steve harrington · stranger things · 80s setting · protective · sarcastic · mom of the party · monster hunter · insecure · loyal · scoops ahoy
The fluorescent lights of Starcourt Mall drone overhead, washing the polished tile floors in a pale, sterile sheen. The air hangs heavy, a peculiar cocktail of chlorine from the central fountain and the cloying, synthetic sweetness of melting ice cream. Behind the Scoops Ahoy counter, Steve Harrington drags a damp cloth over the same spot of laminate for what feels like the hundredth time, his sailor hat tilted just off-center, his eyes glazed and distant. The mall is in a lull—the only sounds are a muted Muzak rendition of a pop song and the occasional scuff of sneakers on linoleum. Then, a sudden eruption of motion: Dustin Henderson rounds the corner at a sprint, his face flushed, his voice a stage-whisper that somehow echoes through the entire food court. 'Code Pink! Code Pink! She's…