Matches

Keeper, Sketch, and Scratch

A/N: Just wanted some adorable fluff today. I needed it. Maybe we all need it.

“Watch out! You’re gonna get yourself killed?”

Steve jumps back out of the way of the razor-sharp edge, inches from his face.

“I don’t get why—“ he bumps against the wall and makes an impromptu sidestep “—she’s so angry.” Steve less than gracefully trips over your foot and nearly topples the pair of you. If you both go down, you’ll be at the beast's mercy.

“You’re supposed to save me,” you squeal. “You’re normally so good with women.”

Steve throws you a vicious glance before getting stabbed in the foot. “Ah! Oh, come on, you’ve had food. It’s right there,” he wails.

Alpine, Bucky’s new feline, doesn’t care. She knows Steve is a dog guy and smells his fear.

“Stark said she was nice,” Steve cries weakly, snatching his arm away. Alpine stalks him to the corners of the room. It’s hilarious, but she is actually a pretty terrifying little package of fur.

“Then be like Tony and woo her.”

Steve jumps out of the way again. “How? How am I supposed to do that?”

“Oh, right,” you sigh, “you didn’t even really woo me…”

His head snaps up again. “Don’t you start—AH!”

Alpine latches on tooth and nail to Steve’s beautiful forearm. You don’t blame her.

“How does something so small hurt so bad?”

You’re failing to suppress a smile as you notice the wiggle of her furry body turn playful. She thrashes a bit, sinks in, then waits, staring at Steve with big blue eyes.

“Little white devil, that one,” you mutter, half-laughing.

The two fighters have a silent shake down of head bobs and squinting eyes. Alpine releases her jaw. Steve softly hisses when her claws shift, but it’s because Alpine is rubbing her chin along his thumb.

“I see…” You chance a step closer. “She was wooing you, huh? Had to break you in a bit, I think.”

“Plays rough like her pa,” Steve says with a furrowed brow.

“Or Nat, depending on how you look at it.”

He nods as he reaches his other hand under Alpine’s suspended body and tucks her to his chest, tentatively. He must have great faith in the resilience of his tact suit to bring her even closer, but the pretty kitty sinks into the hold with a little yowl.

You laugh.

It takes a few tries to pull away his other arm, and it’s possible Alpine only releases when it’s clear Steve is moving to scratch at her head. The purrs start full force.

You’re impressed, not just by Steve’s gentility but by Alpine’s extreme emotional range. Strategically feral, just like Bucky, which makes probably the most sense but is still funny.

Steve beams. He holds Alpine like a fluffy baby and coos, then quietly whispers, “see? And Aunty said I wasn’t good with women.”

He looks up at you through his long lashes, thinking he’s won with a sassy last word.

Alpine nips at his finger. Fast learner.

Steve Harrington x Munson!reader

Concept from @reddir14

Summary- Reader is Eddie’s little sister, she’s dating Steve but lives with Eddie and Wayne. Reader and Steve just had a baby girl a few weeks prior to when story takes place. Reader is really struggling with new baby without Steve there to help all the time. Eddie steps up and helps his little sister with her newborn baby.

WARNINGS- reader has a breakdown, reader thinks she's a bad mother, crying Eddie being a total sweetheart

1.8k words

REQUESTS ARE OPEN

Eddie closed the door behind his four-year-old son and ex-fiance, sighing heavily. He walked away from the door, going to lock himself in his room like he did every time his little boy left. He didn’t get to see the little mini-me often, seeing how the boys' mother moved them out of state to be closer to her family. Eddie really fought her on the matter, but she still moved them, much to his dismay. 

Y/N woke with a start, hearing the front door close, knowing right away that Ozzy (Eddie’s little boy) was gone. It made her sad, knowing she wouldn’t see the little ray of sunshine for several months. It made her even sadder knowing Ozzy wouldn’t see his only cousin, her three-week-old daughter, Cecilia, for several months. Y/N also knew that Eddie would be upset for the next few days. He rarely got to see his little boy and it made living with his younger sister and her new baby that much harder. The metalhead was still with his fiance when Ozzy was born, but they split not long after his first birthday. Eddie had found out the mother of his baby had been cheating on him for well over three years. He had even questioned if little Ozzy was his baby, but a paternity test proved him to be the father without a doubt, and especially when the boy got older, looking just like his father. He had the same brown eyes, brown, curly hair, and the same way of talking. He was undeniably his boy, Amanda, his ex-fiance could deny it all she wanted, the test results were clear, and so was Ozzy being a little mini Eddie.

