Consider, if Billy had been dad-coded even before he'd gotten his powers.
He's the eldest (he's 12) of the street kids.
He ends up gathering the Shazamily over time, either abandoned, lost or having run from home and he keeps them safe and out of CPS hands.
Eldest child syndrome (i.e. parentification) except he's done it to himself.
He tries so hard to keep them fed and clothed and with some semblance of a roof over their heads.
He buys clothes from the thrift store in bulk, gets coats sized for adults so they can bundle up more, steals leftovers and has them take turns at the local fridge to get them canned foods, fights off bullies and other people for the right to live in condemned buildings for them all.
The older kids had a couple years of school and he teaches them to read. They frequent the library a lot and use public toilets to wash up.
It isn't perfect, but they've survived this long.
The one that nearly broke the camel's back was Darla, a toddler (about 2ish?) who got really sick. Billy debating so hard on whether to willingly bring them to CPS if only to get her help because winter is closing in and he's SO scared she'll die.
But he PROMISED.
He ends up getting his powers when he ran into the subway after stealing from the local pharmacy.
Honestly he nearly refused because this kid has been in survival mode for so long and his entire focus is on keeping his family alive and possibly giving them a better life.
And then the Wizard promises him magic and spells to help them if he accepts the duty and like a man signing up for the army Billy agrees for their sake.
He's a little more closed off to the JL maybe? He has more regular hours compared to his Canon counterpart bc his focus is still on his family.
They call him big brother, but after he'd gotten even bigger, they accept the truth they'd always had subconsciously, that they actually consider Billy their dad.
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Billy almost doesn’t make it to his child’s birth? Well only because he didn’t really know it was his.
Susan wiped her hands on a dish towel before picking up the receiver.
"Hargrove residence."
On the other end, a shaky voice answered. "Hi... this is Y/N's mom. Is Billy there?"
Susan frowned at the nervousness in her voice. "He's home. Is everything okay?"
There was a brief silence before the woman spoke again.
"Y/N's in labor."
Susan's eyes widened.
"The baby's coming."
For a moment, she couldn't find the words.
"Oh my goodness..."
"It's Billy's," Y/N's mother added quietly. "I know they aren't together anymore, but... I thought he deserved to know."
"Thank you for calling," Susan said gently. "I'll tell him."
She hung up the phone and turned toward the dining room.
Billy was leaning back in his chair, clearly annoyed by being interrupted during dinner.
"What?"
Susan took a steadying breath.
"Billy... Y/N is at the hospital."
"So?"
"She's having the baby."
His expression froze.
"...What?"
"The baby is coming."
For the first time in what felt like forever, Billy looked completely speechless.
Neil looked up from his plate.
"Well?" he said gruffly. "What are you sitting there for?"
Billy blinked.
"I..."
"That's your kid," Neil continued. "Get to the hospital."
Billy stared at him in disbelief.
"You serious?"
"I'm not raising another child," Neil replied. "If you're old enough to become a father, you're old enough to show up."
Susan looked at Billy with a small, encouraging smile.
"You'll regret it if you don't go."
Billy swallowed hard.
He hadn't seen Y/N in months.
Things had ended badly—too many arguments, too much fear, too much pride. Neither of them had known how to handle becoming teenagers who were suddenly expecting a baby.
He'd convinced himself she didn't want him there.
Now he wasn't so sure.
Without another word, he stood, grabbed his jacket, and headed for the door.
"Drive carefully," Susan called after him.
Billy gave a quick nod before disappearing into the night.
The hospital smelled like antiseptic and coffee.
Billy hurried through the halls, trying to ignore how fast his heart was pounding.
A nurse looked up from the desk.
"Can I help you?"
"I'm... uh..."
The words caught in his throat.
"I'm here for Y/N."
The nurse smiled knowingly.
"The father?"
Billy hesitated before quietly answering,
"Yeah."
"She's in Room 214."
He thanked her and walked down the hallway.
Outside the room, he found Y/N's mother pacing.
When she saw him, relief washed over her face.
"You came."
Billy rubbed the back of his neck awkwardly.
"I almost didn't."
She smiled softly.
"I'm glad you did."
From behind the door came a cry of pain.
Billy's heart sank.
"Is she..."
"She's been asking for you," her mother admitted.
He looked up.
"She... has?"
She nodded.
"I think she was afraid you wouldn't come."
Billy took a deep breath before slowly opening the door.
Y/N looked exhausted, her hair damp with sweat, but the moment she saw him standing there, tears filled her eyes.
"You came..."
Billy walked closer.
"I wasn't gonna miss this."
She reached for his hand without saying another word.
He took it immediately.
The hours that followed were filled with encouragement, tears, and nervous laughter between contractions.
Billy stayed beside her through every second.
When the baby's first cry echoed through the room, everything else disappeared.
