pull out of this. Peter had fun. Even if it was with his arch nemesis.

Or, ex-arch nemesis. It’s been several years, high school was so long ago. To hold onto a grudge this long after not seeing each other for years was petty at best. Maybe Eddie was better, saw the light.

Jason cringes. Judging by his clothes and truck, there was no way. Eddie was doomed. There was no saving him. But, he took care of kids. Peter was happy. Peter had fun.

Eddie couldn’t have been that bad. Peter even asked for him to come back. Peter never did the same with Jason’s parents. Just waved goodbye to them and went back to doing whatever he was just interrupted from doing.

Jason rolls over, face full of bedsheets that smelled like his cologne. Eddie’s face filters in his head, the way he said ‘daddy’ in that sinful tone. The thought of Eddie with his hair tied back and that leather jacket draped over his arm, eyes full of mirth as he saluted Jason.

Jason freezes.

No.

Oh.

No.

Jason groans loud, muffled by his bed.

This couldn’t possibly be happening. There was no way.

There was no way.

There was a ping, Jason blindly grabbing for his phone.

He lifts his head, staring at the message notification. He unlocks his phone.

Eddie had sent him a photo, Eddie smiling into the camera, Peter in the background holding up a half eaten sandwich with a smile just as bright. Between them was a napkin, the shells of sunflower seeds piled on top.

Below, Eddie had written ‘Thanks for letting me babysit, sunshine!’

Jason is silent. Was it getting hot in here?

… He must be coming down with something.

When Eddie came over two days later, Jason handed him a sheet of paper and 20 dollars. Eddie raises an eyebrow, that smile never leaving his face. Infuriating, really.

“My schedule for the next week, and your down payment. You get the rest when I get home with my son in one piece,” Jason explains. “On the back are the rules.”

Eddie flips the paper around, looking over the neat handwriting briefly. “Sweet. I’ll revise the schedule for you to look over Carver. Got other protege to be looking after after all~”

“Whatever you say. I’ve got to go now.” Jason turns just as Peter comes rushing out of his room.

“You came back!”

“There’s my little knight!” Eddie chirps back.

Jason looks back, giving Peter a smile. “Behave for Eddie, okay Peter?”

“Okay daddy! Bye bye!”

“Bye, Peter.”

“Bye Carver,” Eddie says with a smirk.

Jason is silent for a beat, but gives him a nod in return, Eddie smiling even wider. He shuts the door behind him, heading to his car.

Steve greets him when he walks through the door. “Morning, Jason!”

“Good morning Harrington.”

Steve slides over a cup of tea for him, Jason thanking him and taking a sniff of it. Butterfly tea.

“We get a new import?”

“Yessir. Already got it put away too.” Steve leans on the counter. “So? How’s Peter?”

Jason takes a sip of the tea before answering. It’s brewed to perfection, not too strong. “He’s doing well. He was excited for Munson to come over.”

Steve perks up. “So you did hire him. He’s pretty good, isn’t he? He sends pictures if you ask him. I know you want to keep an eye on Peter.” Steve goes digging in his pocket, pulling out his phone. He opens the photo app, turning it around to show Jason. There was a whole album of Eddie with Steve’s kids. Most of them were just of the Harrington kids, but occasionally Eddie’s head was taking up part of it, always smiling like nothing else. Steve puts his phone away before Jason could soak it in too much.

“How much do you pay him?” He asks.

“Like 20 an hour. Sometimes more if he takes the kids out.” Steve shrugs. “But Eddie’s easy with payments. You won’t kill him if you pay him less than minimum wage.”

Jason walks behind Steve, tossing his empty cup away. “What does Munson even do?”

“Uhhh….” Steve stares at the ceiling, holding up his fingers. That’s enough for Jason to be a little concerned. “He apprentices at that tattoo shop down by the Starbucks on 24th, he plays gigs Friday nights with his band-”

“He still does that?”

“Yep. Still does. Dustin says he’s doing better but no break yet. Whatever that means. He also has an online shop according to baby Wheeler, but the guy refuses to let up on what it’s called. Says I won’t like what it’s got, which rude. I can too like what its got! I think.” Steve puts his hand on his hips, his fingers still extended. “Oh, and the babysitting gig. Obviously. So Eddie’s a busy man.”

Jason hums. He didn’t know that. Though he definitely thinks he should have heard of him then if he’s supposedly been around.

“And he has time for all that?”

“Somehow. Don’t think Eddie maintains the shop, he just has it.” Steve shrugs. “Doing better than us, don’cha think? If you’re so curious, ask the man himself!” He laughs.

Jason huffs. “Well, it’s simply a matter of a background check. I can’t just have a hooligan be near my son-”

“You still think Eddie’s that bad?”

Jason looks at Steve, Steve staring back with a face that spelt protection.

“You knew how he was.” Jason says instead.

Steve straightens up. “Dude, it’s been like. A decade. Ed’s different now. The same guy, but different. Aren’t you?”

“You know how he is.”

“I do. I’ve known him between graduation and now. He’s not as dangerous as you keep thinking he is.”

Jason knows that, but.

But Eddie was Eddie. He represented everything that Jason stood against in life. Was it really his fault for remembering?