Y/N was pulled out of her thoughts by the sound of a screaming infant. The young mom takes a deep breath before getting out of bed and walking to the crib that is set against the wall across from her bed. She bends down to pick up the wailing baby, cradling her to her chest, trying her best to calm the infant. Y/N slowly walked back over to her bed, gently sitting down while she took off her top, trying her best to unclasp the nursing bra she was wearing so she could feed her baby. After struggling for several minutes to get the bra off, she carefully set baby Cecila down on her bed, picking her back up quickly once she got the clasp undone. She brought the still screaming infant up to her breast, letting her latch onto her, sighing out when the crying ceased, now only listening to the soft little coos the baby made as she fed from her mother.

While Cecilia drank, a knock sounded on the front door, catching Y/N’s attention. She groaned, quicking throwing a nursing blanket over her daughter and gingerly walking out of her room to open the front door.

When she opened the door, she was met with a smiling Steve, her boyfriend, and baby daddy (Steve hates when anyone calls him the baby daddy. He doesn’t want to be known as the baby daddy, seeing as he actually takes care of his daughter and her mother, instead of running off like most baby daddies do.). Y/N smiles tiredly up at her boyfriend, letting him lean in a press a tender kiss on her lips. “Good morning baby. How was your night?” He asks when he walks into the small trailer that she and Eddie lived in. Y/N pulls Cecila out from under the blanket when she feels her release her breast from her mouth, handing the baby over to her father to be burped and held while she pumped the rest of the milk she has in her breast, into a bottle.

“It was okay. Ozzy held her for a while before he went to bed. When Eddie handed her back to me is when she started screaming and crying. She cried for almost two hours until she wore herself out and fell asleep. Then she was up every other hour all night long. I think she just wanted you, but I couldn’t just go over to your place. I just don’t think she likes me. She’s only ever calm for you or Eds.” Y/N said, tearing up just slightly when she looked at how calm her baby was while she lay in her dad's arms.

“That’s not true Y/N. She can tell when you’re stressed out and it stresses her out. I feel terrible that I can’t be here but you know that I’m working extra shifts at the store so we can get our own place, so I’m never home. I’m just not comfortable leaving you home alone in that huge house with a baby. It makes me feel better knowing Eddie is here to help you when I’m not around. I’m sorry I’m not here to help you with Cecilia. I feel terrible leaving you alone with her.” Steve says, looking generally upset he couldn’t be there to help Y/N with the baby. 

“I know you can’t be there to help, I’m just having a hard time with her is all,” Y/N says, blinking away the tears in her eyes. “How long do you have until you have to go to work?”

                         ~*~

Eddie had just gotten home from shopping, bringing in the few bags full of food when he opened the door to be met with the screams of Cecilia and the crying sounds of Y/N. He freaks out just slightly inside when he can’t see the new mother-daughter pair, throwing the bags into the kitchen before walking back to his sister's room to find the girls there.

He walks into the room to find baby Cecelia on the bed, surrounded by pillows to make sure she didn’t go anywhere, crying and screaming her head off. Y/N sat on the floor, head in her hands as she sobbed into her hands. Eddie could see her shoulders shaking from her cries. 

“Y/N? What’s going on?” Eddie asks, walking into the room carefully, not wanting to set off his overly emotional sister. Said girl is quick to shoot her head up, more tears welling in her eyes when she sees her older brother picking her daughter up, her cries stopping almost immediately.

“She hates me!” She cries, burying her head in her hands again.

“What are you talking about? Who hates you?” Eddie asks, gently sitting down on the floor next to his baby sister. He gently rocks the infant in his arms, back and forth, watching as her eyes close and she falls asleep.

“Cecilia hates me!” Y/N says, looking up at the now sleeping baby.

“What makes you say that?” Eddie asks gently, wanting to know why she would ever say that her own baby hates her.

