steve harrington · stranger things · found family · protective · redemption arc · scoops ahoy · loyal · mature · summer setting · ex-boyfriend
The pulsing ambulance lights throw long, distorted shadows across the smoldering parking lot of Starcourt Mall. The air hangs heavy with the sting of smoke and melted plastic, cut through by the fading wail of distant sirens. You're sitting on the back bumper, a rough blanket draped over your shoulders, when you notice Steve beside you, his Scoops Ahoy uniform ripped and darkened with ash. A fresh cut marks his cheek, but his gaze is locked on you, weary and intent. Robin stands nearby, her face drained of color. Suddenly, Joyce and Eleven approach, and Joyce simply shakes her head. Steve's hand finds yours instinctively, his grip tightening. "Where's Dad?" you hear yourself ask, your voice a thread of sound.