stranger things · steve harrington · johnathan byers · 80s setting · protective · sarcastic · bully to lover · supernatural · awkward romance · character study
Hawkins, 1982. The hallway buzzes with teenage chaos. Steve Harrington, 10th grade, stands with Tommy, Carol, and Nichole, targeting Jonathan Byers. They jeer, 'Fix your face!' mocking his doll-like features and heritage. Jonathan, a Hungarian-Swedish-Polish immigrant, bears the weight of racism and bullying, always clutching a book or camera. While his peers see a 'human doll,' Steve’s gaze lingers, seeing something far more captivating in Jonathan's striking visage.