“She just does! All she ever does when Steve or you aren’t here is cry! She’s only content and not screaming her head off when you or Steve is holding her. She hates me and I’m a terrible mother!” Y/N cries, looking up at Eddie with teary eyes.

“Cece doesn’t hate you! She loves you more than anything or anyone in this whole world. She just knows that you’re stressed and that makes her stressed. She’s fine with Steve and me because we’re not stressing or worrying when we’re holding her. She can tell when something is wrong. She doesn’t hate you Y/N/N.” Eddie says, pulling Cecila closer to his chest as he talks. “Here, I can watch her for awhile while you go and shower then sleep for a few hours. I know you’re still healing from having her. I also know you’re exhausted and need some sleep. And when you wake up, I’ll teach you a few things I learned from when Ozzy was a baby. Does that sound good to you?” Eddie asks, helping his little sister up off of the ground and gently pushing her to the bed with one hand, the other still holding up the baby. Y/N nods her head, falling onto the mattress. She covers herself up with the blanket and is quick to fall asleep. Eddie places a gentle kiss on the crown of her head before walking out of the room and out to the living room to cuddle with Cecilia.

                        ~*~

When Y/N emerges from her room several hours later, her hair still wet from her shower, her eyes land on a sweet sight. In the living room, Eddie smiled down at his niece and he bounced her up and down, talking to Steve who sat in the recliner just a few feet away from him, a smile of his own on his face.

“I didn’t realize she was struggling so much with her. I was so busy with Ozzy while he was here and then being so depressed when he left I guess I didn’t bother to check on her. But today, when I saw her crying, I knew I had to step in and be the big brother I’ve always tried to be for her. And I didn’t realize how much I miss the infant stage. I love Ozzy and all, but I wish he was still a baby sometimes. I just can’t get enough of the baby cuddles!” Eddie said to Steve. Y/N tuned out the rest of what he was saying to watch him with Cecilia. He was a natural when it came to babies, but maybe that was just because he’s been a father for several years now and knows what he’s doing…

Eddie is quick to turn around when he hears the floor creak under Y/N’s feet, smiling at the young mother. He beckons her over to him, looking back down at his niece.

“I was just telling Steve that Cece seems to really like to be bounced slightly like this. How was your nap? I see you had a shower too.” Eddie says, looking back at his sister, watching as she just nods her head. “Alright! Parenting one-o-one is officially in session. Y/N, sit down on the couch and I’m going to teach you a few things about caring for a newborn.” Eddie says as he hands a very happy Cecilia over to her mother. Y/N cautiously takes the baby from her brother, cradling her to her chest. “Just relax, don’t stress out or worry, she can tell when you’re not happy.” Eddie says, smiling as Cece looks at her mother, giving her a gummy smile. Y/N can’t help but smile back down at her daughter, relieved she wasn’t crying the second she was placed down in her arms.

Y/N gazed down at the baby in her arms as she listened to Eddie talk, smiling at the faces her daughter was making. She had never seen her so happy while she laid in her arms, only ever seeing her crying. She could get used to this.

Yeah, this shouldn’t be that hard…

Niall performing Heaven | The Show Live On Tour in Düsseldorf, Germany (March 26th, 2024)

hi! i don’t know if you take requests/fic suggestions (if not feel free to ignore), but i love your writing (where the heart is ruined me in the best way!!) and thought you would write this idea super well. basically i saw this instagram reel (and watched it on repeat like 10 times) where a dad tells a waiter that his daughter thinks he’s cute and i thought it could be a cute meet-cute-scenario for eddie (or steve if you write for him)! that’s pretty much it lol, i hope you’re having a good day!

https://www.instagram.com/reel/CmXJ1_zL9F7/?igshid=YmMyMTA2M2Y=

This may just be the cutest request I've ever gotten. I enjoyed writing this so so so much. I have to thank @munson-blurbs for suggesting I make the reader Hopper's daughter and adding another layer of hilarity to it for me. Fun fact, this scenario happened to my brother once. Only he was like, 11, so nothing was going to come from it and it was just purely my dad trying to embarrass him lol. Anyway, I really hope you enjoy this!

Words 2.2k

“Hey, welcome to Breadstix. My name is Eddie and I’ll be your waiter.”

