request by Soul-evaporated
Max had spent the night with El at the cabin, as it was the first day of spring break, now being driven home by Hopper early Saturday morning.
She waved the chief goodbye as she made her way over to the front door, hearing the car start as she went inside.
Their parents weren't home, but it was no surprise to Max. Putting her bag into her room, she fell down on her bed.
The girl didn't know if Billy was home or not, but if he wasn't there was no need to check. He probably went on a date or something, so she would have time to fix her skateboard before he came home.
After about an hour or so, the front door opened and closed, and Max peaked her head outside to see Billy standing in the hallway, kicking off his shoes.
„Morning! Where have you been?" she smiled, and Billy sighed, coming towards her as she waved him over.
„Just been out to get some stuff" he explained, lifting a shopping bag into the air Max didn't see at first.
„Ohh what did you get?" she asked, sitting on the bed and patting down on the mattress next to her.
Billy sat down, hesitating and just pushing the bag in her arms, too embarrassed to tell her.
When the redhead looked inside the plastic bag, she cooed in awe at the sight of some colouring books and crayons, sticker sheets, various candies and a new pack of diapers since they were almost out. Billy had started to wear them more regularly as he found it easy to regress when he was wearing them, and Max didn't mind.
„You've been baby shopping without me?" she gasped playfully, and Billy rolled his eyes at her.
„You weren't here! And also I didn't think you wanted to come..." he admitted, head lowered a little.
Max raised an eyebrow at the sudden mood change.
„Why wouldn't I want to come with you? I love taking care of you, and that includes getting you stuff for your small time" she smiled, carefully taking Billy's hand.
„But I'm not a real baby..." the blond whispered, tears starting to form in his eyes.
Max cooed and pulled the other in for a hug, petting his hair.
„What do you mean, sweetheart?"
Billy hiccuped, hiding his face in the crook of his sisters neck.
„Should act like an adult...Not a baby...I should take care of you, not the other way around" he said, quiet tears streaming down his face.
Max sighed, sitting up and making the boy look up at her.
„Listen to me, silly. I love taking care of you, you're the reaaalest baby ever, okay? Don't let those icky thoughts get in your way of being happy, yeah? You're the cutest little boy ever" the girl said, proudly acknowledging that Billy stopped crying and now blushed slightly.
„P'omise?" he asked, holding out his pinky. Max locked their fingers, kissing the boys hand as she did so.
„Promise, sweetheart. Let's get you comfy and I will baby you all day long, okay?" she grinned, and Billy kicked his legs in excitement as he nodded.
Max went over to Billy's room, getting the oversized sweater he usually wore, as well as changing supplies and his pacifier and stuffie.
Then she returned, helping Billy change into the sweater, before leaving the room so he could change himself.
He was able to do that himself most times, and they had an agreement that Max would only help him if he was absolutely not able to do it, because Billy didn't feel comfortable with it.
When the boy called for her again, Max went back inside, smiling at her little brother sitting crisscross on the bed.
„Alright babyboy, how old are you" she cooed, sitting back down with him.
Billy held out three fingers, and Max nodded.
„Such a big boy! Do you want to color one of your new colouring books, love?" she smiled, and Billy excitedly pulled out a car themed one as well as the crayons.
When the boy was entertained, happily colouring, Max got back to fixing up her board, still having an eye on her brother though.
Billy soon got bored of only colouring, so he pulled out a sticker sheet and started decorating the page. And then the bed. And then himself.
When Max looked up again after only five minutes, she almost had a heart attack as Billy currently tried to put a sticker in his hair.
„Sweetheart, what are you doing-?" she laughed, getting up and peeling the sticky picture out of his hair.
„Usin' stickas!" Billy exclaimed, excitedly showing another one to her before sticking it down on the girls nose, making her laugh again.
„I see that, love, but stickers belong on paper, not your face."
Billy pouted slightly, but let Max start getting them off his face again, but she stopped when they heard a knock on the front door.
„I'll be back in a second, love. Don't put any more stickers anywhere please" Max said as she left the room, making her way over to the door.
When she opened it, her eyes widened slightly.
„Steve? What are you doing here?" she asked, and Steve cleared his throat, looking a little lost.
„Well- uh- is Billy home?" he responded, and Max raised her eyebrows.
„Why, what do you need?"
The brunette sighed, and leaned into the doorframe.
„Did he tell you that we talked about his...you know, the thing in the lockers. He explained it to me, and I thought maybe I could see for myself in less stress conditions, you know?" he said, still looking like he didn't know what to really say.
„Also, I didn't know if he wanted to keep this, so-" he said, holding out the drawing Billy had recently done when he was little in school.
