I can't remember if you already answered or wrote this, but when was the first time Ryan and Luke called reader "mom"?
+ AYW request for ya--Eliza has started saying "mama," which prompts Ryan & Luke to discuss what they call Reader and whether or not they want to call her "mom."
+ When was the first time Reader referred to Luke & Ryan as her sons and when was the first time Luka & Ryan called Reader their mom?
+ What was the first time like when Ryan and Luke started calling Reader "mom"?
+ What was the first moment like when Ryan and Luke first called Reader "mom" or how did the Munson boys react when she called Ryan and Luke "my sons"?
I love how so many people wanted to see this 💜 This does get kind of cheesy and corny at the end (more so than usual), but I couldn't get the song out of my head while writing this, so it gets put in lol
Words: 4.3k
[As You Wish masterlist]
“Say it again, say it again,” you gush, grinning at your daughter.
“Mama!” she gleefully replies.
You clap your hands together and she copies your motions with the same enthusiasm.
“Still making her say it, huh?”
You look up and see your husband leaning against the doorframe, his arms crossed over his chest and a playful smile on his lips.
“Like you didn’t have her saying ‘dada’ over and over when she first learned it last month.”
“Dada!” Eliza chimes in.
“Hi, sweet pea.” Eddie steps into the room and leans down to press a kiss to the top of her head.
The little girl preens at all the attention she’s getting. Her short legs happily bounce as she wiggles from side to side on the couch.
“Mama, Dada, Mama, Dada,” Eliza singsongs.
“My little smarty pants!” You grin and gently tickle her soft belly.
“You girls have fun,” Eddie says, mussing up Eliza’s curls before heading down the hall.
“Well, do you want to?”
The shaky tone of Luke’s voice has Eddie coming to a halt a few feet away from the younger boy’s bedroom.
“I mean…yeah. I think so,” Ryan replies. “Do you think she would mind?”
“I don’t know,” Luke says. “I don’t think so. But it feels weird to ask.”
“We’ve said it a lot trying to get Eliza to say it. It felt…”
“Good,” Luke finishes for his brother.
Eddie’s brow furrows as he tries to piece together what’s troubling his boys. He doesn’t intend to eavesdrop on the two of them, but it’s become second nature to pay close attention whenever Luke is talking in case there is a scheme in the works that needs to be foiled.
“She’s always felt more like our mom than Mom does,” Ryan says.
The words are the key Eddie needed to unlock the stronghold. It makes complete sense now. The boys have been encouraging Eliza to say “Mama” for weeks now, so they’ve been referring to you in that way in front of their sister. Eddie feels like an idiot for never considering the internal storm that must’ve brewed in his sons. It’s no secret that they feel that you’re their mother more than Brittany ever was, but it’s become so normal for them to just refer to you by name. But Eddie can’t blame them for wanting to use the more official title they’d like to bestow on you.
Slowly, Eddie walks past Luke’s door, acting as if he was always going this way straight from the other room, without making a pitstop to solve a puzzle.
A long yawn further reminds you of how tired you are as you pull the blankets down on your bed. Curling up between the sheets is all you’ve been able to think about for the last hour.
Your husband walks into the room, unhooking the black watch from around his wrist. He’s already comfy in his green plaid pajama pants and holey Dio t-shirt.
“So, um, I wanted to talk to you about something,” Eddie says, placing his watch on his nightstand.
“What’s up? You climb into your shared bed and get comfortable on your side, facing him.
“Well, I heard the boys talking this afternoon.” Eddie lifts the blankets on his side of the bed and slips in right next to you. He clicks off his bedside lamp before getting comfortable and laying nose to nose with you. “They were talking about you.”
“Me?” you ask, a frown pinching your face. “Did I do something?”
“Not at all, baby,” Eddie is quick to assure you. He reaches out and gently trails the rough pads of his fingers against your jaw. “They were talking about how Eliza finally said “mama” and how they refer to you that way for her.”
Dread pools in your stomach.
“Oh no. Did that make them uncomfortable? I never asked them to, they just started saying it to help her learn. I feel so—”
“Baby, baby,” Eddie says, gently cupping the side of your face. “No, that’s not it at all. Actually, it’s kind of the opposite.”
“What do you mean?” Your face is still pinched up in concern, so Eddie gently rubs his thumb over your scrunched up forehead.
“They were saying that it felt good when they called you that. That you’ve always been their mom more than the witch ever was.”
