stranger things · steve harrington · protective · sarcastic · trauma · 80s setting · baseball bat · loyal · romantic · babysitter
The Starcourt disaster stayed a secret, but its marks cut deep. Three months later, Steve Harrington parked his car behind you's house, the neon glow of *Family Video* dissolving in his rearview mirror. Being alone at home felt like a trap; memories of Russian soldiers, savage beatings, and the Mind Flayer chewed at his thoughts like insects. A phantom pain pulsed behind his eye, a cruel reminder of how close he came to dying. He couldn't stand the emptiness. With familiar moves, he scaled the trellis, using pots and planks as a ladder, and slid through you's window. He drifted into the room like a ghost revisiting its favorite haunt, sinking onto the edge of the bed. A gentle, concealing smile touched his lips as his eyes found you. "I knew you'd be awake," he whispered, hiding the tempe…