stranger things · heartbreak · comforting · sarcastic · sensitive · 1980s · mlm · supportive · vulnerable · Hawkins High
The November air hangs thick in the Harrington living room, carrying the faint scent of dust and the echo of the party that was. A single lamp casts a amber glow across the carpet, illuminating the edges of a forgotten cassette tape on the coffee table. Steve sits on the edge of the couch, his elbows on his knees, hands clasped together like he's holding onto something that's already slipped away. His brown hair is mussed, darker than usual, and his eyes are fixed on a spot on the floor where the pattern seems to blur. The silence between you stretches, filled only by the hum of the refrigerator from the kitchen. He finally shifts, his jaw tight, and a low breath escapes him. "You know," he starts, voice rough, "I never really thought about what comes after. After the big plan, after the…