Work Text:
Flour
Eggs
Bread
Rice
Pepperoni (enough for Wayne too)
Potatoes
Sausages (pork for gravy)
H burger helper
Pickle jar (x3)
Chips
Eddie checks his list again, knowing he's probably forgotten to write something important down. His mind is too all over the place why anyone trusts him to be a functioning adult in charge of his own nutrition he will never underst-
A warm, solid weight presses into his leg, bringing him back into the room and out of his spiralling before it has a chance to really start. He takes a slow, deep breath, reaching down to run his fingers through Gizmo's soft fur and pockets the list. Anything he's forgotten he can pick up another day. Or ask Wayne to get at the local market on the weekend where he's insisted on grabbing Eddie's fruits and veggies anyway because the market people are good, kind people so they've taken to uncle Wayne like a duck to water.
He starts walking through the aisles again, thankful it's not as busy as it can be on a Friday afternoon so no one was there to bare witness to him freezing, or get mad at him for blocking their way. You'd think with a big dog like Gizmo at his side - a dog clearly working, with his red vest on leaving no room for confusion - people would maybe think twice before yelling at him for wasting their precious time but it does happen and it never ends well.
He tunes back in to the music he has playing, one earbud in so he can still hear the world around him. Contrary to popular belief, Eddie is not a music snob. Metal is his preference sure, but he can always appreciate good music no matter the genre. He makes playlists for different situations, something his therapist had recommended as a 'healthy outlet' and grounding technique for when he's too lost in the past to acknowledge the present.
All that to say, he currently has Kathy Mattea's voice wrapping him up in all the comfort of his uncle, synonymous as she is with the sounds of the trailer, growing up. Gizmo walks languidly beside him, always relaxed no matter where Eddie takes him, a perk of the breed and one of the reasons Eddie had chosen him.
He's debating between two flavours of ice cream (neither of which are on his list but no one is going to scold him for getting some because it's his money and he's allowed to treat himself. If he says it enough maybe his brain will one day get the memo) when he hears it.
A sniffle.
Then another.
Then the sound of quick, panicked breaths. It's a sound he's familiar with, though it isn't often he hears it from this side of things. His own lungs are generally the culprit.
Like an idiot, he presses a hand to his chest just to check.
Taking his earbud out and placing it in its case, Eddie walks quietly around the corner to find the source of the noise. He finds a small figure, sitting on the floor with her knees pulled up to her chest, and head bowed as she tries to breathe.
She looks young, Eddie thinks with a frown. Coffee coloured hair pulled half up in two little bunches, knees covered in pop-art bandaids. He looks around him for any sign of another adult but there isn't one. Eddie should maybe go find an employee to call her name out on the speaker or something but he can't just leave the kid panicking like this.
With a deep breath, he makes his way to her, slowly but loudly enough that she won't be startled by his appearance. Gizmo follows his lead but keeps a steady eye on the girl. Seems like he recognises the stuttering pattern of panicked breathing too.
"Hey, um." Eddie starts, trying to sound calm and put together. Two things he's probably never been in his life. "Are you okay?"
Obviously not, jesus Eddie.
"I'm Eddie, and this is Gizmo." He gestures to the dog as the girl's head lifts just enough that she can look.
Her eyes go wide on her tear-streaked face, but clearly the shock of seeing a dog at the store wasn't enough to lessen her panic as she's still gasping for air.
"Is it okay if Giz says hi?" He asks, going for plan B.
Thankfully she nods, her body uncurling a little as Eddie sends Gizmo forward to place his head on her knees. He's all gentle and careful and Eddie is reminded, as he often is, just how much he loves this dog.
"You know, Gizmo here is trained for a special job." Eddie says, deciding to sit criss-cross across the aisle with his basket placed beside him, to give her breathing room and hopefully present himself as non-threateningly as he can. He's still a tall man dressed head to toe in dark colours and metal and chains but she's not seemed scared of him so far, other things are more pressing at the moment anyway.
"He helps me sometimes when my chest feels all tight. See how he's breathing nice and deep, kinda like he's sighing after a long day? Try to copy him. You can pet him too if you'd like, it might help."
The girl does exactly as he suggests, bringing a shaky hand up to latch into Gizmo's fur and watching carefully as he sighs. On his next breath, she breathes in deep too. A little stuttered, but much better than she had been before.
She keeps this up for a few minutes, Gizmo breathing normally as the girl visibly calms down. Eddie keeps an eye on them, but makes sure to periodically turn his head to look out for a wayward parent. No dice.
