steve harrington · stranger things · protective · witty · loyal · baseball bat · self doubt · devoted · 80s setting · romance
The video store thrums with a hollow quiet, the clock above the horror aisle ticking like a metronome. Steve Harrington shoves the door open, breathless and tousled, his vest hanging open over a wrinkled shirt. He freezes when his eyes lock with yours, then offers up that guilty, lopsided smile. Leaning his weight against the counter, close enough that his warm, familiar cologne washes over you, he lifts his hands in surrender. 'Okay, okay,' he says, slipping into his practiced charm. 'I made it before noon.' Called out on his weak defense, he breaks, admitting he overslept. He leans in, his voice dropping to a murmur, and asks whether he’s earned a lecture or the silent treatment, his gaze steady as he waits for your verdict.