Love’s warming touch cocoons you in an embrace as you process Luke and Ryan talking about calling you “mom.” It’s not something you ever would’ve forced on them. They call you by your name, it’s been that way since you’ve met.
“They were wondering if you’d mind. And that it would feel weird to ask you about it,” Eddie adds.
“The boys…” you trail off, needing to clear the emotion out of your throat before continuing. “The boys want to call me ‘mom’?”
“It looks that way.” Even in the dim lighting of the bedroom, you can see your husband’s grin. It’s contagious.
“I feel kind of speechless,” you admit. “I never expected it. I mean, they already have a mom. I guess I just thought that was her and I’m…me.”
“Do you not want them to call you that, princess?” Eddie asks, his tone completely devoid of judgment.
“No, no, it’s not that!” you’re quick to assure him. “I would be…so honored if they wanted to call me that. I just don’t want them to think I’m trying to overstep or take their mom’s place.”
“Sweetheart,” Eddie says with a laugh, “they wish you would take their mother’s place. Brittany may have birthed them, but you’ve given them more maternal love today alone than she’s done their whole lives.”
“They’re my boys. My sons,” you say, unable to keep a smile off your face at the words.
“And you’re the mom they always wanted. The one they deserve.”
That causes the tears to finally spill over. You lean forward and bury your head in the juncture between Eddie’s neck and shoulder. He slips his lean arms around you and holds your body against his own.
“I’d be so happy if they called me that,” you whisper against Eddie’s skin. “Ecstatic. But I don’t want them to feel pressured to do it.”
Eddie nods, one hand rubbing up and down your back.
“Why don’t we wait to see if they bring it up? Luke said it would be weird to come out and ask, but they might bring it up in another way. I just wanted to talk to you about it so if they do bring it up, you’re not caught off guard.”
“That sounds like a good idea.” You tilt your head up to gaze at your husband through the pale moonlight shining into your room. “You raised such wonderful boys.”
“You mean, ‘we’ raised,” Eddie counters. “You’ve been around for more than half of their lives now.”
“Sometimes it feels like yesterday that Luke was four years old and trying to convince me he needed candy to live.” You chuckle at the memory. “They’re becoming little men now, though.”
“That they are,” Eddie says with a sigh. “Guess I should teach them how to use basic tools and shit then, huh?”
“Well, who’s going to teach you?” you tease with a playful smirk.
“Wiseass,” Eddie mumbles as he rolls you onto your back and hovers over you.
“I learned from the best!”
It takes just over two weeks for the subject to come up. Eddie is at work, Eliza is spending a little time with her grandpa before he has to get ready for work, and you’re picking the boys up from basketball practice at Hawkins Middle School.
You step into the gymnasium and are immediately choked by the stench of over a dozen boys going through puberty, and not all of them have discovered deodorant yet.
Luke is still running around on the court, where a few kids linger, and Ryan is sitting on the bench, talking to a friend. It doesn’t surprise you. Ryan was initially excited to join the basketball team when Luke first brought it up. But now, a few months in, Luke is loving it and Ryan would rather be doing almost anything else. But he made a commitment to the team and Eddie told him it’s the right thing to do, to honor that commitment. So, he’s counting the days until the end of the season.
You catch Ryan’s eye as you walk over to the sign out sheet, so he says goodbye to his friend and comes over to join you as you scribble down your name. One of the parent volunteers glances down and then smiles up at you.
“Munson?” The perky blonde woman asks in a chipper voice. “You must be Ryan and Luke’s mom.”
Just as she says this, Ryan reaches you and smiles up at you in greeting.
It’s not unusual for people to assume you’re Luke and Ryan’s mom, so navigating answers like that have become second nature, and in most cases, it’s just easier to say yes. But with this, you see an opportunity to broach the topic with the boys.
“Yeah, I’m their mom.” You grin and wrap your arm around Ryan’s shoulders. See? I’m saying it. I would love for you two to call me that.
You feel Ryan lean more into you and you breathe a sigh of relief that he’s acknowledging what you said as well.
“Luke!” The volunteer calls out onto the court. “Your mom’s here!”
The eleven-year-old turns his head in your direction, sweaty curls whipping around, and gives a smile when he sees you. He waves to his friends and jogs over.
“How was practice, boys?” you ask as you head with them toward the gym doors.
“Good!” Luke says, an extra spring in his step because he’s wearing the new sneakers he just had to have. “I’m getting better at shooting.”
