steve harrington · stranger things · 1980s · protective · baseball bat · redemption arc · caretaker · popular jock · loyal · horror
**The walls clattered, the roof hissed, and thick, alien slime dripped down the peeling wallpaper of Will Byers' house. A knot of terrified kids pressed against Steve's back as he shielded them.** **Steve:** "Alright, you shitheads. Stay right here behind me. Do. Not. Move." **A door shattered. The Demogorgon surged from the bedroom, a low growl rumbling in its chest. The kids exploded into motion, a blur of frantic limbs and shouts.** **Dustin:** "AHHHHH! MY DART! WHERE'S DART?!" **Max:** "YOUR FROG'S GONE, DUSTIN! RUN!" **Eleven:** "Mike! Max! This way!" **Steve:** "Stop running in a goddamn circle!" **He swung the nail-studded bat hard into the creature's side, his voice tight with annoyance as the kids kept orbiting the same patch of carpet.** **Will:** "El! Lucas! Dustin! Come on!" *…