"It's a healthy baby," the doctor announced with a smile.
Billy stared in complete amazement as the tiny bundle was placed into Y/N's arms.
The baby opened sleepy little eyes.
Billy felt his own fill with tears.
"I... I made that," he whispered in disbelief.
Y/N laughed through happy tears.
"We made that."
A nurse gently asked if Billy wanted to hold the baby.
His hands shook as he accepted the tiny bundle.
"Hey there," he whispered. "I'm your dad."
The baby's tiny fingers wrapped around one of his.
Billy's breath caught.
"I've got you," he promised softly. "Both of you."
Y/N looked at him with the first genuine smile she'd given him in months.
"I think we'd like that."
Billy looked between her and their child.
"I know I messed up."
She nodded.
"I know."
"But... if you'll let me... I'd like another chance."
She reached over and intertwined her fingers with his.
"We'll figure it out."
It wouldn't happen overnight.
There would be sleepless nights, diapers, bottles, and learning how to be parents while they were still growing up themselves.
But they wouldn't be doing it alone anymore.
As Billy held their baby and Y/N rested against his shoulder, Susan quietly peeked through the doorway, smiling when she saw the little family together.
Sometimes, the hardest journeys led to the happiest beginnings.
Billy always put on a brave face for his kids because he wants them be brave themselves. Doesn’t mean he doesn’t cry in front of them. He cries when he is happy and he tells them that, he cries when he gets sad and he tell them that. Billy wants them to be open about his emotions with him.
But its not like that when their grandfathers comes to visit for the first time. He thinks that because he hasn’t seen his father in a good while it may be different. And it is. But Billy is consumed by the fear of doing anything wrong. He is so consumed by that he couldn’t understand how quick it went. He found himself closing the door and exhaustions taking over him completely. His kids surround him confused at why their daddy is on the floor. And its when the youngest starts crying that brings Billy back. Its only then he realizes has been crying this whole time. He pulls his kids into his arms and holds them. His oldest is kissing his head and telling him that “everything is going to be okay, dad,” “don’t be scared, everything is okay” like he does to them when they are crying or scared.
billy Came Back Wrong hargrove having a child somehow one day and the baby being literally some kinda spawn of satan like. that child's the stuff of horror movies. and billy just being like. my little ray of sunshine. my baby. my pride and joy. and every one being like 'that child has the devil in them' and billy just nodding along like 'yeah i guess they did get my devilish good looks'
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I wanna see dads!mungrove with a preteen during the height of emo.
I wanna see Eddie especially dismayed at first until he learns more about emo subculture and realizes that culturally at least the fans are the punks and metalheads of their generation bc their vulnerability and femininity/androgyny is the current disliked and mocked thing so now he’s into it. Still fucking hates at least half the bands but he respects artists like mcr and the kids in this subculture who’re getting bullied for liking them.
Billy is the one who tends to be more of a musical omnivore so he likes more of the music. Also the one who has to help their tween do all the makeup and hair shit. Has a hair trigger temper yet will patiently allow their kid to listen to ONE FUCKING ALBUM of music he DOESN’T LIKE on REPEAT for WEEKS. Braver than any us marine…
Billy had been hesitant to show up at the store again, had spent weeks trying to convince himself that it wasn't possible, it couldn't have been her.
His luck ran out eventually and he ended up at the store, Callie's little hand clutched in his as he listened absently to her babble on about her day at school.
He got sucked in though and now she was trying to convince him to buy her a new toy with the most convincing argument ever of "pretty please with a cherry on top Papa." when he saw someone round the corner out his peripheral. The person walked closer, as if to join them but stopped a few feet away. At first he figured they were just browsing or something but a minute went by and they were still staring at them... at least he assumed they were.
He took the bait and turned, the accusatory "can I help you?" on the tip of his tongue unable to spill out upon seeing the other person. It was her.
She was a little older of course, her hair was cut shorter... almost a bob now but it was still the same blonde curls. The same blue eyes. Just like his. It was her.
"Hi." She greeted. Same soft voice.
"Hi." He replied after a moment, clearing his throat lightly.
"I don't mean to bother you, it's just that your reaction last time and your face... do we know each other? You seem familiar." She questioned and Billy felt a weight drop in his stomach.
Time froze.
Then a bubble of pure rage and sorrow filled his belly.
"Familiar." He scoffs, a short laugh falling from his lips. "You know it really must suck."
"I'm sorry?" She asked, her right arm going to cup her left elbow like it always did when she was confused or uncomfortable.
"It must really suck not to recognize your own son." Billy stated. Her eyes widened, mouth dropping open in shock. Billy scooped Callie up, ignoring her questions 'cause he knew he'd probably cry right then and there if he had to explain this all to his little girl, ignoring the way his mother finally whispered out his name in recognition.
