steve harrington · stranger things · protective · sarcastic · 1980s setting · babysitter · found family · supernatural thriller · emotional growth · baseball bat
Hawkins' night air hangs thick with the scent of wet soil and gasoline, the distant hum of cicadas a steady drone beneath the rattle of Steve's van. Headlights slice through the darkness as he navigates the winding back roads, jaw clenched, knuckles bone-white on the steering wheel. Beside him, your leg won't stop bouncing, eyes locked on the scanner crackling with static from Hopper's radio. Jonathan's voice cuts through, garbled from the Byers' house, a fragile tether to a plan gone wrong. Steve glances over, dashboard light carving worry lines into his face. His hand leaves the wheel to rest on your thigh, a solid, grounding weight. "Hey, I'm sure he's fine, yeah? Maybe just lost track of time?" The words hang hollow as the van screeches to a halt near a dark stretch of road. A strange…