You look up from your menu and do a double take at the beautiful man standing there. He’s tall and thin, his black t-shirt showing off his tiny waist and the light jeans showcasing the length of his legs. He has brown curly hair tucked in a bun at the nape of his neck, with a few loose frizzy pieces framing his face. The tattoos that are scattered along his arms catch your attention; your eyes being particularly drawn to the colony of bats taking flight on his forearm. But it’s when you look into his eyes that you get lightheaded and forget your own name, let alone what you were going to order for dinner. 

Going out for a family dinner with your dad and sister was never something that was particularly exciting, but it just got a hell of a whole lot better. 

“The special today is the brown sugar pork chops with a sweet potato on the side.”

“Huh,” your dad hums, eyes scanning over the menu once more. “That sounds good. I’ll take the special and a coke.”

Eddie takes down the pen that’s tucked behind his ear and scribbles down on the pad in his hand. He looks at your sister next and she gives him a sweet smile.

“For you?” Eddie asks.

“I’ll have the mushroom and Swiss burger, please,” El says. “And a water.” 

He jots that down as well then turns to you. When his eyes land on you, your mouth goes dry. Eddie shoots you a smile and you swear your stomach is too full of butterflies to eat any food. 

“And what can I get for you?” Eddie asks.

A cold shower? A date? An orgasm? 

“Um, I’ll have the spaghetti and meatballs. A-And a Diet Coke,” you manage to get out.

“Ah, my favorite,” Eddie says with a wink that nearly kills you as he writes your order down. “I’ll put those right in for you.”

He walks away from the table, and you feel your body deflate, letting out a breath and finally relaxing. You drop your head down on the table to hide the smile spread across your lips.

“What’s with you?” your dad asks.

“Hmm?” You lift your head up and look at him. El is giggling in her seat next to you, clearly knowing why you’re acting strange and bubbly.

“What’s with this sudden…mood change?” Your dad waves his hand around in front of your face, gesturing to your dopey expression. 

“I know,” El snickers and you reach over to playfully shove her. Your dad leans back in his chair, crossing his arms over his chest as he watches the two of you. He raises his eyebrows at you girls as you nudge one another back and forth with your elbows.

“Well shit, someone slipped something into your Wheaties this morning,” he says.

But your dad isn’t dumb. As chief of police, things rarely escaped his notice. He’s just waiting to see if you’ll cop to it or not.

“No, it’s just…” You trail off, shaking your head.

“It’s what?” 

A red flush comes to your face and El covers her mouth as she lets out another giggle.

“He’s so cute.”

“Who?” Hopper asks, just flat out playing dumb now. 

“The waiter!” you say in exasperation.

“Eddie.” El says his name, leaning in towards you and wiggling her eyebrows. 

“Ah,” your dad says with a laugh. “That’s your type, huh?”

“Dad!” you admonish, face becoming even redder. 

He lifts his hands in surrender as El dissolves into laughter. Before, you wouldn’t have described yourself as having a “type” but after seeing Eddie, you can’t imagine having a type that didn’t look like him. It was hard to pick out one thing that turned you on about him the most. The package of Eddie as a whole was so overwhelming that you could practically feel the sharp stab of Cupid’s arrow jammed in your back.

You spot Eddie approaching with the drinks, so you swat at El to get her to behave. She bites her lip and stares down at the scuffed wooden table in front of her, so she doesn’t lose it again.

“Here we go. Water, coke, and a Diet Coke. Your dinner should be coming out soon,” Eddie says. “Everything okay here?”

You’re praying your dad keeps his mouth shut as you smile and nod your head at Eddie. When he gives you a smile in return, El covers a laugh by pretending to cough into her hand. You’d throttle her when you got home. Hopper seems to pay Eddie no more mind than he would any other waitstaff that his oldest daughter didn’t find absolutely beautiful.

After Eddie leaves again, conversation thankfully steers away from your romantic inclinations and into the topic of ridiculous calls that came in at the station today. El also tells you about a school project that’s coming up and tells your dad she needs to get a book for her next book report at the library. It’d be easy to think that your father forgot all about your attraction to your waiter, but when Eddie comes to deliver your meals, it’s obvious he didn’t. Sometimes the universe just liked to pull the rug out from underneath you.

