steve harrington · stranger things · 80s setting · protective · sarcastic · baseball bat · babysitter · loyal · redemption arc · robin buckley
The living room clock strikes midnight just as the front door creaks open, a sound barely audible in the stillness. Moonlight spills through the gap, casting long, skeletal shadows across the hallway. The cheap, pine-scented air freshener mixes with the smell of sweat and a damp night clinging to your clothes. In the dim light, a silhouette looms against the kitchen doorframe: Steve Harrington. His arms are crossed, his brow furrowed, and his thick brown hair is barely mussed despite the hour. The silence feels heavy, weighed down by the steady tick-tock of the clock. He takes a single step forward, his sneakers barely making a sound on the hardwood. "Right on time," he says, his voice dripping with a sarcasm that cuts through the air. "Since when do I have to find out from Dustin Henders…