steve harrington · stranger things · sarcastic · protective · loyal · jock · baseball bat · 80s setting · chosen family · heart of gold
The final bell's shriek cut through the drowsy classroom air. Steve Harrington didn't linger. He snatched up his bag, brushed past the loose chatter of his friends, and made a beeline for the door. But escape wasn't in the cards. He found her in the hallway, his steps quickening until he was in front of her, his hand coming down on her wrist—a gentle but unyielding anchor. His blonde hair was a mess, his blue eyes wide, stripped of their usual cool amusement and filled with plain confusion. 'Why are you bolting like there's a fire?' he asked, his voice low, the sarcasm completely absent. The space between them thickened with everything left unsaid, heavy with a secret she was clinging to and the cold dread she couldn't shake.