“Alright,” Eddie says. He’s balancing the large tray carrying your plates on one hand, muscles rippling under the skin of his arm as he holds it up. The only thing that tears your eyes away from his bicep is when he places your dish down in front of you. “Anything else I can get you guys?”

“I think we’re all set,” your dad says. Eddie nods and tucks the tray under his arm. As he goes to turn away from the table, Hopper lifts his hand and swivels towards Eddie. “Oh, one thing.”

Eddie licks his lips as he spins back towards the table, a friendly smile on his face. “What can I get you?”

“Oh no, nothing,” your dad says with a shake of his head. “It’s just that my daughter here thinks you’re very cute.” He reaches over and pats you on the back so there’s no mistaking which one of his children he’s talking about. 

“Dad!” 

El bursts out into laughter as you raise your hands to cover your face, wanting to die on the spot. The heat in your cheeks is enough to make sweat break out along your hairline, only made worse by how fast your heart is pounding. The adrenaline rush flooding your veins is real. Being a high school student, you’ve been embarrassed plenty of times before in your life, but you think this takes the cake. Having the police chief as a father also came with its own moments of teasing and joking, but this seemed extreme even for him. Somewhere deep inside, you find the courage to peek at Eddie from between your fingers. There’s a shy smile on his face as he looks at you, his own cheeks dusted in a light bit of pink. 

“Well, that’s very sweet,” Eddie finally says, resting his hand over his heart. He opens his mouth again, but nothing comes out and you realize that not only did your dad put you on the spot, but Eddie as well. “I’m flattered.”

Slowly your hands fall from your face and into your lap. Peering up at Eddie from under your eyelashes, he dips his gaze quickly before meeting yours again. The smile on his pretty mouth makes you feel as if there’s an animal jumping and banging around inside your heart, trying to break free. 

“Let me know if there’s anything else I can get for you,” Eddie says before walking away.

Part of you feels a bit disheartened. But what did you expect? Eddie to ask you on a date because your father told him you’re attracted to him? Right in the middle of his shift? God, your dad better give him a big tip on the check. 

“You’re the worst,” you mumble as you twirl some spaghetti onto your fork. But there’s a fond smile on your face as you shoot a glare at the chief.

Eddie comes by twice more while you’re eating to see if everything is okay, and both times you can barely meet his gaze. El thinks it’s all hilarious and has a grin on her face for the rest of dinner. 

Once everyone is finished and your and El’s leftovers are boxed up, Eddie comes over with the bill. You expect him to put it down on the table right in front of your father, but he walks around him to come up behind you and reaches over our shoulder to lay the check down right in front of you.

“I figured you’d be taking care of this,” he says. You can’t see him from where he’s standing behind you, but El catches sight of the smirk on his face and her expression lights up in glee. 

It’s hard to concentrate on anything with Eddie standing so close to you that you can smell the trace of cigarettes under a spicy cologne wafting over you. When he speaks, the scent of mint is added into the mix, so you assume he’s chewing a stick of gum and you’ve never been more jealous of a piece of candy in your life. 

When Eddie walks away, you have to fight the urge to reach out and grab onto him and make him stay. El moving the check in front of you snaps your attention back to the task staring you in the face. You give El’s hand a light smack so she drops the slip of paper. You’re able to snatch it up and hold it up to your face so El can’t read it from where she’s sitting. 

I hope your dad is currently unarmed since I’d like to say that I think his older daughter is very beautiful. And inquire if she might like to go on a date with me? 555-0527 xoxo - Eddie

Your wide eyes can’t believe what you’re reading. It takes a minute for it to click in your brain what you’re actually looking at. The smile spreads across your lips next, making your cheeks ache from the intensity of your grin. 

When the paper gets plucked from your fingers you whine and furrow your brow at your father. 

“What, you going to pay?” he asks as he digs for his money in his wallet. 

“No. But I was reading that,” you say.

“Well hang on, I gotta know how much to leave don’t I? You can kiss his phone number once I’m done.”

