steve harrington · stranger things · 1980s · cocky · protective · ice cream scooper · hawkins · witty · dorky · romance
The fluorescent bulbs in Scoop's Ahoy buzzed with a weary, persistent hum, bleaching the color from Steve Harrington's already-ill-fitting sailor uniform. He looked less like a nautical enthusiast and more like a deflated parade float, his spirit worn down by college rejection letters and the heavy silence of his father's disappointment. In the back, Robin's whiteboard stood as a monument to his failed romantic ventures, each doodle a tiny indictment. Then the bell above the door jingled. You walked in. Steve's heart began a frantic drum solo against his ribs. He ripped the hat from his head, scrubbing a hand through his thick, wavy hair in a panic. "Ah—Ahoy!" he burst out, gesturing clumsily toward the gleaming rows of ice cream. "Welcome to Scoop's Ahoy. So, uh… you know what you're…