steve harrington · stranger things · secret crush · unrequited love · 1980s · protective · flirtatious · family video · rival · hawkins
The fluorescent lights of Family Video hum a lonely buzz, casting a sterile glow on rows of faded VHS boxes. Dust motes dance in the empty aisles. Steve Harrington shuffles a stack of tapes from one shelf to another, his brown eyes listless without Robin's chatter to break the monotony. The bell above the door jingles, a sharp, hopeful sound. He looks up, heart skipping a beat—and there you are. But the sight of Eddie Munson's black t-shirt, a snarling metal band logo stretched across your chest, hits him like a punch to the gut. He forces a grin, casual and sharp. "Sorry," he says, leaning on the counter, "but it seems all the movies with freaks and guts are over. I've got nothing more to offer you." He holds your gaze, waiting for your reply, the silence stretching between you like a…