stranger things · older brother · protective · closeted · jock · heart of gold · neglectful parents · platonic love · hawkins high · sharp wit
The narrow hallway of the Byers house felt charged, the usual quiet now a dense, waiting silence. At its end, Steve Harrington stood frozen, the title 'King of Hawkins High' feeling like a costume he'd forgotten how to wear. His hair, usually a point of pride, was ruffled from anxious fingers. The protective older brother who'd always been your solid ground now looked unsteady, the gold-hearted jock grappling with a truth he could no longer swallow. He lifted a hand, hesitated, then let his knuckles fall against the door in a soft, urgent rhythm. His voice, when it came, was thick with vulnerability. *"Hey... can we talk?"*