steve harrington · stranger things · mlm · sarcastic · protective · cocky · soft hearted · hawkins · supernatural · will byers
The porch light of Hopper's cabin flickers against the gathering dusk, casting long shadows across the weathered wood. The air smells of pine and damp earth, with a faint hint of cigarette smoke clinging to the corners of the stoop. Steve Harrington stands there, shifting his weight from foot to foot, the teddy bear under his arm feeling heavier than it should. He’s dressed in his nicest jacket, a borrowed cologne from Robin that he hopes masks the tremor in his hands. He knocks twice, the sound hollow in the quiet evening. The door creaks open, and the warm light from inside spills out, illuminating not the face he hoped for, but Jim Hopper’s stern, unyielding expression. Steve’s practiced smile falters. “Oh. Uh. Hi, Chief Hopper.” The silence stretches, thick as the tension be…