Steve rolls his eyes. “Eddie’s willing to play nice, so you do too. Come on, you told me that Peter was happier. If nothing else do it for him.”

Jason sighs. “Fine.”

Steve preens, just as the door swings open. Both men swing around, customer service smiles in place.

“Welcome in!”

Jason does not, in fact, ask the man himself for another month. However, the longer it went on the more Peter was excited for Eddie to come over. Jason gets it, Eddie’s only role with Peter was to play with him. He was fun. Eddie didn’t have to do any form of actual parenting with the boy.

It was true even now, Peter explaining to his dad about what he wanted to do when Eddie got to the house. Jason pins a grocery list to the fridge as Peter rambled on, the boy stopping besides his dad.

“What’s that?” He asks.

“Grocery list for when I get back.”

Peter leans up on his toes, even though the list was far higher than Peter was. “Can I have chocolates?”

“You know sugar will rot your teeth.”

The boy whines. “But I want chocolate.”

“Peter, enough. No chocolate.”

Peter stomps his foot. “Eddie would let me have a chocolate!”

“Well Eddie isn’t here is he. And he shouldn’t be letting you have one.”

“You’re mean, daddy.”

“I am just being rational.” Jason kneels down. “Tell you what, no more whining and I’ll get you some peach rings.”

Peter gasps. “For realsies?”

“For real. Now go wait on the couch until your babysitter gets here.”

Peter grins, hugging Jason before walking as fast as his little legs could take him without being scolded for running in the house to the couch. Jason stands up, scribbling down peach rings at the very bottom before leaving the house. Eddie shows up on the dot, although two more doors open than usual.

Jason raises his eyebrow at the new bodies now in his driveway, Eddie climbing out last.

“Afternoon, Carver. I hope you don’t mind if I brought the twins with me. Steve needed the day to himself.” He points at the two children, the girl waving at Jason.

“Hi Mr. Carver!” Fern greets.

“Hello Frey, Fern.” Jason greets back. “Where are his other kids?”

Eddie approaches the house, Frey clinging to his jacket shyly. “Tilly’s at the dentist, and Robin Jr. was foisted off to Robin the Original. Now if Your Highness will excuse me, I have children to keep alive. Have fun at work darling,” He teasingly says, winking at him of all things before herding the twins into the Carver household.

Jason blinks, staring at his now closed front door. His mouth hangs open as his brain feebly processes what Eddie just said.

“D-Darling?!”

Chapter Text

Jason spends the entire work period ruminating.

It was just a nickname. Just a silly old nickname that meant nothing, Eddie was just like that, right?

No. Not towards him. He wasn’t someone that Eddie could lay those tracks down for, if not out of remarks that made Jason almost want to break commandment.

Jason groans, just quiet enough not to seem like he was in distress to a room full of customers.

He whips up a coffee with enough pumps of vanilla to kill a man, sending it over to the counter. It was more syrup than coffee at that stage, but he wasn’t the one chugging it down like the waters of the desert. More of a tea guy if anything.

The front door chimes, Jason greeting whoever came in without looking.

Of course, the voice that greeted back was all too familiar. Jason turns around, Eddie smiling and wiggling his fingers at him. Peter was at his side, one hand in Eddie’s other hand, and the other being held by Frey. Fern was nowhere to be seen.

“Munson.”

“Carver.” Eddie nods his head. “Peter here wanted to visit you at your charming little workplace. Who was I to deny a young knight’s simple request?”

“Is that so?” Jason looks at his son, smiling as the boy approached the register.

“Hi daddy!”

“Hi Peter. It’s only been an hour since I left, did you miss me that much?”

Peter nods, then points to Eddie. “Eddie wanted to see you too! He said that he’s never seen you in your work uniform before and I said that he can go see you right now because you’re at work!”

Jason looks back up at Eddie, who was a little pinker in the cheeks.

“Why?”

Eddie, bless him, recovers easily. “Well, I’ve never been. Usually get my coffee from a Starbucks. But this is quite a nice shop you got here Carver.” He leans in, smiling. “Oh, excuse me. Manager.”

Peter giggles.

“Well that’s nice. But daddy’s working, so if you don’t need anything then-”

“Actually, Carver, since we’re here, we’re definitely at least ordering something. Isn’t that right, kids?”

Peter excitedly nods, leaning up on the counter. “Daddy, can I have the lemon tea? Please? Please?”

“Oh alright.” He types it into the register’s screen. “What else?”

Eddie hums low and long, looking at the menu that was pasted behind Jason. “Such options we have here, I fear I may not be able to choose! Oh great and ever so powerful Frey the Peaceful, how ever shall I choose?”

Frey looked up at Eddie, then at Jason. He starts waving his hands about. Jason blinks.

“Excuse me?”

Frey merely continues waving and moving his hand about, Eddie nodding as if he was understanding what the young boy was doing.

“Ah, splendid choice. Carver, one black coffee please.”

Frey and Peter both burst into giggles. Fern returns from wherever she had departed, planting herself firmly on the counter space. Her feet dangles in the air, Eddie lowering her back on the ground.

“Hi Mr. Carver. I want a cake pop. The blue one.”

