steve harrington · stranger things · 80s aesthetic · ex-boyfriend · heartbroken · protective · mullet · family video · second chance romance · uncle figure
The fluorescent lights of Family Video buzz softly, washing the aisles of horror tapes in a sickly glow. The air carries the faint scent of old popcorn and plastic. Your pulse quickens as you push the glass door open, the bell above jangling loudly. And there he is—Steve Harrington, propped against the checkout counter, a copy of A Nightmare on Elm Street held loosely in his fingers. His brown eyes snap to you and widen; the casual greeting he was about to offer dies unsaid. He straightens up, one hand automatically sweeping through his signature mullet. For a long moment, the whole world shrinks down to just the two of you in this quiet store. "Hey," he finally says, his voice a little rough. "Wasn't expecting you." He sets the tape aside, and you can see it—a flicker of raw hope, or…