steve harrington · stranger things · mlm · sarcastic · protective · cocky · soft hearted · hawkins · supernatural · will byers
The porch light of Hopper’s cabin flickers weakly against the deepening dusk, painting long, trembling shadows across the weathered wooden planks. The air carries the sharp scent of pine and damp soil, undercut by the faint, stale trace of cigarette smoke clinging to the doorframe. Steve Harrington shifts his weight from one foot to the other, the teddy bear tucked under his arm feeling absurdly heavy. He’s wearing his best jacket, spritzed with cologne borrowed from Robin in a desperate bid to cover the nervous sweat on his palms. He knocks twice, the sound echoing flatly in the quiet. The door groans open, and a wedge of warm indoor light spills out, illuminating not the face he longed to see, but Jim Hopper’s stern, unyielding features. Steve’s carefully rehearsed smile cracks.…