Surrender // Steve Harrington x Reader

𝐒𝐔𝐑𝐑𝐄𝐍𝐃𝐄𝐑 - 𝐁𝐎𝐎𝐊 𝟐 𝐓𝐄𝐀𝐒𝐄𝐑.

It was turning from Spring to Summer again in Hawkins. Your fourth and final - you swear this time it really is the final one - child had come home with you from the hospital a few weeks ago. Another little girl named Phoebe. She coos in your arms as you hum a gentle lullaby to send her off for her mid-afternoon nap. 

Steve was working at his dads company these days, making a decent wage to keep you and your family more than comfortable. 

Ben and Matthew were playing in the back yard, the doors to it held open with stops so you could watch them. Stephanie was moving sand around in her sandpit and attempting but failing to build castles. 

The boys were wrestling and you hear them shouting now. Worried they'd wake Phoebe when you'd just got her off to sleep, you tentatively move to stand and head out to the yard. "Moooom! Matty keeps kicking me! Tell him he's not allowed." Ben complains across the wealth of green lawn between you. 

"Moooom! Ben keeps being mean to me." 

"Beebee!" Stephanie chimes in, pointing up at the bundle in your arms. You sigh. Being a mom was hard. Harder than even you expected it to be and until Ben you hadn't considered yourself to have a single maternal bone in your body. 

Especially with your upbringing. 

"Stop it, boys."

"You ruin everything!" Matthew shouts at his brother and throws up his fists in childish rage. There's a brief popping sound but you don't hear it at first from all the commotion. "Boys, play nice, or you won't be playing at all." You do your best impression of a stern maternal figure. It seems to work a little. Just a little.

Matthew huffs off in a sulk and comes back inside while Ben ducks to help Stephanie with her sandcastles. 

Phoebe fusses. You curse internally. 

Four kids. And Steve wanted six? Well, he could be the trophy wife to deal with them in that case. You smile as you imagine it all, but you really didn't mind looking after them. Most days their Aunt Robin or some of your other friends would be here to spend time with you and help out, but today was your first day alone.

By the time Steve finishes work and comes home, slipping off his shoes and coming into the kitchen as you make everyone some dinner, you're exhausted. Still healing from the birth and just generally run ragged with your children. 

"Wife!" He greets with a dashing grin though his eyes were heavy with exhaustion, making sure he greets you with the biggest and most loving kiss he could muster. The boys groan at the display of affection and Stephanie giggles. Phoebe was up having a nap, but you had a nanny cam set up so you could keep an eye on her still. 

"Hey, kids." He takes in turn giving each of them a big hug. "What happened to the yard light?" He asks, frowning at the window heading out to the back yard. It normally would glow on the other side with a warm light.

Opening the door, he dips to the floor and holds out a hand to keep a curious Stephanie back. "Hey, Ben? Grab me a broom, would you? Looks like something smashed the bulb." He sighs. "I'll pick up another one tomorrow, okay honey?"

"Sounds great." You muse, smiling like a lovesick fool at the back of his head. He cleans up the mess and then himself, changing into something more comfortable just in time for dinner to be ready. You watch on the nanny cam as he stops off at his newborn on the way, not disturbing her, just leaning down to press a kiss to her doughy little face.

"Mom, can I have a soda?" Matthew asks. You nod and he does a little fist pump. "Yes!" 

The two brothers were at the lovely age where they could help you now at least, which you were grateful for as Ben straps his sister into her highchair. She waves her chubby little arms around and slaps the tray in front of her. "Food!" She giggles as you set the bowl of smush down in front of her.