Dive Deep into Creativity: Discover, Share, Inspire
▸summary: steve just wants cuddles. and he'll play the song on repeat until he gets them.
▸characters: steve harrington x gn!reader
▸tw: tooth. rotting. FLUFF
▸a/n: i did not die. have some happy words.
HE MUST'VE HAD the song downloaded four-hundred times on his cassette tape, because you were just about ready to bash your head in when the beginning notes played from Steve's bedroom.
Ain't no sunshine when she's gone, it's not warm when she's away.
You were in the living room, finishing up some writings that you had due for your classes when you gazed unamused at the ceiling. He'd been playing the song on repeat, singing along badly in order to coax you into giving him some love and affection as you always did on a Tuesday afternoon. Unfortunately, this deadline was currently taking priority, and Steve was being a drama queen about it.
You still had about four pages to write, as well as some questions to answer before anything else took over your mind, so you had to suffer.
Ain't no sunshine when she's gone, and she's always gone too long, anytime she goes away.
You'd practically memorised the words and melody to this song, mouthing them with good ol' Bill Withers as he provided sustenance to feed Steve's dramatics. You could hear Steve's faux grieving voice as he sang along, making the song a whole heap more dramatic than the original recording.
Wonder this time where she's gone, wonder if she's gonna stay.
Trying to persevere through the loud stereo blasting muffled music above your head is a lot more difficult than you might imagine. Ever since you had gone to his place in a tizzy that you had things to do before a deadline and couldn't afford any distractions, you had banished him to his room, and for about an hour, had some quiet.
That changed when the second hour became the third, and the music started when the sun began to go down, reeling on loop as though it was a broken record.
Ain't no sunshine when she's gone, and this house just ain't no home, any time she goes away.
You smiled slightly, though. For all of Steve's dramatics and ridiculous behaviours, he loved you, and you loved him. All of his quirks made him special to you, and you loved to be with him no matter what was happening around the world, especially when the whole Upside Down thing began catching up to him, mentally and physically. Now, he was a cuddly baby that loved hugging you. He always said that he felt safer to sleep in your arms.
And I know, I know, I know, I know...
He must've given up on singing, because Steve's voice could no longer be heard. Probably ran out of oxygen. Good. He needed to rest after the whole Russian situation. You only had one page left to write and a few more questions to do before you could give your Steve what he needed so desperately.
A hug. And a fat nap.
You sighed as the tape continued playing the bridge, scrawling your pencil over the paper. You had started with gorgeous cursive, and had evolved into writing chicken scratch to speed up the time. Two questions down, half a page to go...
Hey, I ought to leave the young thing alone, but ain't no sunshine when she's gone.
Three lines, two sentences, aaaaand...
Done.
Throwing the pencil down and thudding the book shut, you pushed yourself to a standing position, practically bounding up the stairs, dragging yourself up by the handrails.
Ain't no sunshine when she's gone, only darkness everyday.
You came to the first floor landing, stepping onto the carpeted floor with your socked feet and beelined for Steve's room. The door was shut, but Bill's soothing voice carried through the wood, almost getting impossibly loud as you inched closer.
Ain't no sunshine when she's gone, and this house just ain't no home, any time she goes away.
Stepping into the room as you swing open the door, the final outro of the song is echoing through, fading away. You smile to find Steve on his back, staring at the ceiling as he waits for the next loop to begin.
You are silent as you halt the tape, crawling onto the bed and giving him a big ol' smooch. He looks at you with innocent and wide eyes, a big fat smile settling on his face.
"All done?" he asks.
You nod, confirming. "All done."
You yelp as he flings himself at you, wrapping his arms around your waist and tumbling over the other side of the bed. He's quick to bring the covers over you both, leaving the bed side light on. A new habit, but it didn't bother you.
You tussled for a little, finding a comfortable position that agreed with all parties and bones. You settled on bear hugging him as he tangled your legs together and kept his nose near your hair.
You giggled, running your nails down his back. "You big baby."
He grumbled. "Ain't no sunshine when you're not here."