"Thank you." The girl says as she pets Gizmo's soft ears. Eddie's unsure if she's talking to him or the dog but he responds anyway.
"No problem at all… uh..?"
"Wren."
"Lady Wren, it was a pleasure." He smiles, bowing a little where he sits and more than happy to hear a laugh in return.
"Can I help you find someone? Something tells me you didn't drive here all by yourself." He says, voice light but worrying more the longer Wren is alone.
Her face crumples a little again, but Gizmo is still a solid weight for her to hold and her breathing remains strong.
"My daddy." She sniffles. "He was sad today so I wanted to get him some chocolate because he always gets me chocolate when I'm sad but then I forgot where it was and I couldn't remember which way to go back and I can't find him!"
Gizmo nudges her and whines, and Eddie watches as she reflexively takes a breath, not having paused while speaking.
"That's okay, bug." Eddie smiles, the name Wayne used to call him leaving his mouth before he can think about it. "We'll get you to someone who works here and they can call for your daddy on the speakers. Then he'll know where to find you, how's that?"
But Wren is already shaking her head.
"Daddy's ears don't work." She insists, brows pinched and pout firmly in place. "He won't hear and he's probably so scared and I didn't mean to get lost."
Ah. Shit.
"Hey, hey that's okay!" Eddie is quick to reassure. "How's about we start walking and Gizmo can help sniff him out."
That is not, believe it or not one of Gizmo's trained tasks, but Eddie is running out of ideas and he thinks Wren might put a little more faith in her new furry friend than himself. The store isn't so big. He's sure if they walk for long enough they'll come across what's bound to be a pretty distressed parent. Then Eddie is grabbing his food and heading home stat. This trip has had a little too much excitement for his liking.
Thankfully, Wren seems to steady herself with another deep breath in and nods. They stand, creating an odd little trio, Eddie, Gizmo in the middle, and Wren walking beside, one hand on Giz's back where his vest meets fur. Eddie is in ripped black jeans, a comfortable, silky red shirt with short sleeves and a few buttons undone showing glimpses of his tattoos, worn black boots and a plethora of jewellery. Rings on almost every finger, the odd bracelet he likes to play with when his hands get restless, metal studs in his snakebites, hoops and spikes covering his ears.
He looks comical next to Wren with her tan, freckle spotted skin glowing golden against a bright yellow tee with a happy sun motif, purple shorts, orange and yellow sneakers and a pink watch on her wrist. She's like her own little rainbow next to the thundercloud of one Eddie Munson.
He smiles, starting up conversation again as they walk by telling her about Gizmo's job (without the trauma dump of his own childhood of course, he's not that much of an idiot). She's fascinated, earlier misery completely dissipated as she delights in learning something new. She's got to be around seven, going by size and general vibe, and Eddie finds himself hoping her schoolteachers appreciate her and her thirst for knowledge. She's one smart kid.
"Should I stop petting him?" She asks, already lifting her hand away. "So he can work better?"
Eddie's heart melts into a puddle at his feet.
"No, that's okay sweetheart, but thank you." He replies. "Gizmo's helping you just as much as me right now and he knows it."
She seems satisfied with this answer, and returns her hand to his fur.
"What kind of dog is he?" She asks next. "He's big."
"He is big!" Eddie chuckles. "He's called a bernese mountain dog. And they're super good at jobs like this because they're clever and strong and friendly."
Wren nods along like this makes sense.
"I've never had a dog, but my auntie Robin has three cats. And my daddy says maybe one day we can get a pet too. Why is he called Gizmo?"
He spares a thought for the irony of a women named after a bird owning cats, and wonders if Wren was named so they could match, before answering.
"It's from a film called Gremlins. It's a little scary but Gizmo is sweet, so I named my boy after him."
Wren doesn't get a chance to respond. As soon as she opens her mouth they hear a choked gasp from their left and turn in time for the girl to be scooped up into the arms of who could only be her dad.
The same tan, mole-dotted skin (though this time on muscular arms Eddie immediately wants to bite before he's even taken in the rest of him), these mesmerising, droopy puppydog eyes, hazel like a forest in Spring. His hair is lighter than Wren's, more caramel, but Eddie thinks that's probably thanks to the pretty highlights streaked through it. There's a hint of silver on his ears peaking through the locks and Eddie assumes they're hearing aids, though Wren insisted he wouldn't hear a store announcement so he won't assume the man can hear particularly strongly unless told otherwise.
The greek god before him is wearing a pale blue sweater vest over his white shirt, and burgundy pants that are doing all the right things for his-
Focus.
