Eddie has a lot of nicknames for Steve - Stevie, sweetheart, big boy, baby, darlin', it seems like he adds new ones every week - and Steve adores every single one. The way Eddie beams when he says "Stevie." How he winks when he calls him "darlin'." The once over he gives Steve as he tacks on a "big boy" to whatever it is he just said that Steve can't properly process now because all he can do is stare at Eddie's lips.
But Steve's favorite?
It's the day his parents call to say they aren't coming back to Hawkins. That the house in the Hamptons is just so much more comfortable for the two of them. That they don't care what he does with the other house, the house he grew up in, the house he still lives in, as long as they don't have to deal with it. He doesn't even hear the flimsy excuses they give for leaving him behind because all it sounds like to Steve is "whatever you do, just don't bother us anymore."
He wants to scream, to smash something, to tear the entire house to pieces when he hangs up the phone. But what he does instead is lay on his bed, his arms wrapped around his knees, staring at the wallpaper he wishes he could set on fire.
Which is how Eddie finds him an hour later when he comes over for their weekly movie night.
"Stevie?" he calls, coming up the stairs, worry in his voice. Steve can hear him pause in the doorway before he comes over to the bed. Feels the mattress dip as Eddie sits next to him.
"Hey, sunshine," he says and Steve hasn't heard that one before but it doesn't really matter at the moment.
"Not feeling particularly sunny right now, Eds," he scoffs. Or tries, since his voice is a lot wobblier than he wants it to be.
Eddie doesn't say anything, just lays a gentle hand on Steve's shoulder, tugs a little to get Steve to turn toward him. He resists for half a second, but he also can't deny Eddie anything, even now, so he rolls to face him.
"Storm clouds, thunder, rain, doesn't really matter, you're still my sunshine," Eddie murmurs with a soft smile, pushing Steve's hair back from his face.
And Steve can't help it then, can't stop the sob that tears from his chest as he curls against Eddie. Eddie, who doesn't even know what happened yet, doesn't know why Steve is sobbing into his shoulder, doesn't know that Steve isn't wanted, but who wraps him up in his arms and hangs on tight anyway.
He's humming something as he rubs a hand up and down Steve's back, the vibrations rumbling into Steve's chest and its soothing and soon Steve's sobs are hiccuping breaths. Eddie doesn't let go though, doesn't move away, and now he's softly singing into Steve's ear and Steve almost wants to laugh because of course that's what he's singing. Of course he is.
But Steve doesn't laugh because it's perfect actually and so he just tucks his face against Eddie's neck and listens and breathes and decides it doesn't matter if his parents don't want him because Eddie does. Because with every note Eddie is telling him he makes him happy, that he loves him, that he doesn't ever want to lose him.
And Steve is finally able to lean back just a little, tell Eddie what happened. Sees the storm clouds roll over Eddie's face on his behalf, knows he really does mean it when he tells Steve he'll help him burn down that house in the Hamptons if he wants. Presses their foreheads together with a shaky laugh as he tells Eddie its okay, he's okay, he's going to be okay.
Eddie sighs, softly kisses his cheek. "What can I do to help?"
"Stay?" Steve asks, "Just stay with me?"
And Eddie is nodding, shifting so he can lay down and tuck Steve tight against him. They're quiet now and Steve listens to the beat of Eddie's heart, feels it pulse against the hand he has splayed across Eddie's chest. Tentatively asks, "Could you maybe keep singing? Until -"
Until what? Until he falls asleep? Until it doesn't hurt anymore? Until he really believes what Eddie was singing?
But it doesn't matter because Eddie just starts humming right where he left off and Steve falls asleep to words he can feel in the vibrations of Eddie's voice under his ear and the soothing fingertips moving up and down his arm.
You are my sunshine, my only sunshine.
So, yeah, sunshine is definitely Steve's favorite nickname.
You make me happy when skies are gray.
Because when he has a rotten day - he has to deal with a terrible customer or the teens are being particularly bratty or the whine of the dying vcr at work rewinding a tape sounded a little too much like a horde of demon bats shrieking across the sky -
You'll never know dear how much I love you.
Eddie takes one look at him and gives him that certain soft smile. "C'mere, sunshine," he says, laying down on the couch and pulling Steve on top of him, running gentle fingers through his hair. And he quietly sings until Steve's shoulders relax and his breath evens out and there is no place else in the world he would rather be.
Please don't take my sunshine away.
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Okay I'm supposed to be studying but like I'm having thoughts about the song that's playing right now.
But Eight by Sleeping At Last? Major Legend vibes
"I was just a kid who grew up strong enough
To pick this armor up
And suddenly it fit
God, that was so long ago, long ago, long ago"
He was a child and has been doing this for (in my hc) a decade now. He did not choose this life, but the moment Fable called out to him and he found his Uncle dying? No going back.
"Now you won't see all that I have to lose
And all that I've lost in the fight to protect it
I won't let you in, I swore never again
I can't afford, no, I refuse to be rejected"
This is especially perfect for anyone who wants to go into Legend learning to love again with the Chain, be it after Marin or anyone else he's loved and lost. He won't let himself do it, and if you (like me) subscribe to the idea that he's a sweetheart at his core, he can't afford to keep losing people because at some point he's going to break.
"I'm just a kid who grew up scared enough
To hold the door shut
And bury my innocence
But here's a map, here's a shovel"
He's hidden himself under the mask of a gruff, harsh, grizzled veteran, but the kid who was buried since he took up that sword and shield is still there... and if you want, if you like, he's given the Chain the map (glimpses of his true self) and the shovel (his trust) to find it and help him... I don't know, be a kid again? Be himself again?
"For the innocent, for the vulnerable
And I'll show up on the front lines with a purpose
And I'll give all I have, I'll give my blood, give my sweat
An ocean of tears will spill for what is broken"
Though this part is actually more like two different stanzas, which individually are still great, these together describe him as a hero so well. Again and again, he's gone to the front lines and he's given everything he has to protect the innocent and the vulnerable. At least in the Oracles manga, we see his determination to protect those who can't fight their battles and he gladly fights beside those who can.
Really I just have thoughts about this song and how well it fits Legend.
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