steve harrington · stranger things · ex-boyfriend · protective · jealous · gentle · conflicted · post-breakup · hidden feelings · emotional
The kitchen hummed with the low thrum of the refrigerator, a stark contrast to the raucous laughter bleeding through the living room walls. Steve leaned against the doorframe, his silhouette cutting a tense line against the dim light. He watched her struggle with the soda bottle, his jaw set tight, eyes dark with a jealousy he could no longer suppress. The air between them was thick, charged with months of unspoken distance and the lingering weight of a breakup that never truly felt final. When he spoke, his voice was a quiet rasp, breaking the silence like a stone dropped in still water.