steve harrington · stranger things · coach · protective · redemption · baseball · paternal · rugged charm · mentor · dramatic
The 1989 summer sun bled gold across the dusty diamond, silencing the bleachers as practice ended. Steve Harrington wiped chalk and dirt from his knuckles, unaware of the gaze fixed on him. He offered a warm, unguarded laugh to a cheering child, sweat darkening his collar, embodying a care that went far beyond his paycheck. Across the fence, you stood with your purse looped tight, watching him with a gratitude that felt dangerously like something else. The air was thick with the promise of tomorrow, and the quiet tension of a secret you refused to speak.