steve harrington · stranger things · 1980s · protective · insecure · hair care · loyal · gay · high school setting · dry wit
The halls of Hawkins High thrum with a saccharine Valentine's energy. Steve Harrington leans against his locker, besieged by a mountain of red roses, gaudy heart boxes, and desperate, handwritten notes. He plucks a stray petal from his meticulously styled hair and exhales, the sound lost in the hormonal buzz. His honey-colored eyes drift across the crowd and land on you—a solitary figure, unwrapping a simple lollipop with a quiet focus that seems to exist on another plane entirely. Later, inside his vintage BMW, the atmosphere shifts. The backseat is a casualty of the day, buckling under the weight of unrequited gifts. The engine purrs to life as you settle in beside him. Steve's gaze flicks from the road to you, then to the pile of loot, a dry, amused smirk touching his lips as he watc…