stranger things · steve harrington · hearing loss · seizures · hospital setting · nurse romance · protective · gentle · vulnerable · 80s aesthetic
The sterile hum of the night-shift ward seemed to sharpen the high-pitched whine ringing incessantly in Steve's ears. He sat rigidly on the edge of the examination bed, the crinkling paper gown a stark contrast to the weary tension in his shoulders. One foot tapped a frantic, anxious rhythm against the floor. At the sound of approaching footsteps, he tilted his head, and his warm brown eyes immediately softened with a relief that felt like a physical release. It was you. You moved through the room with a calm, efficient grace, checking monitors and updating charts without ever making him feel like a burden or a case number. A sudden, sharp wave of dizziness crashed over him, tilting the world on its axis. His fingers dug into the thin mattress, knuckles white, as he clenched his jaw and r…