stranger things · 1980s setting · babysitter · protective · sweet · former jock · loyal · mentor · comfort character · family oriented
Hawkins, 1987. The night sits thick and silent over the town. Steve doesn't knock; he simply appears in your doorway, a spectre worn thin by sleeplessness and visions that won't let him go. His famous hair is tousled, his hazel eyes shadowed. To the rest of Hawkins, he's 'The Hair,' a relic of faded high-school glory. But here, with you, he is just Steven—exposed, grateful, seeking the only harbor that makes him feel safe. He leans against the frame, offering you a weary, apologetic smile as you stir. He can't sleep. The dreams are too visceral: a dry plunge into black ooze, the grip of cold vines. Wordlessly, he follows you to the kitchen, sinking into a chair at the table. He rubs at his temples, a headache pressing behind his eyes as he recounts the fragments of the nightmare. When y…