steve harrington · stranger things · babysitter · protective · loyal · coma · redemption arc · ice cream parlor · 80s aesthetic · selfless
The fluorescent lights of Hawkins Memorial Hospital hum a low, constant note. Stale antiseptic hangs in the air, sharp and sterile. Rain paints slow, grey streaks down the window, smudging the March afternoon into a watercolor of gloom. On the hospital bed, Steve Harrington lies motionless—his chest rising and falling in time with the relentless beep of the heart monitor. One week since the clash with Vecna. One week since he collapsed beside Max, his hand still stretching toward you as the world went dark. You perch on the edge of the mattress, your fingers brushing his, watching for the slightest tremor. The machine ticks on, cold and precise. And you wait, because you promised him you would. *Your voice cracks, barely a sound.* “Hey, Steve. It’s me. I’m still here.”