I was working on a couple wips this weekend but then yesterday this little idea took hold, just a sweet little au!meetcute to kickstart your monday 🥰🧡:
title: The Bangles, Manic Monday
wc 988 | G | single parent!steve, garbage man!eddie
Monday had never been Steve’s favorite day of the week. He suspected that was true for most people. That was all before though.
Before Ty turned two.
Before Steve’s divorce.
Before becoming a single parent.
Before he moved back to Hawkins.
Because now Monday was the day they anticipated, Tyler was creeping up on three quickly and his main interests were trucks, their dog Twigs, his auntie Robin; and did Steve mention trucks? The bigger the better, and ones with a purpose? Whoa buddy, don’t get him started.
Ty was enamored by the garbage truck, and Monday’s were garbage collection day. When he turned two Robin had found a few decent trucks to gift Ty, or at the time twucks (which would never not be cute to Steve), the kid played with the fire truck, the construction truck, but the loud noise and fun mechanism of the garbage truck struck his little toddler fancy and had stayed steadfast in his admiration.
Sunday evenings Ty ‘helped’ gather their bountiful offerings for the week and bring the bins to the end of the driveway with Steve. Moving back to Hawkins had been something he didn’t know would help settle him so much, he was a longshot from the nicer neighborhood he had grown up in but he’d been able to rent a small ranch close to the town center, it was walking distance to the library and a few local parks. Everything he really needed for the chapter of life he was in.
He and Ty were becoming familiar faces. Waving at neighbors and making small talk at the grocery. It was nice, even keeled, Steve was trying his best to set some foundations for his little family.
This particular Monday morning didn’t start off any different. Ty was up and (im)patiently awaiting the loud rumble from outside to alert him that the garbage truck was on their block, coming to their house, Steve couldn’t help but indulge him. Who knew if by this time next year Ty no longer garnered this excitement for such a mundane weekly happening.
The spring morning still held a chill but Steve didn’t mind holding onto his warm coffee mug as he and Ty made their way to the end of the driveway, ready to greet Martin to kick start their week—
But today, it wasn’t Martin.
This man was much younger. He wore the same uniform and workman’s gloves, but he had long wavy hair underneath his Waste Management baseball hat. He hopped out of the truck to rearrange their bins as Ty went hurdling towards him.
Steve close behind in his cozy slippers, still wearing his gold wire framed glasses as he reached out with the hand not holding his coffee mug to grab onto his kid.
The man froze looking at them, wide-eyed and playful expression, “Whoa! Is this Ty’s house?! Marty let me know there’s a very important truck inspector on this route.”
He had a rich voice and a hint of tattoos peeking out from anywhere skin was visible. He crouched down to Tyler’s level after pulling off his gloves to reach out and shake Steve’s son’s little grubby hand, “I’m Ty! I love your truck! Where’s Martin?”
The garbage man glanced up at Steve as he held back his laughter, the effort making dimples start to take form in his cheeks. Steve felt speechless at this non-Martin Monday revelation. The man was good looking, and being kind to his kid.
Shit, the combination felt deadly.
“I’m Eddie, I’ll be filling in for Marty for a couple’a weeks on his route, that okay with you, boss?”
Ty giggled and shook Eddie’s hand enthusiastically before letting go, “Yeah,” He looked back to Steve, “That’s okay, right daddy?”
The man, Eddie, looked up at Steve too, still crouched on Ty’s level. A smirk danced over his features, “This okay, daddy?” The man asked impishly.
Steve almost choked on his saliva. He caught himself and cleared his throat, “Any friend of Martin’s is a friend of ours.”
Ty cheered happily as Eddie stood back up to his full height, a bit taller than Steve as he tugged his gloves back on, “Well, you boys ready to see her in action?”
“Her?” Ty piped up.
“Yeah, my lovely lady.” Eddie held his hands up as if presenting a gold trophy and not just the garbage truck.
“Does she have a name?” Ty asked.
Eddie tilted his head inquisitively, “Hmm, you know what, you should help me name her.”
“ROBIN!” Ty exclaimed.
Eddie pretended to be blown back by the force of his words.
Steve barked out a laugh, “Ah, yes, Auntie Robs will love having a garbage truck with her namesake.”
“Robin it is, now wanna watch me put her to work, big boy?” Eddie said, locking eyes with Steve with a hint of flirtation.
Was that flirtation? Steve was so far out of the game he wasn’t totally sure. It felt like it.
“Yes! The front load dumpster!” Ty cheered.
Steve sipped his coffee and kept his gaze steady with the other man.
Eddie broke the eye contact and looked back to Ty, “And the boss knows the right names for the truck parts, Marty wasn’t joking around!”
Eddie tipped his hat to Ty and shot a wink at Steve causing a slow heat to creep up to his cheeks before making his way back to the truck, “Prepare to be awed!”
Ty clapped as he watched their trash empty out into the large bin compartment and Eddie give a big wave before heading to the next house.
Steve finally ushered the small boy back inside all while thinking about deep brown eyes and flirty glances. His coffee must not have kicked in yet, because he felt a little insane, even moreso he hoped to get a glimpse of Eddie next week.
He supposed he had another reason to anticipate Monday’s now.