Jason shuts his mouth from where it tried to hang, his attention still on Eddie. “All that for a black coffee?”

Eddie nods with a self satisfied grin. “What, did you expect something extravagant?”

“Daaaaaaddy.”

Jason stirs awake to Peter patting at his face.

“What time ‘s it…” Jason mumbles. There was a soft scraping noise.

Peter speaks up again. “It is… 6 o’clock!”

“Peter, my child. Why in the bright heavens are you awake?” Jason cracks open an eye, Peter’s face a mere inch away from his. Jason had to scoot back, Peter only leaning in more.

“Daddy, can I have some waffles?”

“Peter, it is 6. Bit early for breakfast.”

Peter leans in until their noses touched. Jason can smell the sweet scent of children’s toothpaste on his breath, which meant Peter at least brushed his teeth before approaching him.

“Daddy. I want waffles. Please.”

Jason rolls over, Peter whining. The bed dips slightly, Peter kneeling on the bed and shaking Jason’s shoulder with as much strength a six year could possess.

“Daddy. Please. I’m asking nicely. Waffles.” Peter keeps on shaking him.

Jason yanks his arm from where it was pinned underneath him, pulling Peter over. Peter squeals, Jason hugging him tight.

“Daddy! Let go!” Peter wriggles in his grasp, but Jason holds on tight to his son. “Daddy!”

Jason shuts his eyes again, ignoring his son’s fruitless attempts at escaping his grasp. Peter eventually gives up, sulking lightly. “Daddy, I asked nicely.”

“And I’m tired, Peter. Ask me again in an hour.”

“But that’s so long…” Peter whines.

Jason says nothing in return, drifting back to dreamland in no time.

When he wakes up precisely an hour later, Peter was fast asleep again, snuggled up to him.

He carefully scoops him up, climbing out of bed and heading to the bathroom. Peter stirs awake in between, lifting his head with a yawn.

“Waffles now?”

Jason rolls his eyes, depositing Peter on the sink. “After I use the bathroom.”

“Mmm, ‘kay daddy.” Peter rubs his eyes, sitting patiently on the sink as Jason brushed his teeth. He sent Peter out of the room to use the toilet, washing his hand afterwards. Peter was waiting for him right outside the door.

“Now?”

“Go wait at the table, I’ll put on some Eggos.”

Peter cheers all the way down the hall. “Waffles! Waffles! Waffles!”

Peter was humming the tune of the Wheels on the Bus over and over again as they walked through the park together, Jason holding onto the strap of the animal backpack he made Peter wear.

“Is that a Jason Carver and kin in the wilds? Oh my stars!”

Jason looks over, Eddie waving at him from where he was sitting on a picnic blanket. There was a girl sitting on his lap, more busy with whatever she had in her hand than Jason.

Peter looks up waving back. “Hi Eddie!”

Jason walks over to the man, the child finally looking up. It the youngest Harrington, Tilly.

“Oh, hi Tilly. Where’s your dad?”

Tilly merely holds up the small legless Barbie doll she was holding. “Say hi to Barbie too.”

“I don’t think that’s-”

“Hi Barbie!” Peter cheerily greets.

Tilly nods, satisfied and tucking the Barbie back between her legs. Eddie’s hands pulls up the girl’s hair, tying it in a bun.

“Fancy seeing you out here, Jason. What’s the occasion?”

“I don’t need an occasion. What are you doing with Harrington’s daughter?”

“Babysitting, what else?” Eddie pats Tilly on the top of her head, the girl swatting at his hand without looking up. “The twins are playing on the playground over there.” He points to the west, Jason following his finger to the playground a short walk away.

Tilly looks up, pointing at Peter’s animal backpack. “Why are you a dog?”

“I’m not a dog! Daddy says I have to stay close to him because the park is big,” Peter says proudly.

“You’re a dog,” Tilly repeats. “Your backpack is a dog.”

Peter tries to look at the bag, spinning around in circles. Jason grabs his shoulders and forces him still. “Peter stop that.”

“Daddy, is my backpack a dog?”

Jason nods. Peter has seen the backpack before many times. Peter knows it is a brown dog.

Peter turns back to Tilly. “How come you don’t need one?”

“Because little girls do not need it,” Tilly says with her chest puffed proudly. “Daddy says I am built different than boys.”

Peter spins around again to Jason. “Daddy how come Tilly doesn’t need one?”

“Tilly just doesn’t have one, Peter. That’s all. Her daddy didn’t get her one.”

“Oh, okay!” Peter spins yet again. Jason holds the leash up higher to make sure Peter didn’t tangle himself. “Your daddy should get you one. Then we can match.”

“Okay.” She taps Eddie on the arm. “I want a green one.”

“Ah, alas my dear garden faery, that is something you have to ask your dad.”

Tilly pouts, turning around to face Eddie head on. “He’s not here.”

“Then you’ll have to wait.”

Tilly pouts harder, knocking her head against Eddie’s. Jason hisses through his teeth at the sound of their skulls connecting, Eddie dramatically falling back, taking Tilly with him.

“Oh, mercy! Mercy! I have been defeated! Won’t a knight come and save me?”

Peter raises his arm up. “I will!” He rushes forward, only to flop on top, Eddie letting out a pathetic wheeze.

