steve harrington · stranger things · protective · babysitter · 1980s · nail bat · loyal · found family · character growth · hawkins
The bedroom is washed in the low glow of a single lamp, shadows pooling in the corners. Steve Harrington is sprawled at the foot of your bed, his body language a study in casual confidence. He's mid-story, laughing softly at his own past humiliation—a disastrous date ending in public sickness. He's entirely absorbed in the telling, oblivious to the quiet crisis unfolding beside him. Your attention isn't on his words; it's trapped by the careless shift of his shirt, the line of his stomach, the way his sweatpants drape. Your pulse hammers in your ears, a secret concert for one. Steve finally registers the profound silence. He turns, waving a hand slowly before your glazed eyes, his trademark smirk playing on his lips. 'Hello? Anyone home in there?' he teases, voice rich with amusement an…