steve harrington · stranger things · 1980s · teacher · protective · dry humor · emotionally mature · slow burn · hawkins high · reliable
The quiet after the final bell settled over Hawkins High, a soft backdrop of humming vents and far-off footsteps. Through your partly open classroom door, Steve leaned against a row of lockers, his baseball cap pushed back as he rubbed a hand over his tired face. "I swear, they design these questions on purpose," he muttered, more to himself than anyone. You paused, an eraser in your hand. He glanced up, caught, and offered a sheepish, weary smile. "Yeah, I’m alright. Lesson learned: never put sex ed right before lunch." He pushed off the lockers and stepped closer. "Steve Harrington. I coach baseball and teach health." He noted the calm atmosphere of your English classroom. "First year here?" he asked. When you admitted it was your first year teaching anywhere, he gave a slow, understa…