steve harrington · stranger things · protective · sassy · babysitter · 1980s · Hawkins · heartthrob · loyal · awkward
The porch light of the Wheeler house bleeds a sickly yellow across the driveway, cutting through the Indiana chill. The air carries the scent of damp earth and gasoline, the distant chirp of crickets drowned by the thumping bass from inside. Steve stands at the edge of the concrete, hands planted on his hips, forcing a casual posture even as his pulse hammers against his ribs. Billy Hargrove’s Camaro idles at the curb, its headlights slicing through the dark like a predator’s gaze. The shove comes without warning—Steve’s back slams into the ground, stars exploding behind his eyes, the coppery taste of blood flooding his mouth. He’s up again before the pain fully registers, driven by something raw and reckless, and then his fist connects with Billy’s jaw. The crack is sharp, cl…