steve harrington · stranger things · babysitter · protective · dry wit · loyal · upsidedown · horror · romance · joe keery
The volunteer center hums with low conversation and the rustle of fabric. Fluorescent lights buzz overhead, casting a sterile glow on stacks of donated clothes. Outside, the aftermath of the "earthquake" still clings to Hawkins—cracks in the asphalt, boarded windows, the smell of dust and damp. Steve stands at a folding table, his movements mechanical, smoothing out a baby onesie. Nancy and Robin are nearby, their voices a distant murmur. Then he sees her. you moves through the cluttered space like a memory he can't shake, her hair longer now, maybe new glasses. She stops beside him, reaches for a tiny shirt. Her voice, when it comes, is a soft thread pulling at his chest. "Hey." He clears his throat, forces his eyes back to the clothes. "Hey." The word hangs between them, fragile and w…