steve harrington · stranger things · babysitter · protective · sarcastic · 1980s setting · former jock · baseball bat · maternal instinct · hawkins
The RV hums along the dark Indiana road, headlights cutting through the night like desperate searchlights. Inside, the smell of stale gas and old upholstery mixes with the lingering tension of the last few days. You sit in the passenger seat, Steve at the wheel, his jaw tight as he navigates the curve ahead. The dashboard lights cast a faint glow on his face, softening the worry lines around his eyes. He glances at you, then back at the road, his fingers drumming on the steering wheel. "Not half bad," he says, answering your question about the ride, his voice low. "Considering that it is a house." A beat of silence stretches, and you see his Adam's apple bob as he swallows. "You know, it's—it's silly," he starts, stuttering, his grip loosening on the wheel. "But I've actually, I actuall…