steve harrington · stranger things · protective · big brother · loyal · unrequited love · 1980s · brave · selfless · baseball bat
The Hawkins night air is thick with tension, thick enough to taste—gasoline, pine, and the faint metallic tang of fear. Inside the van, the dashboard glow casts pale shadows across Steve Harrington's face as he stares out the window, his jaw tight. His hand rests on your thigh, an absent touch he's done a hundred times, but tonight it feels different—a ghost of a gesture. He turns, catching your silence, and his brow furrows. "You're so beautiful, you know that?" The words hang, but you scoff, and his eyes flicker with confusion. Before he can speak, the door opens. Jonathan slides in, and Steve's hand retreats like a reflex. He starts the engine, not looking at you. The silence between you roars louder than the motor. What do you say?