He's holding Wren comfortably, not showing a single sign of strain, be still Eddie's heart, and watching her as she signs rapidly with as much expression as she'd given her speech. Eddie catches a fair few words, but his ASL is not quite up to standard as he's used to easy, languid signs back and forth with Wayne when he's had enough of his aids for the day, not the speedy motions of a delighted child.
He does, however, notice his own name spelled out, then Gizmo's, before attention turns to him.
Eddie, as quickly as he can, puts his basket down to bring his hands up, Gizmo's leash sliding to loop onto his arm. He signs a careful introduction, before stumbling to explain that his ASL is not the best.
The man's eyes widen, watching him carefully, before he breaks into sunshine smile.
Name me S T E V E
He signs, then scrunches his hand in a fist, the letter S again, before bringing the hand up and making a swooping motion by his head, pointer finger and thumb in a pinch. This move is unfamiliar to Eddie but it isn't hard to deduce the man's sign name has something to do with his gorgeous hair. He feels his mouth tug into a smile and pretty guy, Steve, gives a good natured eye roll, easily guessing what has Eddie grinning like a fool.
"Thank you." Steve says, signing along with a motion that looks too much like blowing a kiss for Eddie's stomach not to swoop.
His voice is accented in a way he's never come across in person but Eddie isn't stupid. He knows that if you can barely hear your own voice when you speak it isn't going to sound exactly like everyone else's.
"For..." Steve continues, then gestures to the little girl in his arms. "I panicked, turned around and Wren not there." He signs stupid, then "Forgot she can hear. Could've called."
Eddie shakes his head before the man's had a chance to finish.
"It's not stupid." Eddie insists, trying not to blush as Steve's eyes drop to his mouth immediately. He's lip reading, don't be a perv, he reprimands himself internally. "It would've been crazy if you hadn't freaked out a little! I freak out and forget things all the time and I don't have a whole kid to think of!"
He's nervous his rambling was too quick for Steve to catch it all, but a melodic giggle proves him wrong and Eddie wants to hear that sound on repeat. Wants to add it to every playlist he has and sample it in every song he's ever written.
"Thank you anyway." Steve says. "Wren" a W sign on each hand, arms crossing to turn the letters into wings flying. A little bird. The girl herself sits in the crook of his elbow comfortably as he moves like she weighs nothing and Eddie needs to stop that train of thought right now. "You really helped her, she says. With calming."
Eddie nods and moves a hand to Gizmo.
"Well that's what Gizmo here is trained for." He says, but he feels his smile turn a little sad.
He's being thanked, he can feel Giz's attention resting solely on him again by his side, Wren is smiling and the family has been reunited. They'll go on their way and probably back home to Steve's beautiful wife where Wren will convince them to finally get a puppy and Eddie will be nothing but a distant memory.
It's silly. He doesn't know them. But even the short time spent with this rainbow of a little girl and her sunshine dad was enough to have brightened Eddie's day, and wishes it didn't have to be over.
"Can we walk with Gizmo and Eddie for a little while longer, daddy?" Wren asks (aloud for his benefit clearly. Could this girl get any sweeter?) signing along to her dad. "Pleeeeaase?"
Steve's eyebrows pinch, and he's already shaking his head probably to insist Eddie would most likely want time to himself again so Eddie shakes his hands in front of his face a little to dismiss the idea before it can form.
"I really wouldn't mind. Gizmo likes her and it's not often I have company for things like this so feel free. Unless you have somewhere to be."
His hand waving was enough to catch Steve's attention but he really needs to stop speaking before thinking in front of this adonis. It's becoming a problem.
"If you're sure." Steve says, eyes scrunching as he smiles.
Wren cheers and she's lowered to the ground again, bounding over to stand by Gizmo but clearly refraining from touching this time.
"He's just working for you again now." She nods, as if Eddie was the one learning about service animals today and not her. "So I'll make sure no one distracts him."
Eddie might cry maybe.
Jesus christ.
He picks up his basket as Steve grabs the cart that had been a few paces behind him down one of the aisles and then they're off. They don't compare lists, try to shorten their journeys by figuring out exactly where they need to go. Instead, conversation flows freely, aided by Wren making some quick translations when the noise gets to be a little much and Eddie's signing knowledge fails him, as they traverse the entire store.
Wren, true to her word, is rather enthusiastic about letting everyone that so much as looks at Gizmo for a second know that he's working and "did you know dogs could have jobs? He's doing a super special important one right now so please don't touch him."