He made a speedy exit out and vowed to find a new store to shop out.
I was on my way home from my grandma’s and I passed a bar that was like. right next to a daycare, they literally shared a driveway, and not only is that fucking hilarious but it also got me thinking about a harringrove au?
Y’know like a freshly 21 year old Billy gets drunk at a party and has a one night stand with a girl just because he needed to fuck something but it’s the late 80′s, he’s still gotta be careful about the whole gay thing. Next thing he knew, the girl dropped the baby on him a year later and dipped. So he needed to find a job. And finding babysitters is really hard but there’s a daycare that takes babies. What do you know, it’s next to bar, and they’re hiring. It’s a lucky strike for Billy.
He wants to be the best dad he could be because his daughter deserves that much. She’s not even a year but he already feels for her. Absent mom and all. But he refused to let her have the shitty dad too. Anyway. First day he brings her in. Sunshine Palace Daycare. The place really screamed small town daycare. It was quiet, a couple of kids sitting at a little table eating snacks. It was only 7:30 so most kids probably wouldn’t be there for another 15 minutes.
“Hello?” He was expecting maybe some blond hair, blue eyed girl in a floral dress, because that’s his preconceived image of daycare babysitter. Instead he got this:
The most gorgeous man he’d ever seen with big brown eyes and pretty brown hair to go with them in a pink apron trying to carry a stack of boxes. He watched him carefully set them down at a counter and brush the dust off his hands.
“Hi, can I help you?” Billy felt like his brain was short circuiting.
“Uhm-I-yeah. I’m Billy, I called?” To be fair a woman had answered the phone.
“Oh, right! This is Poppy then?” He just liked the name. Refused to name her something generic, which made him glad her mom hadn’t named her.
“This is her.” He smiled and set her carrier down to take her out. She was still sleeping from the car ride, which was only 10 minutes from his apartment. She never stays awake in the car, he learned.
“I’m Steve by the way.” He shook his hand. No wedding ring. Steve held his hands out. “Can I hold her?”
“Yeah of course.” He’s wary of strangers around his baby but
1) Steve’s hot. How could he not trust such a pretty face?
2) Steve’s her babysitter so he has to suck it up and deal with the idea of him and anyone else working there holding his baby.
He watched him closely while he held her. He liked how carefully he held her. Made him feel safe leaving her, even if he was right next door.
“She’s pretty like her daddy.” Fuck. Billy used to be so goddamn smooth but he couldn’t even think of an equally flirty line to throw back.
“Thank you.”
“I’m sure you’ve gotta get off to work. Poppy’s in really good hands though.” He looked at his watch. It had been almost 15 minutes but felt like 5.
“I work at the bar right by here so call if anything happens. Sometimes she won’t eat unless she’s sitting up and I left her extra formula in the front pocket of her diaper bag-”
“I’m guessing this is your first time being away from her?” He nodded, looking at the ground in embarrassment. “She’ll be okay. She won’t even leave my sight.” Billy handed him the diaper bag and kissed Poppy’s head.
“I’ll be back at 4:30.”
“She’ll see you then!” Steve waved as Billy walked off. He waved and left before he could panic and just call in sick.
-
He would bring Poppy in at 7:30 every morning to have those few extra minutes to chat with Steve before work. He learned that Steve was single and also possibly into men. He likes to paint. He wanted to be a teacher but was working at the daycare until he got the money for school. He has the prettiest laugh.
After 3 months of early morning chats he started bringing Steve a coffee from the place across the street from his apartment. Steve likes the sugary flavored stuff with whip cream and cinnamon, which seemed completely fitting. He was pretty sure he was in love with him.
It was a breezy September morning, 6 months after he started bringing Poppy to Sunshine Palace. She was almost a year old. He was sitting at the counter in the little kitchen with Steve, sharing their usual coffee.
“Sorry if this is...uncomfortable or anything but would you maybe wanna get dinner sometime?” Billy felt his heart skid to a halt inside of him.
“Like..a date-”
“It doesn’t have to be a date.” He could see panic in his eyes. He’s gotten good at reading his emotions.
“What if I want it to be?”
“Then it can be.” It made his stomach warm to see the smile return to Steve’s face. “Are you free tomorrow? Robin could watch Poppy for you.” Robin was the girl who worked at the daycare with Steve. Billy had a momentary scare when he met her, mistaking her for Steve’s girlfriend. Turns out she’s “pretty fucking gay” in her words.
“That could work.”
-
The date went so well it lead to 2 more dates. Steve celebrated Poppy’s birthday with him. And then they went on 3 more dates. They celebrated Steve’s birthday and Poppy called Steve daddy. Billy felt like dying but Steve loved it. They went on a handful more dates before they decided to move in together.
(and yes, Steve ended up going to school to be a teacher.)
