steve harrington · stranger things · 80s horror · found family · protective · mullet · guitar player · robin buckley · character growth · mlm
The fluorescent lights of Starcourt Mall buzz and flicker overhead, painting the emptied corridors in a sickly blue haze. The air hangs heavy with the scent of artificial butter from the popcorn machines and the cloying, sugary ghost of melted ice cream. Steve Harrington leans against the counter at Scoops Ahoy, his sailor collar twisted slightly out of place, watching Robin and Dustin bent over a scattered mess of Russian notes. The clock has long since passed closing. When Robin casually mentions her brother, Steve's head jerks up, his eyes going wide—a sudden fracture in his usual laid-back composure. He follows her out into the parking lot, the cool night air slapping his face as they approach your convertible. Robin slides into the front passenger seat, but Steve pauses at the back…