Steve's cheeks are red but he doesn't make any move to stop his kid. The sight does something funny to Eddie's insides. The way Steve is a little self conscious but he clearly cares more about allowing Wren to be herself, not a toned-down, 'socially acceptable' version.
It makes him think of uncle Wayne, and how Eddie used to wish things had gotten worse sooner, if just so he could've lived at the trailer when he was little. Not when he was already half broken.
It makes him want to pull Steve into a hug and tell him how much he's doing for the wonderful child he's raised.
He doesn't. But the thought is there.
"Is it just you and Gizmo?" Steve asks, the dog's name sounding a little funny in his mouth like he isn't quite sure how it's said.
Eddie nods, turning to face him. They're close, not overly so but enough that Eddie gets a little lost tracking all the pretty freckles and moles on Steve's face before he replies.
"Yeah. We live close by to my uncle. Wayne." He spells the name out. "He's why I know a little ASL. He's going deaf, from all his years working we think. But it's just us."
Steve hums, another sound Eddie adds to his need to make a whole album of this collection.
"Wren and me, just us too. We have friends, friends that are more like family actually but it's just- Wren's mom isn't- sorry I don't know why I'm telling you this."
He's flushed a pretty pink again and Eddie can't control his face. Doesn't know what expression he's making but he hopes it's not too obvious. Internally, he's doing a little dance.
Steve had said Wren's mom and usually Eddie would be valiantly attempting not to get his hopes up around a straight guy but the way Steve is talking to him... he's not so sure.
"Well you're clearly doing something right." Eddie replies, tilting his head in Wren's direction. "That's one hell of a kid you've got."
Steve's face softens.
"Thank you. That means a lot."
They continue in silence for a little after that, and Eddie thinks maybe this is the start of something. Something different. He remembers Wren saying Steve had been sad. It's why she'd run off in the first place, to get chocolate to cheer him up.
He doesn't let himself overthink it, swiftly adding a bar of chocolate to his basket as they pass the shelves.
He's got a pen and sticky notes stashed in his pocket for emergency lyric writing, preferring to handwrite than type on his phone, and they come in handy as they checkout. Steve's shop takes a little longer as he's buying food for a family, so Eddie takes the opportunity to scribble his number onto a note and stick it to the chocolate bar.
He could just be, you know, normal, and ask for Steve's number. But where was the fun in that?
They're still talking as they head to their cars, Eddie pretending his isn't in the complete opposite direction of the parking lot for those extra, precious minutes with these two.
"Psst. Wren." Eddie whispers, not so subtly but Steve is sufficiently distracted by packing their things into his trunk. The girl looks over at him curiously.
"Here." He hands the chocolate over. "For your daddy."
Her face splits into the widest grin, almost an exact replica of her dad's if not for the large gap between her two front teeth.
Eddie is not expecting her to launch herself at him but he reacts quickly enough to the sudden armful of child that he doesn't topple over.
"Thank you Eddie." She says, little voice so grateful he squeezes her once before letting go.
Steve is watching them, expression so clear, ooey gooey and hopelessly fond. Eddie blushes.
"For you daddy." Wren presents him with the bar. Once her hands are free she signs too. "I told Eddie I wanted to get you chocolate, to make you happy. You look happy already now but you always say chocolate makes happy days even happier so maybe it's still okay."
Steve bends down to kiss her forehead, signing his thanks, then shooing her into the car to get buckled in. Eddie stands there like a bit of a fool, but he's rewarded when Steve moves over to him next. He's turned the bar around in his hands and run a thumb over the numbers written there.
"Thank you Eddie." And goddamn but if Eddie's name on his lips isn't going to play in his head for the rest of the day. Rest of the week even.
"I'll text you. I'm sure Wren would love to see Gizmo again. And I'd well," the pretty flush is back "I'd quite like to see you."
And Eddie, like the fool he is, takes a gentle hold of Steve's free hand, bends at the waist and kisses it like Steve is nobility and he's but a humble bard.
He tilts his head up before he speaks.
"I look forward to it."
Steve giggles, a pretty, snorting thing, and shakes his head like he can't quite believe Eddie is real. He gets that a lot.
See you E D D I E
He signs. And Eddie thinks maybe he's also saying I see you, thinks maybe he's right.
Bye Steve
Eddie replies, Steve's sign name flowing easily into him pulling a piece of his hair in front of his face to hide his giddy smile. Then he turns, and walks all the way to the other side of the parking lot.
Gizmo huffs by his side.
"Oh shut up, you."