The first time Eddie calls Wayne βDadβ heβs three years old. Heβs been staying at Wayneβs for a few days now; dropped off by his parents without warning and with the vague promise that theyβd be back for him soon, already screaming at each other before theyβre back in the car and speeding off out of sight. Wayne doesnβt even have a change of clothes for him, doesnβt have any toys or books or much of an idea how to take care of a toddler. Luckily the kid seems happy enough getting into every nook and cranny of the trailer, and toddling around watching Wayne clean up in Eddieβs wake like a particularly rambunctious shadow.
Right now heβs sat on the kitchen floor, one of Wayneβs baseball caps hanging off his tiny head, bashing happily at the array of pots and pans heβs dragged out of the cupboards. Itβs one hell of a racket, but after three days of this either Wayneβs headache canβt get any worse or heβs starting to get used to Hurricane Eddie. Besides, itβs good to see the boy having fun, unbothered by whatever chaos has been going on at home.
The crashing comes to a sudden stop, silence ringing through the trailer, and Wayne looks over to see Eddie swaying in place, blinking like heβs having a hard time keeping his eyes open. The boyβs like a puppy, Wayneβs learning. Either heβs bouncing off the walls or heβs asleep, not a whole lot of in-between.
βYou tired, kid?β
βNo,β says Eddie, even as his head droops and a yawn near bigger than he is shakes its way through him.
βUh-huh. Come on, Charlie Watts; letβs get you to bed.β
Eddie lets Wayne scoop him up into his arms with only a half-hearted whinge in response. He doesnβt even have the energy to fight off Wayneβs attempts to brush his teeth and scrub away the grime Eddie somehow manages to accumulate over the course of a day, already drifting off against Wayneβs shoulder as he carries Eddie down the hall and tucks him into bed.
βNight, Eddie.β
βGoodnight, Dad,β Eddie murmurs as Wayneβs about to turn off the light.
He freezes in place. The hellβs he supposed to say to that? Your dadβs not here, kid; God only knows when heβs coming back? Thereβs no need to upset the boy. But thereβll be hell to pay if Wayneβs brother comes back for Eddie only to find out heβs taken to calling Wayne 'Dadβ instead.
Luckily for Wayne, Eddieβs fast asleep before he can figure out what to say for the best.
He presses a kiss to Eddieβs mop of curls, and closes the door behind him.
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