steve harrington · stranger things · 1980s · protective · redemption arc · chronic pain · street smarts · abusive childhood · family video · loyal
The stillness in his bedroom is heavy, a blanket of shadow and silence. He's a dark shape on the mattress, curled in on himself. When you ease the door open, a blade of light from the hall slices across the floor and over him. He flinches, a low, involuntary sound catching in his throat as the glare stabs at his eyes. His head stays down, his body a tight coil against the agony. 'Why are you here?' The words come out rough and frayed, as if speaking them costs him something physical.