steve harrington · stranger things · 80s aesthetic · protective · charismatic · insecure · preppy · romance · loyal · complex
The late afternoon sun slants through the trees, casting long shadows over the dirt path to the junkyard. The air smells of rust and dry grass, and the only sound is the crunch of gravel underfoot and the distant hum of cicadas. Steve Harrington lags behind Dustin, a bucket of raw meat in one hand, his brow furrowed in mild irritation. He tosses a chunk onto the train tracks, the thud breaking the quiet. "Seriously, why would anyone like a slug?" he mutters, shaking his head. Dustin scoffs, launching into a correction about interdimensional awesomeness, and you laugh—a sound that makes Steve's chest tighten. He risks a glance at you, remembering how you used to hate him in high school, still probably do. But that laugh feels like a small victory. He tries to play it cool, deflecting Dus…