Jason is quick to cover his mouth, a stray snort slipping past his lips.

Eddie gasps, shoving two six year olds aside to stare at Jason. “Is that a laugh I hear?” There was a twinkle in his eyes, sitting up much to chagrin of two six year olds slipping off his body. “Did I hear the Jason Carver laugh? Without mockery? Oh, pinch me Matilda, for I must be dreaming!”

Tilly reaches up and pinches him in the neck, Eddie yelping as the raw strength of a child squeezes her way in. “Not that hard, Tilly!”

Tilly does not apologise.

Peter at the very least pats Eddie where Tilly pinched him in some form of an apology.

“Oh thank you kind knight.”

Peter beams, getting up and sitting next to Eddie. Tilly remains spread out all over the man, Eddie wrapping his arms around her.

The clouds move past the sun, and for whatever reason it decided to shine its sunlight right on Eddie. There’s glitter in the guy’s hair, actual glitter.

And.

Well.

Jason gulps, and tugs on Peter’s backpack lead. “Come on Peter, don’t you want to go play on the playground?”

Peter perks up, scrambling over to his dad. Jason gives a quick wave to Eddie before he speed walks away. If his son picked up on it he certainly doesn’t say anything about it, taking large steps as if it were a game.

Jason lets him slip off the backpack once they were close to the playground, Peter rushing straight to the swings.

“Look daddy, I’m flying!” He shouts as he barely lifts off of the ground.

Jason gives Peter a thumbs up. “Great job, son!”

“I have a question.”

“Ears on and loaded,” Steve says, scrubbing at a stain in the break room. Someone on the last shift had thrown something on the wall, leaving the mess to the next shift. It was a real pain, and Jason was going to watch the security camera after he ate.

Jason twirls his fork in his fried rice. “How do you know if… If you swing the other way.”

Steve freezes.

“Run that by me again?”

“I fear I might have to go to confession. But I need to be sure. How do you know if you’re… you know.” Jason looks at Steve’s back. Steve does a slow turn towards him, face confused. Yet, there was something else intertwined in it, something like pity.

“Who is it?” He asks.

Jason is silent.

Steve nods as if he already understood. “Oh. I get it.” Steve tosses the rag into a bucket and slides into one of the chairs. “Well, the first thing that’d make it obvious would be you find them pretty. Not just aesthetically pretty, but like you can feel your heart  racing kind of pretty. Like imagine them smiling and now you want to keep watching them smile, you know? That means you love them.” Steve drums his fingers on the table. “Your eyes focus  on them more than anything, and… And you think about them. A lot. A lot a lot.”

“Ah. Thank you, Harrington. But I know what love feels like.”

“No problem. Imagine that, but with someone who shares your gender. That’s it.” Steve slaps the table. “Now, what are you gonna do about your crush on Eddie?”

Jason is taken aback.“What? I didn’t-”

Steve laughs. “Jas, dude. Bro. You’re talking to the romance connoisseur right here!” He slaps his chest. Jason doesn’t think he is but what does he know. Steve continues. “I can see it in your eyes.”

“My eyes?” Jason’s eyes widen.

Steve winks, which. Don’t know why he did that. “Your eyes.” Steve’s eyes narrow. “That, and Tilly learns from the worse; her filter isn’t sealed tight at all.”

Ah.

That makes more sense.

Steve slides his hand across the table towards Jason. “I know you’re like. A month into being a single man again, but the heart wants what it wants.”

“But he’s a boy,” Jason mutters, his voice wavering just a little bit.

“So? I’m pretty sure Chrissy’s a girl and she macks on my best friend like, all the time. In front of me. She makes eye contact with me Jason. Eye contact.”

Jason pats his still extended hand in a meager attempt to comfort him. He has no idea where Steve is going with this.

Steve in fact just stands and goes back to cleaning the wall, leaving Jason to his misery and no more answers than what he came in with.

He groans loud, head slamming into the table.

There was only one thing to do.

He stares at the most current quiz he ran through, the answer clear as day. It was the same regardless of what quiz he answered. Even the one ‘What kind of drink are you?’ quiz he took more as a joke gave him a fruit smoothie.

Jason really needed to go to confession later. He felt weird about all of this.

But, strangely enough, also a little happy. Eddie knew his son, and Eddie could take care of his son. It was a win win kind of deal. At least, he thinks so.

Jason figured out where Eddie apprenticed at after a normal amount of window shopping without the actual shopping part.

The owner of the tattoo shop, a woman with her arms covered in tattoos, gives him a smile and lets him through even though Jason wasn’t here for a tattoo. He couldn’t do that to himself.

Eddie sure was surprised when he showed up out of the blue. He wasn’t doing anything in particular, only wiping down an empty chair. “Carver? What are you doing here?” He gives a dramatic gasp. “No, it can’t be… Are you here for a tattoo?”

“No. No. No tattoos.” Jason raises a hand up, Eddie deflating.

“Well then what are you here for, huh?” Eddie leans on the chair, tilting his head.

“I need to speak with you. Privately.”

Eddie looks around, then points at himself. “Me?”

“Yes, you. Come on.” Jason turns and walks towards the back, Eddie following after. Once they were in a secluded spot, Jason turns around.