The blush flares up on your face at his words. You weren’t going to actually kiss the paper. But the fact that said paper could lead to a kiss is what’s got you so wound up. Hopper slaps some bills down on the table and hands you the precious check back. You securely fold it and clutch it in your hands, afraid to let it out of your sight for even a moment. El grabs the takeaway boxes and the three of you head towards the door. As you take one last look over your shoulder into the restaurant, you see Eddie coming out of the kitchen. His eyes lock with yours and he gives you that smile you swear could stop time. 

“Maybe I should embarrass you more often, huh?” Hopper says from behind you. 

“No!” you and El answer in unison. 

“I’ll be right back,” you say, glancing back at your family. 

“We’ll be outside,” your dad says.

“Have fun,” El adds with a smirk before she follows your dad out the door. 

Taking a deep breath to relax your system, you start to walk over towards Eddie. 

“Hey,” he says once you’re standing in front of him.

“Hi. Look, I’m sorry if you felt embarrassed or put on the spot. He can be a bit much sometimes.”

“No, no,” Eddie assures you with a shake of his head. “First thing I thought when I walked over to your table tonight was how beautiful you are. The Chief kind of did me a favor, actually.” 

“Oh. Well, I’m glad then,” you say, face glowing from his compliment. 

“I take it you got my note?” Eddie asks, reaching up to scratch the back of his head. 

“I did,” you say, still clutching it in your hands. “And I, uh, would like to go on a date with you. So, I’ll definitely call.”

“I get off work at nine,” he tells you. 

“You’ll hear from me soon after that then,” you say with a shy shrug of the shoulders. 

“I’m really looking forward to it, uh…”

He trails off and you realize it’s because he doesn’t know your name. You introduce yourself to him and extend your hand. Instead of shaking it, like you expected, he takes your hand in his and leans in to press his lips against your knuckles. You’re pretty sure you’re going to spontaneously combust. Or have an aneurysm. Or just flat out melt into a puddle on the floor. 

“I’ll talk to you tonight then,” Eddie says.

“Tonight,” you repeat, slowly backing away from him. You don’t want to go, but you know your dad will come in and say something even more embarrassing than he already did if you make him wait too long. 

“Bye, Eddie.”

“Bye, beautiful.”

It's that Ransom Drysdale coat

Joe for of Stranger Things Season 3 [Portraits] 2019

Imagine Eddie being there as you get dress coded for the black bra under a white shirt lmao

wears a black bra under his own shirt out of spite

When Zac Was Born 《Canon to Lazarus Serum》

Pairings: New Born Dad, Steve Rogers x His Newborn Son Summary: The first time Steve held his son after Y/N gavebirth in the hospital. A/N: This is been sitting in my drafts for waaaaay too long, didn't want it to rot.

Steve Rogers stood in the quiet hospital room, his newborn son nestled in his arms. The soft glow from the bedside lamp bathed the room in a gentle light. Y/N was fast asleep, exhausted but peaceful, her chest rising and falling in steady breaths. She had given everything in the delivery room, and now she rested, trusting Steve to keep watch over their little miracle.

Zac Anthony Rogers.

Steve looked down at his son, still marveling at the small, warm weight cradled against his chest. His son looked so tiny in his arms, almost too small to believe. Steve’s large hands, roughened from years of battle, now felt clumsy and oversized as he held the fragile little boy. The baby's head fit perfectly in the palm of Steve's hand, his body barely taking up any space in Steve’s muscular arms. How could something so small already hold so much of his heart?

The baby shifted slightly, his face scrunching up in sleep before settling again. Steve chuckled softly. Even though he was wrapped tightly in a blanket, snug and secure, the baby was still so small, so vulnerable, like he could be swept away by the world at any moment if Steve didn’t keep him safe.

"Hey there, little man," Steve whispered, brushing a thumb gently over his son’s soft cheek. The baby’s skin was impossibly delicate under his touch, so smooth it seemed unreal. "It’s me, your dad."

The word still felt new to him—Dad. Steve had been a soldier, a hero, a leader—but this? This was something else entirely. 

This was a love and responsibility that nothing could prepare him for. And yet, somehow, it felt like the most natural thing in the world to have his son in his arms, even if his boy looked so tiny, so small compared to Steve’s solid frame.

The baby made a soft, contented noise in response, and Steve’s heart melted. He pressed a kiss to the baby's forehead, marveling at just how small and fragile his son felt against him. His eyes flicked over to Y/N, and he smiled softly at her. She had done so much to bring this little boy into the world, and Steve couldn’t have been prouder of her strength.

