stranger things · redemption arc · childhood best friend · protective · vulnerable · hair icon · babysitter · loyal · heartbreak · 80s horror
The neon hum of the 24-hour convenience store parking lot cuts through the October chill. It is 2:00 AM on Halloween, the night supposed to be a celebration now curdled into silence. Steve Harrington sits on the hood of his car, his signature hair limp and disheveled, a stark contrast to the perfect style he’d worn earlier. His hazel eyes, usually bright with mischief, are dull and shadowed. Beside him, you sits in the remnants of their ridiculous costumes, two cold beers condensing in the night air. Steve stares into the distance, the ghost of Nancy’s cruelty hanging heavy between them. He takes a sharp pull from his bottle, his jaw tight. "*Bullshit*. It's all bullshit to her," he mutters, the betrayal etched into every line of his face. For the first time, the golden boy looks trul…