Eddie stands there, dressed in a simple black shirt and jeans that have seen better days. His hair was tied away from his face, and there was a smudge of ink on the bridge of his nose.

He tilts his head.

“Carver? Jason?”

Jason stares at him some more. Squints at him.

Eddie copies him, slower and confused. “Um.”

Jason shrugs. “You’ll do.”

He grabs Eddie’s face and plants a fat one on him.

Eddie squeaks.

Jason pulls back, wiping his mouth. Thinks about it for a second. Kisses him again. Leans back with a thoughtful expression.

“Huh. Harrington was right.”

Eddie is growing redder by the second. He lets out another squeak.

“You got a pen?”

Eddie blindly pats at his pocket, pulling out a pen and handing it over. Jason takes Eddie’s hand and scribbles an address on it. Pats it. “Tomorrow at 6. I’m paying. Thank you.”

He turns and walks away, leaving Eddie there. He doesn’t look back even once.

“Peter, I have good news for you!”

Peter looks up from his building blocks.

“I got you a new mommy!”

“You did? Is she nice?”

“Well, that’s the other part. You remember Eddie?”

“Yes?” Peter says, his tone amused. “He comes and plays castle with me daddy!”

“Well I’ve decided that your new mommy is actually a man. And that man is, despite all better judgement, Eddie.”

“… Eddie’s gonna be my new mommy?”

Jason nods. “If he agrees to it. Now, I know mommy’s are not usually men, but I suppose the Lord can forgive me and make an exception just this once. I promised you a new mom. Eddie’s close enough. You can have an extra dad.”

Peter just giggles. “That’s silly, daddy!”

“Now go get wash your hands, I’m making chicken nuggets.”

“Yay!” Peter dashes off, Jason sitting down on the couch. He’s got a plan, he just-

The phone rings. Jason picks up, answering it.

“Carver residence.”

“Jason. Quick question, uh- Why did Eddie just text me that you came into his workplace and kissed him. Not only kiss him, no, but invite him out of a date. A date, Jason. This is going a little quickly, don’t you think?”

“Harrington, I can explain.”

“Uh huh, says the man who walked into a business, looked at one of their workers, said ‘You’ll do’ like some deranged kidnapper, kissed him not once but twice, and then wrote on his hand to invite him out on a date. A date, Jason. You kissed him and then invited him out on a date. Jason.”

“Did you call me to complain?”

“Yes. Absolutely.”

Jason sighs. “You must understand now Harrington that I’m not fit for single parenting if I want Peter to be happy, and Munson has been doing well with Peter. Peter is happy with him. I won’t have to go out and check with any new girl I take home if she’d get along with Peter. He can stand a few dates.”

There was a loud groan on the other end of the line. Jason can imagine Steve pinching the bridge of his nose.

“Harrington, please. It’s not that bad. Aren’t you a fan of romance?”

“I am, but still! There’s an order to this!”

Jason laughs a little. He can imagine Steve on the other end, pacing around as he talked to him. A few seconds later, Steve begins to crack up as well.

“Right, well. Good luck then Jason. Now if you’ll excuse me, I have to go drag Eddie out of my bathroom.”

“Wait, he’s in your house?”

“How else do you think I found out? Ciao.” Steve hangs up.

Jason lets out another snort, shoving his phone in his pocket, getting up.

Peter pops back out from the bathroom, staring Jason down. “Daddy, are my nuggets done yet? I washed my hands!” He held up his hands proudly.

“Just about to. Come on.”

Peter cheers, heading into the kitchen, Jason following behind and grabbing the bag of chicken nugget. It’s nearly empty.

“You sure eat a lot of chicken nuggets.” He also pulls out a bag of broccoli, Peter cheering even louder.

“Dinosaur food!”

Jason rolls his eyes, turning on the stove and tossing some broccoli in a pan.

Chapter Text

Eddie had showed up on time. That was good. Jason smiles at him, Eddie sitting across from him. He looks around. “Nice place.”

“Thank you, Munson. Now, I’ve already ordered drinks. You’re alright with water, right?”

Eddie just waves a hand at him, his eyes still on the surroundings he has found himself in. To be fair it was indeed quite a fancy restaurant, but it wasn’t that fancy. Jason only had figured he needed to at least woo Eddie a little bit, make it not feel so weird.

Though, he probably made it weird. Really weird.

Jason doesn’t stop Eddie, merely looking over the menu. He knew what he wanted, but it would be weird to stare at Eddie the entire time.

Eventually Eddie speaks up. “What kind of trick are you pulling here, Carver? Because I swear if you’re just pulling a prank on me I’m not going to be happy.”

“Prank? No. I am not the prank type.” Jason shakes his head. “In the past month I have figured something out.”

Eddie slowly blinks. He waves his hand in front of him. “Get on with it.”

Jason clears his throat, looking Eddie in the eyes. Proper eye contact was good for communication. “For proper rearing of a child, it is usually done by a mother and a father. As you know, Peter’s mom left us.”

Eddie is silent, though his face betrayed his thoughts. He knew, Jason knows.

