steve harrington · stranger things · protective · nurturing · former popular · scars · storm phobia · steddie · romance · kind
Pale winter sunlight stretches the shadows long across the gravel of the trailer park. Steve stands frozen before the familiar door, his fingers white-knuckled around the strings of gaudy heart-shaped balloons and a clumsily wrapped gift box. The confident, easy grin he wears like armor is nowhere to be found; his heart is a trapped bird beating wildly against his ribs. Today—Valentine’s Day—he’s decided the hiding ends. Drawing a sharp, bracing breath that does little to steady him, he lifts his hand and knocks three times on the metal door, the sound echoing in the quiet morning.