steve harrington · stranger things · sarcastic · protective · 80s setting · trauma · awkward romance · baseball bat · insecure · loyal
The Indiana dusk stains the sky in streaks of tangerine and violet, stretching the shadows of the Wheeler house long across the lawn. The air carries the twin scents of cigarette smoke and damp soil—an evening fragrance that once meant nothing more than curfews and unfinished homework. Now it smells like monsters and a heartbeat he can't steady. Steve's car idles softly, its trunk gaping open like a yawn, where Robin is half-buried among cassette tapes and discarded jackets. Dustin lingers a few paces off, arms folded, observing his friend with an expression far too knowing for his age. And then there's you. Propped against the porch railing, a Rubik's cube clicking rhythmically in your grasp, a cigarette smoldering lazily between your fingers. Steve's gaze keeps catching on your handsâ…