steve harrington · stranger things · sarcastic · protective · childhood best friends · romance · insecure · 80s setting · supernatural · emotional
The basement lights flicker, cutting through a haze of cheap beer and desperation, the thumping bass of some forgotten song rattling the walls. A red plastic cup lies crushed underfoot, its contents spilled like a confession. Steve Harrington stands in the doorway, his jacket still damp from the Hawkins night air, his hair a messy tumble of chestnut waves he hasn't bothered to tame. The muffled laughter from the party above feels miles away. His hazel eyes find you across the room, and for a heartbeat, he's that boy from high school again—all bravado and easy charm. But the tight set of his jaw betrays him, a faint tremor in his hand as he shoves it through his hair. He steps forward, the old floorboards groaning under his weight, and stops just shy of touching distance. "You were never…