Jason continues on. “And as much as I wish to be able to raise Peter on my own, I cannot do that and ensure he grows up proper. That is where you come in. As his babysitter he is well acquainted with you. It wouldn’t be a leap if you could also be a secondary parent to him.”

Eddie blinks twice in rapid succession, his mouth moving without a sound emitting from his lips. Jason waits for him to respond, patient.

Finally, Eddie manages to get a few words out. “Wait- Hold on- So you want… me to be…” Eddie trails off, Jason nodding.

“That’s the plan. However I understand that it is proper to at least woo you. So that is what I’m doing.” He gestures to the table. “Wooing you.”

“Okay, so back up here.” Eddie waves his hands. “Is this just for Peter? Because I can’t accept this if you’re just gonna do this for Peter. I mean, I love Peter, he’s a great kid, but I can’t just- I can help you with him without all-” Eddie wildly waves his hands around, reigning them in only when a waiter passes by their table. He starts swinging the moment the area was clear again. “All of this! Do you even-”

“I have thought long and hard about it as well, and I am willing to give it a chance. I have talked to Harrington-”

Eddie groans, rolling his eyes. “Oh I know you talked to Harrington. I know. He told me everything. It’s just-” Eddie scrubs his hand over his face, resting his forehead between his thumb and forefinger. “I don’t want to be dragged along just because you don’t want to be a single father, Jason.”

“I’m not dragging you along. I have accepted you as the most acceptable partner that I know will be nice. And I have taken multiple quizzes about my sexuality so there is nothing wrong.”

“You what.” Eddie drags his hand down his face one last time, his hand covering the lower half of his face now. “Jason, please tell me you didn’t take the quizzes from-”

“Buzzfeed is very informative.”

“Of course you did.” Eddie face plants onto the table.

“What’s wrong?”

“Look, Jason. You’re an okay guy. Within standard beauty regulations of the common man. But we need to take this slow. And you need to be sure this is what you want. This can’t just be some decision you make like it’s nothing.” Eddie shakes his head. He was still laying on the table.

Jason frowns. “I have made my decision. And my decision is you.”

“Are you even sure you swing that way?”

“Yes, positive. Harrington had told you about his talk with me. Plus, I kissed you willingly. It was oddly delightful. I’ve never kissed a man before you. I’m not stupid Munson.” Jason holds up the menu. “You like the brownies with the ice cream, right? We’ll get a plate of that after we eat.”

“… Chocolate brownie with ice cream sounds pretty good,” Eddie mutters, a small smile appearing on his face.

Jason asks Eddie on a second date a week after today. Eddie accepts, although definitely hesitant. Jason didn’t mind at all. As long as he got what he wanted.

He returns home, Peter playing with Steve in the living room. The boy looks up, perking up when he sees Jason. “Daddy! Hi! Look, I’m making a shop!”

Steve looks up as well. Raises an eyebrow in a silent questioning. Jason knows what Steve was trying to ask.

Jason merely smiles. “It went good. He was hesitant but I got through to him!”

Steve snorts. “Uh huh, alright. You’re lucky I was willing to watch Peter this evening.”

“I oversee your schedule, I know you weren’t busy at this time,” Jason responds.

Steve merely shrugs. He knows full well that that is true.

There’s a pair of footsteps, the twins appearing from the kitchen. They were both holding half of an orange they likely took from the fruit bowl.

“Hi Mr. Carver!” Fern greets, flopping down to sit next to her dad. Frey waves as well, popping a slice into his mouth.

“Hello twins.”

Another pair of footsteps appear.

“And Tilly.”

Tilly does not greet him, only taking one look at him. She sits down on Steve’s lap. Jason waits a second for Steve’s eldest, but the child is nowhere to be seen. “No Robin Jr?”

“Taking a nap with my roommate instead, you know how it is.”

Peter walks up to his dad, holding up a plastic bell pepper. “Please buy now.”

Jason takes the toy, walks over to Steve, and puts it on Steve’s head instead of playing pretend with his son. Steve shakes his head, the bell pepper flying off. Tilly squeals, getting up to go retrieve it. She doesn’t stop running, Peter gasping and chasing after her.

“Thief!” He shouts, Tilly cackling madly.

Jason leaves them be to get changed out of his date clothes. Returns to the twins laying side by side as Tilly and Peter sat on them. Peter was holding a plastic asparagus, rowing it back and forth. The boat was still eating oranges.

“Row faster!”

“I’m trying my best, woman!”

Steve snorts. Jason sits down besides him, sighing.

“You know, Jason. I don’t know how you managed to get dates back then,” Steve speaks up, eyes still watching the children. “Though… You only ever had two, haven’t you? There was Chrissy, and then your ex-wife…” Steve’s eyes narrow, lips pursed. He turns to Jason with a bounce. “Okay seriously how.”

Jason thinks about it for a little bit. He supposes it was less his idea and more his parents, back when his mom and dad had ideas about what would make good wives. They were half right. “My parents introduced me to them, and then we took it from there. That’s all.”

“Ah. No wonder you’re like that.”

Jason looks at him, saying, “I have dignity, unlike someone on this couch. I’m not the one who hopped from one girl to the next like a frog during mating season.”

Steve shoves him. Jason shoves him back.

