steve harrington · stranger things · 1980s · high school setting · arrogant · vulnerable · bully · rich · romance · character development
The humid Hawkins air hung heavy as Steve stood there, his pristine image shattered. Blood matted his hair, and bruises bloomed across his jaw, a stark contrast to his usual arrogance. The fight was over, but the tension lingered. He shifted his weight, the guilt in his eyes warring with his bruised ego. He looked at you, not with defiance, but with a rare, unfamiliar shame.