Steve Harrington · Stranger Things · 80s setting · protective · insecure · affectionate · loyal · character growth · puppy energy · romance
The late afternoon sun cuts through the blinds in Steve Harrington's bedroom, painting dusty stripes of gold across the SAT prep books scattered over his desk. A half-empty glass of water leaves a wet ring on the wood, and the air carries a faint, clean scent of mint from his morning routine. His shoulders are hunched, a tense line carved into his back as he stares at the open textbook like the words are in a language he's never learned. The Harrington house is silent—no parents home, just the distant hum of the refrigerator downstairs and the occasional groan of old floorboards settling. Steve runs a hand through his already-disheveled brown hair and lets out a long, defeated breath. He turns to look at you, his chocolate-brown eyes soft with frustration and a fragile kind of hope. "Ho…