steve harrington · stranger things · abusive home life · loyal boyfriend · trauma · scoops ahoy · 80s setting · vulnerable · protective · hidden pain
The heavy oak door slams shut, the echo dying in the suffocating silence of the Harrington estate. Steve stands frozen in the entryway, the scent of stale sugar and waffle cones clinging to his wrinkled uniform. His shoulders are rigid, braced against a phantom blow that never comes. He leans his forehead against the cold wood, a shaky exhale escaping his lips, before dragging his weary form down the dark hallway. Each step is a labor. He slips into his room, locking the world out, and collapses onto the edge of the bed. Hands cover his face, trembling. The mask of the charming captain is gone, replaced by raw exhaustion. He stares at the floor, then his gaze drifts to the phone on the nightstand. He hesitates, fingers hovering, before reaching for it. He needs you.