“Daddy, no fighting!” Peter says, still rowing as hard as his little arms could go.

Jason ignores his son as Steve pounces upon him with a laugh. Sure, they were adults and meant to be good role models for the children, all of which were watching them, but Jason was a proud man.

And Steve wasn’t known for winning fights.

Eddie sips at the cup of black coffee, Jason puttering around the house. Peter was resting on his lap, tuckered out from lunch. It’s been a week and a half after Jason kissed him on the lips, Eddie finally having come around after many, many talks.

For one, Jason had to go slower. Much slower. Eddie was adamant that Jason wasn’t trying to get a ring on him by the third date. He’d held up his hands, decorated entirely with rings and told him so. Jason understood.

Still, he stayed. Still came around to babysit, still went on the many dates Jason kept inviting him to.

So it had to mean something.

“You gonna slow down anytime soon, Carver? I thought this was s’pposed to be a hang out.” Eddie watches him walk back and forth with the feather duster.

“It is! But I’ve been putting off cleaning lately. Really, I don’t know how my mother kept this up. I can figure out the dishes and the laundry, but all this? Man.” He reaches up on his tippy toes to get to the altar shelf, careful not to knock anything over.

Eddie watches him in silence. He sets down his coffee in a cup holder. Carefully, he peels Peter off from his lap, replacing his lap with a pillow and getting up. Eddie disappears for a second, then returns with a stepping stool, setting it besides Jason.

Jason looks at him, then the stool. Eddie only points to it. He walks away, the sound of doors opens and shutting. Jason pauses his sweeping, Eddie returning with a broom. He stares at Jason.

Raises an eyebrow with a smile. Eddie starts to sweep.

Jason gets the idea. Nods his head in thanks and gets up on the stool. It made the task of dusting much easier, Eddie humming behind him.

They get it all done relatively quickly, Eddie raising his hand up for a  high five for success.

Jason stares at him.

Eddie grins. His hand hasn’t lowered.

Jason gives him what he wanted with a thunderous smack, Eddie cheering and shaking his hand out.

“Man, you’re strong,” Eddie hisses out.

“You’re just bad at high fives,” Jason answers.

Eddie snorts, rolling his eyes. He sits down on the couch where Peter was still napping. The moment his butt hit the cushion Peter wakes up, whining.

“Oh, sorry Peter.”

Peter pouts, rubbing his eyes. He looks down at the pillow beneath him, then up at Eddie.

“It’s okay.” Peter pats him on the leg, then lays back down. He went back to sleep in an instant.

“Such a sleepy little boy. Were you ever a sleepy kid at home, Carver?” Eddie asks.

Jason shakes his head. “Never. My parents would have a fit if I was lazy.” He looks Eddie over, smirking. “I bet you were.”

“Ah, well…” Eddie scratches his chin. He laughs. “I mean, kids are usually lazy.” He leans back, tucking his hands behind his head. “I remember just laying outside in the yard all day, taking up all the sunlight. Like a plant. Wayne had to drag me inside and lather me in sunscreen so many times because I would refuse to come inside.”

“You didn’t fear being sunburnt?” He gestures to his pasty skin.

Eddie laughs. “I was a kid. We’d think ourselves invincible.” He looks over, pointing to a book on the shelf. “Like the Lost Boys. Never to grow up.”

Jason goes over to the book, taking it off the shelf. It was well used, well loved. “You know, I named my son after this book.”

“Oh? And here I assumed you named him after Jesus’ disciple, preacher boy.”

“That too, but a little bit after this. It was a good book, though my parents found the whole flying and believing thing a little too fantastical. Though angels do the same thing so they got over it eventually.” He looks at Eddie. “You could be Captain Hook. You have the mischief and the hair down. Real villainous aura to you too. But… I suppose sillier than expected.”

Eddie looks positively tickled pink, leaning forward, looking through his lashes. “Oh, me?” He crooks a finger, growling. “Well shiver me timbers.”

The man leans back, thinking. “What does that make you then, Jason? I think you’d make a fine crocodile. Green, baby!” Eddie extends his arms, pretending to snap.

Jason puts the book back in its position. “Your cowardice really does make you a good Hook.”

Eddie winks at him in response. “Ah, running away is always an option. No sane man would stay for the bite of a ‘dile.”

Jason hums, sitting down besides him. Peter stirs awake again, then crawls over to sit on his lap. Peter holds onto him, staring at Eddie. He points to him, changing the topic as kids often do with no build up.

“Eddie, when are you marrying my dad?”

Eddie sputters. “Excuse me?”

“Peter!” Jason looks down at his son. “Hush!”

Peter simply continues onwards, bouncing up and down. “You keep saying later, but it’s later now! And you like my dad! Your face is red!”

Eddie cups both of his cheeks with his hands. They were only a light healthy shade of pink. “Nuh uh!”

“Yes huh!” Peter leans in closer, poking Eddie on the nose. Jason takes his hand and pulls it away from Eddie. “And daddy likes you too! He even got you a gift!”

Jason slaps his hand over Peter’s mouth. “Peter. Shush.”

Peter huffs behind Jason’s hand.

“What’s this about a gift, Carver?” Eddie asks.

Ah, of course he’d ask that.

