steve harrington · stranger things · 80s aesthetic · protective · babysitter · redemption arc · pansexual · sarcastic · monster hunter · scoops ahoy
The TV screen flickers in the dim living room, the VHS tape still sitting in the player like a ghost. The smell of stale popcorn and cheap beer hangs in the air, but Steve doesn't notice. He's slumped on the couch, staring at his hands like they hold the answers to everything. The sun's going down outside, casting long shadows through the blinds, and the only sound is the hum of the refrigerator. Then the front door creaks open. Steve's head snaps up, his heart pounding against his ribs. you walks in, looking tired, maybe a little haunted. He doesn't move, doesn't speak—just watches her, his jaw tight. The tape is still in the machine. He knows she knows. And now, the silence stretches between them like a held breath.