Sound of Music au, anyone?
Steve Harrington, beleaguered single accidental father of seven (maybe adopted/ended up with him after a local tragedy which is why they're all similar ages), desperately looking for someone to help him raise his hellions.
Steve's not fully accustomed yet to being a dad and finds himself resorting to being overly disciplinary and strict, just like his own father. He never had a good role model that way, of course, and the kids are all chafing under his rules. He's chafing under his own rules but can't seem to make it better, either.
Enter Eddie Munson, a down on his luck music teacher who's never been a private tutor before, especially not for so many kids, but who is just desperate enough to take the job when it's offered, because how hard can it be, right?
Spoiler: it's pretty damn hard.
The kids don't trust him, Steve doesn't trust him, he's starting to think that this was a horrendous idea after all. Then Max sneaks into his room one night while he's playing his guitar and they get talking. She likes his metal and he likes her attitude and they become something like friends, and when one of the little beasts starts listening to him, the rest slowly fall in line.
Finally Steve comes home one day and hears laughter coming from the basement, and music, actual music. All the kids getting along and singing along to Eddie who's running through every kid's favourite song. He listens by the door for a while, entranced with his kids actually being kids and realizing that Eddie's the one who's brought them back. They get closer after that, he gets nicer after that, finally clueing in that Eddie's not (just) the weirdo he looks like, he's actually a good guy too.
Enter Nancy, the girl he's been thinking about marrying, and his cousin Robin. They both come for a visit, he and Nancy have been discussing getting married for convenience and for the kids (since he was the one to take in her younger brother when she couldn't). High school sweethearts still clinging to those feelings despite both of them having moved on, but unable to admit it to each other because they're both stubborn as fuck. But Steve is pretty clearly starting to be into Eddie, and Eddie is pretty clearly into him too, at least to Nancy's eye. She and Robin end up getting close, anyway, so she not so subtly pushes Steve in Eddie's direction.
They have a misunderstanding one night, Steve trying to get his feelings out but mostly centering the kids instead and making a big mess of it, so Eddie thinks it's hopeless and disappears overnight.
He's picked up a shift at the music store like he does sometimes, hanging out behind the counter with his guitar out since it's not busy, not really paying attention when the bell above the door rings until he looks up to see seven little faces staring at him across the counter, in various stages of anger, annoyance; one happy face, El's, stands out.
There's questions and accusations and Eddie's a little overwhelmed by how much these kids apparently care. He feels awful about leaving and when they go to leave he's over halfway convinced he'll go back and at least try to get the tutor job back; he can ignore his feelings for Steve if it's for the good of the kids. And then, after the kids leave, El comes back in and quietly tells him that she thinks Steve hopes he comes back, too.
So, he does. Decision made. He heads back to that big old house the very next day, guitar and heart in hand. He knocks and is met with Nancy, who gives him The Eyebrow and says she hopes he's here for good this time.
Immediately he's swarmed by kids, Mike's pretending he's too cool for hugs but even he eventually gives in. And then Eddie looks up and there's Steve, coming down the stairs, the softest look on his face as he watches his kids embrace this random guy who's become so important to them all.
They get away from the kids to talk about it, finally, hanging outside by the pool after bedtime. Eddie tells him I was scared that you didn't want me, that you only wanted the help with the kids and I didn't know if I could handle being around you if that was all, but assures him that if that's the case he'll manage, because he does love the kids too and doesn't want to leave them now.
That's not all, Steve tells him. I'm not so good with words, I didn't want to take advantage of you, you've changed our lives and I didn't think I would be enough to thank you for that, but I hoped.
There's not much talking after that, at least not outside. Inside there are feverish discussions happening about who won the bet on them getting together.