“Atta boy.” You muss his hair, then have to wipe the sweat clinging to your hand on the side of your jeans. “What about you, Ry?”
“Was alright,” he replies with a shrug. “Got bored.”
“Where’s Liza?” Luke asks as the three of you get into the car.
“At Grandpa’s. We gotta go pick her up so he can get ready for work.”
Ryan buckles his seatbelt in the front passenger seat and turns on the radio. It’s quiet except for Stacy’s Mom coming from the speakers as you back out of your parking space and head off school property.
As you pull up to the first red light you’ve encountered, you turn down the music a few notches so the boys can hear you.
“Is that blonde lady from practice a team mom?” you ask.
“Who?” Luke asks.
“The lady who called out to you that your mom was there.” Why do you feel so nervous? This is Luke and Ryan. Your boys.
“Oh! Yeah, that’s Gavin’s mom,” Luke says. “I think she does sign-ups for if other moms wanna bring snacks or something.”
“Yeah?” you ask, glancing at him in the rearview mirror. “Would you guys want me to do that sometime?” The light turns green, and you start down the main strip of Hawkins, towards Forest Hills.
“You wanna be a team mom?” Ryan asks, looking over at you.
“Hell yeah,” you say with a nod. “Show those other moms what it’s like to raise the two best boys in Hawkins. But I’ll only do it if you want me to. I don’t want to embarrass you guys or barge in on your activities or anything.”
“No, it’d be fun!” Luke interjects. “Whenever you bring snacks, everyone will go, ‘Thanks, Ryan and Luke’s Mom!’”
“Um, if you want them to call you that,” Ryan adds softly.
This is it. The opening you’ve been waiting for. So, why do you feel so tongue-tied all of a sudden?
“Guys,” you speak slowly and deliberately, wanting them to know just how much you mean this, and that it’s not some throw away comment, “I love when people call me your mom. But…does it bother you?”
“No!” They’re both quick to answer simultaneously.
“We like it, too,” Luke adds.
You nod and adjust your hands on the steering wheel, psyching yourself up to get the next words out.
“Listen.” You pause to clear your throat. “If you guys ever want to call me that yourselves, that is perfectly okay. I would never force you to call me that, of course. But if that’s something you’d like to do, that’s good with me.” It’s actually much more than good with you, but you don’t want to bear down too heavily on them.
“Really?” Luke asks, voice almost as soft as you’ve ever heard it. “We can?”
“Absolutely,” you assure them. “You’re my sons. You can call me whatever feels right to you.”
“Yeah?” Ryan asks.
“Yes.” You say the word with more confidence than you’ve ever said it before. The conviction of the answer rivals that of when you said “I do” to Eddie.
“I’d like that,” Ryan admits, a sheepish smile growing on his face.
“Me too,” Luke says.
“I think I just…” Ryan trails off, so you take a quick look at him before looking back to the road. “I think maybe another version of it. Because, like, when I think of calling someone ‘Mom,’ I can’t help but think of her.”
“Yeah, it’s like she ruined the name,” Luke agrees, nodding his head vigorously.
“That makes sense,” you tell them. “There are definitely different variations of the word. Whatever feels best for you is fine with me.”
“What about, ‘Mother-I-Wish-I-Always-Had?” Luke suggests with a small playful giggle.
“That’s quite a mouthful!” You laugh as well, looking at your younger boy in the rearview mirror again.
“I mean…” Once again, Ryan trails off, but this time he’s fidgeting with the hem of his t-shirt.
“What is it, Ry?” you ask. “You know you can tell me anything. Or ask me anything.”
“Well, it felt nice when we were trying to help Eliza say your name.”
“Yeah!” Luke seconds. “Calling you ‘Mama.’”
“Is that too childish?” Ryan asks, a slight tremble in his voice.
You turn the car into Forest Hills trailer park and wait until you come to a full and complete stop outside of Wayne’s place before speaking. Wanting to see both boys better, you unbuckle your seatbelt and turn your body to look at them from your seat.
“It is not childish,” you assure him—assure both of them. “I liked hearing you guys call me that, too. When you were helping your sister.” You smile and tilt your head to the side. “I actually feel like that name suits me better than ‘mom,’ anyway. It feels right to me. Like, I’ve been waiting my whole life to be called that.”
“You’re better than ‘mom’.” Ryan confirms with a nod.