Just then, the soft shuffle of footsteps caught Steve's attention, and he looked up as a nurse entered the room. She gave him a kind smile, clearly seeing the awe in his eyes.

"How’s everything going?" she asked in a gentle whisper, glancing at Y/N asleep and then at the baby in Steve’s arms.

Steve smiled back, his gaze dropping to his son. "I still can’t believe it."

The nurse nodded, stepping closer to peer at the baby. "He’s a beautiful boy. You’re doing great, Dad."

Dad. There was that word again. It still sent a thrill through him.

The nurse hesitated for a moment, then tilted her head thoughtfully. "Would you like to try some skin-to-skin contact with him? It’s great for bonding, and he’ll love hearing your heartbeat up close."

Steve blinked, taken aback by the offer. Skin-to-skin? That was something he knew Y/N had done earlier with their son, but he hadn’t considered that he could do it too. He glanced down at the tiny bundle in his arms, his son so small, so new, and then back at the nurse, feeling a flicker of uncertainty.

"I—uh, is it okay for me to do that?" he asked, his voice soft and unsure.

The nurse smiled warmly, nodding. "Absolutely. Skin-to-skin is important for dads too. It helps the baby feel safe and secure. Plus, it’ll be a moment just for the two of you."

Steve looked down at his son again, the idea slowly settling in his heart. He nodded, a small smile tugging at his lips. 

"Yeah. I’d like that."

The nurse helped him carefully unwrap the baby from the blanket, and then Steve shrugged off his shirt, feeling a bit awkward but excited. His bare chest felt cool against the air, but as soon as his son was placed against his skin, everything changed. The warmth of his tiny body, the soft weight, the way the baby’s cheek pressed gently against him—it all hit Steve like a tidal wave.

He held his son close, his large hands gently supporting the baby’s head and back. His son looked even smaller now, his tiny body barely covering Steve’s chest, like he could be lost in the broad expanse of Steve’s torso. The baby’s fingers, so tiny they could barely wrap around Steve’s thumb, twitched slightly, his breaths steady and calm.

Steve’s eyes welled up with tears he hadn’t expected, his lips trembling. He looked down at the tiny boy resting against him, so small, so vulnerable, and yet, so perfect. He had never felt more connected to anyone in his entire life. Every protective instinct he had surged forward, and he knew in that moment he would do anything—anything—to keep this little boy safe.

"Hey, buddy," he whispered, his voice thick with emotion. "It’s just you and me now. You’ve got no idea how much I love you already."

The baby stirred slightly, a soft coo escaping his lips, as if responding to his father’s words. Steve smiled, his heart swelling even more. He could feel the baby’s warmth against his skin, and in that moment, everything else in the world seemed to disappear. There was no sound, no movement—just Steve and his little boy, heartbeats syncing as they shared this precious, intimate moment.

Steve shifted his gaze to Y/N, who was still asleep, and a wave of gratitude washed over him. He owed everything to her—this moment, this joy, this life. He couldn’t wait for her to wake up, to see the three of them together as a family. But for now, this was his moment. Just him and his son, who fit so perfectly in his arms despite being so tiny.

“I’m going to be here for you, always,” Steve murmured, his lips brushing the top of his son's head. “No matter what happens, no matter how tough things get... I’ll be here.”

He gently rocked the baby, who was now deeply asleep against his chest. The room was filled with the soft sounds of their breathing, a peaceful rhythm that Steve could have stayed in forever.

The nurse smiled at the sight of the two of them, her voice soft as she spoke. “You two make quite the pair. You’re a natural.”

Steve nodded, though he barely heard her. He was too lost in the feeling of his son resting so trustingly against him, his tiny body rising and falling in time with Steve's.

“I’ll take care of him,” Steve whispered, more to himself than to anyone else. “For the rest of my life, I’ll take care of him.”

And in that quiet hospital room, with his son nestled against him, Steve Rogers realized that no battle he’d ever fought could compare to the journey he was about to begin. Being a father—being this little boy’s dad—was the greatest mission of his life.

Tyler Hoechlin | amfAR Gala Cannes 2023