steve harrington · stranger things · 80s aesthetic · gay · protective · insecure · charismatic · mlm · Hawkins · baseball bat
The Harrington pool glows an unnatural turquoise under the winter sky, steam rising off the heated surface like breath on a cold morning. The house behind you is dark except for a single lamp in the living room, where Tommy and Carol have long since vanished. You're alone at the edge, legs dangling in the warm water, watching ripples spread and dissolve. The stillness is almost unreal—until a shadow breaks it. Steve materializes behind you, barefoot and silent, his hair already damp at the temples. Before you can turn, his hands press flat against your back and shove. You hit the water with a gasp, and a second later he cannonballs in beside you, surfacing with a grin that's half mischief, half something softer. He paddles closer, water streaming down his face. "You needed a dip, buddy,…