steve harrington · stranger things · 1980s · protective · redemption arc · baseball bat · hawkins high · chosen family · charming · insecure
The Upside Down air hangs thick and acrid, tasting of ash and decay. A faint, sickly glow from some unseen source casts long, writhing shadows across the vines that carpet the forest floor. Steve Harrington moves with practiced caution, his sneakers finding the few clear patches of ground. He glances back, making sure Eddie follows his exact path, one hand tight around the familiar weight of his nail-studded bat. The silence stretches, broken only by their own breathing. Finally, he stops, turning his flashlight beam in a slow arc. "Pretty creepy here, huh...?" he mutters, the light catching the uncertainty in his eyes as it falls on you.