“You heard nothing,” Jason says.

Eddie grins. “Come on, Carver. I desire to see the gift that Your Highness wishes to bestow upon me.”

Jason deposits Peter on the couch. “Fine, I’ll get it for you.” He gets up and heads into his bedroom, kneeling down. He pulls out a box from underneath his bed, wrapped in a simple beeswax cloth. Jason brings it outside, holding the box out to Eddie.

“Oh, for me?” Eddie flutters his eyes, hand on his sternum. Jason tossing the box onto his lap. Eddie peels it open, revealing a normal cardboard box. Eddie tilts his head curiously, opening it. His eyes widen.

“No. You didn’t.” Eddie lifts up the box within the box. “Carver! Do you know what this is?!”

Jason nods since he was the one to have bought it. It would be weird if he didn’t.

Eddie jumps up, bouncing up and down. “There is no way. No way! This is like- How did you even get ahold of this? This is expensive, man! It’s like a thousand dollars just for one of these!”

“I have my ways. Thought you might like it. I was going to give it to you when you agreed to my proposal as my boyfriend for real – or a birthday gift I haven’t exactly decided yet – but Peter here took that from me.”

Peter hides his giggles behind his hands. Eddie was spinning in circles now, clutching the box close to him. Suddenly Jason feels a hand grab the back of his head, and lips meeting his.

Eddie pulls back, still high on dopamine, and whoops right in Jason’s face.

“So is this a yes?”

“Ahhh, what the hell. Sure, I’ll be your boyfriend. Can’t be spoiling me this silly if you’re not serious.” He gently shakes the figurine box that was sandwiched between him and Jason.

Jason doesn’t move away, Eddie still cradling his head. “I was serious this entire time, Munson.”

“And yet I still get last named,” Eddie sighs out. His breath smells of coffee and a faint hint of peppermint gum.

Jason merely leans in, placing another kiss on Eddie’s lips.

Steve popped a party popper in Jason’s hair as soon as the man was close enough to target.

“Congrats.”

Jason was confused, going straight to the trash bin to swipe the colourful paper out of his hair. “What for?”

“Well, considering I got a call at 11 at night to Eddie freaking out about you… The fact you managed to somehow speed run a boyfriend and succeed.” Steve tosses the empty popper in the bin from where he stood. “Woo, three points!”

“Well, it solves my issue, certainly. It simply came with the perk of a boyfriend.”

“At least you two like each other. Right timing. Bet you wouldn’t even be able to stand each other if we tried back when we were young.”

Jason laughs. “I don’t think we would. He’s weird, but… Guess he grows on you.”

Steve flicks on the display light for the pastries. “So, how are you going to deal with your parents finding out? Aren’t they, you know…”

“Oh, heavens. They’ll never know the truth. They can assume we’re just close friends. My father had one like that, back in his youth. He has plenty of photos of him and this man tucked away in a shoebox. My uncle Achilles, although his actual name is Archer. That’s just what my dad always called him. Best friends, they were. So he can’t possibly judge me for having a close man in my house. No harm, no foul.”

Steve stares at him for an awful long time without blinking even once. Raises his hands in surrender as he turns away. “Alright, whatever you say. Jas. Whatever you say.”

“Thank you for understanding, Steve. You’re a good guy.” Jason pats his shoulder firmly. Steve snorts.

“Right, well. Get on with it manager, we got customers to caffeinate in half an hour, and these pastries aren’t going to stock themselves!”

Jason gets right on it.

Halfway through the shift, a woman comes through, Jason’s eyes widening. It was his ex-wife.

A man follows after her, smiling. She smiles back.

Steve looks between Jason and the lady. Nudges him and whispers, “I got this.”

Jason nods with a returning whisper of thanks, turning his back to her.

“Welcome in, what would you like?” Steve says.

“Just a white mocha latte in a small, thank you. What would you like, darling?”

“Columbian roast, large,” Says the man.

Jason gets right on it. Clears his throat as he makes the latte like he used to for his wife, when she was his wife.

The bell rings above the door.

“Daddy!”

Jason looks over, and he can see his ex-wife look over as well. Eddie waves to Jason with a smile, Peter running straight to Jason and stopped only by the counter.

Eddie follows after, scooping up Peter in his arms.

“Hey darling~ Peter just wanted to come say hi.”

Peter grins, then turns his head. He waves. “Hi mommy.”

Eddie’s head turns, the woman taking a step back. “Oh, is this your mama, Peter?”

“Not anymore!” Peter says, a little loud. “She gave me up! And now you’re the new mommy!”

The woman’s cheeks becomes red, her current date simply taking the two coffee cups Jason silently slides across the counter. She looks between the three of them, then bows her head.

“Goodbye.”

She departs, the man she came in with following after her with a curious expression, question drifting right out of the door.

Peter waves, then looks at Jason. “Daddy, I want a cookie.”

Eddie laughs. “Better get in line first, buddy.”

Jason’s gaze looks past Eddie, watching her get farther and farther away, someone else at her heels.

His gaze looks back at Eddie, Eddie blowing raspberries into Peter’s curly brown hair, the boy giggling and clinging onto him.

Jason looked at him long and hard, then smiles.

“This is it."