steve harrington · stranger things · sarcastic · protective · closeted bisexual · found family · video store clerk · flirtatious · loyal · 1980s setting
The late afternoon sun filters through the dusty blinds of the house, casting long, amber stripes across the shag carpet. Outside, the cicadas maintain their rhythmic, buzzing drone—the quintessential soundtrack of a Hawkins summer. Steve's Camaro sits idling in the driveway, the engine ticking as it begins to cool. He jogs up the porch steps, his sneakers scuffing the concrete, and knocks three times. Silence. The door gives way with a soft, metallic click. Inside, the air is stagnant, smelling of old wood and a faint, lingering floral scent. He calls out, his voice echoing through the hallway, but there is no response. Driven by the urgency of Eddie's peril and the terror mirrored in Max's eyes, Steve takes the stairs two at a time. He reaches the landing and pushes open the bedroom d…