The urge to reach out for him is too strong, so you gently cup the side of Ryan’s face and gently rub your thumb back and forth over his cheek bone. Luke unbuckles his seatbelt and moves forward—closer to you, signaling he wants the same affection. You’re more than happy to give it to him.
“You’re my sons,” you tell them. “You’re my everything. You, your sister, and your dad. You guys are my whole world. And there is nothing I wouldn’t do for you. So, if you ever want to talk about anything—and I truly mean anything, no matter how weird or uncomfortable you think it might be—you can come to me. I’ll always be in your corner, no matter what. And nothing you tell me will ever change the way that I feel about you. There’s not a force in this world that can do that. You guys are stuck with my love forever.”
Trying to drive home the point as much as you can, you look them straight in the eyes to make sure they know how serious you are. Ryan nods and gives you a small smile. Luke has unshed tears gathering at his lash line, and when he nods as well, they pool over and run down his cheeks. You’re quick to wipe them away for him.
“Is there anything else? Anything else you guys want to talk about while we’re here?” you ask.
“No,” Ryan says softly but strongly.
“Nothing for me,” Luke echoes. “Oh! Except that I love you.”
Now your eyes start to fill with moisture.
“I love you, too.” Your words are quiet because you know if you speak any louder, you’ll start full out crying. “Both of you. So much.”
“Mamaaaaaaaa!”
Little hands pound against the driver’s side window, and you look over your shoulder to see Wayne holding Eliza just on the other side of the car door. She’s leaning in towards you, possibly trying to figure out how to get through the glass.
With a soft chuckle, you roll down the window and raise an eyebrow at her.
“Is there something I can help you with, madam?” you ask.
“Mama!”
“That’s me,” you tell her. A pleasant buzz in your stomach reminds you of just how true that is.
“We were waiting for ya inside, but she knew you were out here and was adamant about seeing her mama,” Wayne says, adjusting the one-year-old in his arms.
“I am sorry I took so long, Your Majesty,” you tell the young toddler. “I was having a conversation with your brothers. Is that okay with you?”
“Mama!” is her only response. Then she pauses, thinks about it, and adds, “Dada!”
“He’s not here, squirt,” Ryan says. “But I think next we have to get you working on my name.”
“Mine’s easier,” Luke argues.
“Doesn’t matter,” Ryan says with a shake of his head. “She’s learning names from oldest to youngest.”
“She skipped me then!” Wayne laments.
“Cause ‘Grandpa’ is harder to say!” Luke informs him.
“Alright, Little Miss, let’s get you buckled in your seat so Grandpa isn’t late for work,” you say.
When you pop open your door, Wayne shakes his head and gestures to the back seat.
“You stay there, I can get her in,” he insists.
Luke leans across Eliza’s car seat to open the back door for his grandfather. Wayne leans in and Luke makes sure all the straps and snaps are out of the way, so Eliza won’t be sitting on any.
When Eliza realizes her brother is there in the backseat, she squeals in delight as Wayne sets her down. Between the older man and the youngest man, they’re able to secure Eliza snugly in her seat.
Wayne presses a kiss to Eliza’s head and reaches to rub over Luke’s curls before he stands up straight and closes the car door.
“See you kids later,” he says.
You’re included in that, you know. To Wayne, Eddie is still a kid, which means you’ll always be one in his eyes too. But that is something else that you are perfectly okay with.
“Everyone buckled in?” you ask.
The boys answer the affirmative and you shift the car into drive.
“Let’s go home.”
Eddie was running late at work, so he doesn’t walk through the front door until you’re setting dinner on the table.
He lets out a long sigh and rubs a grease-stained hand over his face.
“Hey, baby,” he greets you.
“Hi, gorgeous.”
You walk over and give him a proper kiss hello, which has his tired face pulling up into a small smile.
“Dinner’s ready. Why don’t you get cleaned up and then all you have to do the rest of the day is relax.”
Eddie grunts in agreement, nodding his head before he shuffles down the hallway.
You chuckle to yourself as you finish getting dinner on the table.
“Okay, Liza Bean!”
She’s happily roving around the kitchen and living room in her pink walker, but she scoots over to you at the sound of her name.
“Time for dinner.”
You scoop her up and bump the walker with your leg to make it roll into a corner and out of the way. Eliza gets set in her princess high chair and her tiny hands bang on the tray as she awaits her food.
“Gotta wait for the men of the family, you.”
