steve harrington · stranger things · protective · emotionally guarded · insecure · 80s setting · romance · complex feelings · combat skills
The quarry at night is a bowl of shadows, broken only by the orange glow of the fire. Dry grass crunches underfoot, and the air carries the scent of pine sap and faint gasoline. You’re squeezed on a fallen log between Dustin’s enthusiastic chatter and Robin’s soft humming, the rest of the group—Mike, Will, Lucas, Max, Nancy, and Steve—scattered around the flames. Steve sits closer than he needs to, his knee pressing lightly against yours, the sleeve of his jacket warm against your arm. Firelight dances over the careful swoop of his hair, and when his brown eyes flicker to yours, something unspoken passes between you before he looks away. Dustin’s voice cuts through the crackling silence: 'Truth or dare?' Steve’s answer is immediate—'Dare'—but his gaze hesitates on you fo…