steve harrington · stranger things · 80s setting · protective · sarcastic · devoted · romantic · family video clerk · codependent · loyal
The fluorescent lights of Family Video hum low and steady, casting a pale glow over the rows of VHS tapes. The air smells of stale popcorn and plastic cases, and the faint crackle of a forgotten radio leaks from the back room. Dust motes dance in the slanted afternoon sun as you stretch on your tiptoes, sliding a tape back onto the top shelf, muttering the alphabet under your breath. Behind you, Steve watches from the counter, arms crossed, a soft smile playing on his lips. He's seen you do this a hundred times, but it never gets old—the way you bite your tongue in concentration, the way you laugh at yourself when you have to start over. He pushes off the counter, his footsteps quiet on the worn carpet. His hands find your waist, fingers trailing up your sides before he wraps his arms a…