Max grabbed it, smiling when she realised her brother seemed to trust Steve enough to let him see his small side.
„Fine, come in. I'll tell him you're here first though, he's little right now" the girl said, going back to her room while Steve took off his shoes.
„Sweetheart, Steve is here to see you, do you want to talk to him?" Max asked, and Billy's head shot up in excitement.
„Stevie?" he asked, kicking his legs and Max laughed.
„Yes love, Stevie" she turned around to check on said brunette, who was standing in the hallway waiting.
„You can come in" Max informed him, sitting down on her bed as she watched Steve slowly come inside and closing the door behind him.
„Stevie!" Billy giggled, making grabbing motions towards the other boy as he held his arms out.
Steve looked over at the redhead, silently asking her what to do.
„Pick him up" she mouthed, a warm smile on her lips, so Steve did just that, securing the boy in his arms, one hand on his butt and one around his hip.
The little bounced a little, happy that Steve was strong enough to hold him like this.
„Do you want to show Stevie what you've been doing, little one?" Max chuckled, pointing over at her pillow, which still had a few stickers on it.
„Made da room p'etty!" Billy grinned, and Steve let out a laugh.
„You sure did bud, looks fantastic" he said, bouncing Billy in his arms, who squealed in joy.
The brunette sat down next to Max, placing the little on his lap.
„So, how does this work?" he asked, and Max chuckled.
„He's just an itty bitty baby right now, so we treat him like one, isn't that right Bills" she smiled, tickling Billy's side a little.
„No! I a big boy!" he laughed, and Steve ruffled his blond locks.
„How old are you feeling right now?" he asked, curious about the whole little thing.
Billy blushed, raising two fingers into the air.
„Awh, even younger than earlier" Max cooed, and the boy nodded shyly, hiding his face in Steve's chest.
The brunette looked a little lost at first, but then wrapped his arms around Billy and kissed his forehead softly, making the boy giggle.
Max gave him an approving nod, before getting up.
„I'm going to prepare lunch, can you guys stay here for a bit?" she asked, and Steve nodded while playing with Billy's hair a little.
„Sure, but are you sure you don't need any help?"
Shaking her head no, Max left the room, making her way into the kitchen to warm up some food for the three of them, but before she could even enter the kitchen, she turned around again, getting Billy's sippy cup from his room before finally getting to the kitchen.
She put the plates out, quickly heated up the oven so the meat wouldn't take too long, and prepared salad and dressing.
When everything was ready, Max prepared the table and filled the sippy up with milk, drizzling a little honey in as well, before heating it up in the microwave for a minute, pouring a little more cold milk inside to cool it down and putting on the lid.
„Boys, come here" she shouted, hearing the door of her room close as she saw Steve come through the hallway, Billy still in his arms.
The littles eyes were dropping shut from time to time while Max fed him, and when he whined and pushed away the fork she was holding, the girl stood up.
„Okay, someone seems tired. Do you want to take a nap sweetheart?" she cooed, and Billy nodded, slowly looking over at Steve and lifting his arms up to be carried.
So Steve picked him up with ease, carrying the little over in his room.
„Wait- Billy, do you need to be changed?" he asked, realising the boy squirmed a bit uncomfortably in his arms.
When he nodded, Steve looked back at Max, who was following them, waiting for her to take over the situation.
The redhead sighed.
„Do you need help sweetheart?" she asked, and Billy nodded, hiding his face in Steve's chest as the red on his cheeks darkened.
„Do you want me to go outside, or..?" the brunette asked, ready to set Billy down, but the boy whined, clinging to him.
„No go dada!" he whimpered, and Steve's heart skipped a beat.
„O-okay cupcake, I'm staying" he smiled, sitting down on the bed and looking up at Max for instructions as he gently rocked the boy in his arms.
„Do you want me to change him?" he asked, and Max raised an eyebrow at him.
„Would you? I mean, he's always a bit hesitant because I'm his sister..." she said, and Steve chuckled.
„I don't mind. Go wait outside, I've got it. Where are his supplies?"
Max pulled out Billy's little box, getting out a new diaper, powder and wipes, before leaving the room like Steve had told her to.
When the brunette called her back inside, Billy had already dozen off into sleep, closely held to Steve's chest again, the mentally older leaning against the beds headpiece while playing with Billy's hair.
„You're a pretty good babysitter, Steve" Max smiled, gaining one in return.
„I guess I am. Do you think I could come over more when he's small? It's cute" he asked, and Max nodded.
„I'm sure Billy would love that. I didn't think he would warm up to you this fast."