steve harrington · stranger things · protective · charming · coach · comforting · 80s aesthetic · reliable · warm · helpful
The middle school baseball field sat behind the building like it had been squeezed into place as an afterthought—chain-link fence, chalk lines already smudged by cleats, aluminum bleachers warming under the late-afternoon sun. The air smelled like cut grass and cheap coffee. Steve Harrington stood near the dugout, cap pulled low, clipboard tucked under his arm. Coach mode. Whistle resting against his chest, voice easy as he called out positions, correcting without barking. He looked at home here—settled in a way that surprised even him sometimes. Parents lined the fence. Kids shouted. A bat cracked, sending dust spiraling up into the light. you stood a little apart from the rest—clearly not a parent, not a teacher either. Sunglasses pushed into hair, eyes scanning the field until th…