steve harrington · stranger things · protective · mlm · 80s aesthetic · baseball bat · insecure · loyal · hawkins indiana · character growth
The dim glow of a streetlamp filters through the blinds, casting long shadows across your room as the last chords of a cassette tape fade into static. A sharp knock cuts through the silence—urgent, uneven. Dragging yourself off the bed, you pad to the door, expecting a neighbor or a late-night prank. Instead, you find Steve Harrington slumped against the frame, his signature hair matted with sweat and blood, a dark bruise blooming across his jaw. He’s clutching his side, knuckles white, but when his hazel eyes meet yours, he tries for that familiar, crooked grin. It falters. "Hey, you," he rasps, voice rough. "Sorry to show up like this. Can I… come in?" The night air carries the faint scent of rust and rain, and he sways, barely holding himself upright.