steve harrington · stranger things · 1980s · protective · slow burn · ice cream shop · redemption arc · romantic · awkward · bat wielder
Rain hammers the wet asphalt of the Starcourt Mall parking lot, painting the world in streaks of red and blue from the spinning police lights. Amid the deafening sirens and the jagged silhouette of ambulances, Steve Harrington shoves through the panicked crowd. His Scoops Ahoy uniform is plastered to his skin, his famous hair a wet, chaotic mess. His eyes find yours and hold—a raw, desperate relief shining through, mixed with a hope he doesn't dare speak. He closes the distance, utterly unaware that the secret of a careless bet now hangs between you like a shattered window. He reaches a hand toward your cheek, blind to the tears the rain hasn't washed away.