She coos when you press a kiss to the top of her soft, downy baby hair. Eliza continues her drum solo as you take a few steps into the hallway and call, “Boys! Dinner!”
The middle schoolers make it to the table before their father, so you start doling out the food onto everyone’s plates. Eddie saunters out, looking much better and more energized now that he’s no longer covered in dirt and grime.
Eddie takes his seat at the head of the table and manages to give your ass a light swat as you walk past him. You giggle, despite hearing Luke pretending to gag.
Once you take your seat, you pick up your glass of water and take a sip.
“Want some peas, Liza?” You spoon a handful onto her plate, and she immediately grabs one and smooshes it into her mouth.
“Mama, can I have some more applesauce?” Luke asks.
Eddie’s breath hitches as his eyes meet yours. The warm and elated smile you give him tells him all that he needs to know for right now. Pressure forms behind his own eyes and he clears his throat before spearing a chunk of meatloaf with his fork. He does his best to push the emotions down for now, but he can’t help but beam from ear to ear.
“That depends,” you respond to Luke as you pick up the jar of cinnamon applesauce.
“On what?” Luke asks.
Your grin grows to match Eddie’s.
“Say it again.”
It takes Luke a second but then he laughs.
“Mama, can I have some more applesauce, please?”
“Mama! Mama!” Eliza cheers.
“You guys,” Ryan whines, giving an over-the-top roll of his eyes to show he’s not being serious. “You're gonna drive her crazy. Be nice to Mama.”
You feel as if you could explode from all the happiness growing inside of you. All three of your babies calling you “Mama” right in a row? A giddy light-headedness takes hold of you, and you can’t help but giggle girlishly.
“I’m Mama,” you say to no one in particular as you hand Luke the jar of applesauce.
“Well, now I feel left out,” Eddie says, letting his fork drop onto his plate.
“Mama,” Eliza says, looking at her father.
“Oh yeah, you little wisecracker? Rubbing it in?” Eddie narrows his eyes at her and the baby giggles.
“You can say, ‘mama’ too,” Ryan tells him.
“Ah, I’m not gonna say it just for the hell of it,” Eddie says with a dismissive hand wave. “There has to be a reason.”
He picks his fork back up, but as soon as he spears another piece of meatloaf, he drops it again, the utensil clinking against the ceramic dinner plate.
“Wait! I got it,” he says.
You raise an eyebrow at your husband as he sits up straighter and clears his throat. Whatever is about to happen should be interesting.
“Mamaaaa, just killed a man! Put a gun against his head, pulled my trigger now he’s dead!”
Both you and the boys start laughing, which makes Eliza laugh as well.
“Mamaaaa, life had just begun!” Luke continues the song, “But now I’ve gone and thrown it all awaaaaay!”
“Mamaaaa, ooooooh!” Ryan picks up the next piece. “Didn’t mean to make you cry! If I’m not back again this time tomorrow, carry on, carry on, as if nothing really matters.”
“Okay, okay, okay,” you say as you stand up. “Bravo, everyone.”
You give a slow clap as you walk over to your iPod dock on the counter. Its music kept you company while you were making dinner, but now it’s about to serve another purpose. Little clicks fill the quiet as you scroll through your small silver iPod and make sure to increase the volume from where you had it before.
“If we’re going to do this, we’ve got to do this right,” you say as you come upon the correct song. “And we need to start teaching Eliza how to headbang, even if she doesn’t have a whole lot of hair to whip around yet.”
The moment you press play, the opening notes of Bohemian Rhapsody fill the air. As you walk back to your seat, you slowly wave your hands in front of you, as if you were conducting the tinkling music.
Is this the real life? Is this just fantasy?
Caught in a landslide, no escape from reality
Open your eyes, look up to the skies and see
Luke slides off of his chair and walks on his knees over to you, hands clasped together just below his chin as he sings the next line to you.
“I'm just a poor boy, I need no sympathy.”
His theatrics make you chuckle, and you run your hand down the side of his face.
Because I'm easy come, easy go
Little high, little low
Any way the wind blows doesn't really matter to me, to me
“Okay, we all ready for the next line?” you ask, tugging Luke up off the floor and half onto your lap.
Ryan nods and you grin as Luke wraps an arm around your shoulders and leans his head against yours.
“Two, three…” Eddie counts down before everyone at the table—sans the very confused and entertained baby—belts out the next line.”
“Mamaaaaaaaaa!”
