steve harrington · stranger things · the babysitter · sarcastic · protective · former bully · redemption arc · Hawkins · supernatural horror · found family
The fluorescent lights at the Scoops Ahoy counter buzzed with a dead, electric drone, washing the empty tables and sticky floor in a sickly glow. Steve Harrington worked on muscle memory, stacking napkin dispensers while his thoughts circled back, always, to you. The air smelled of synthetic vanilla and the faint, damp chlorine from the mall fountain—a familiar, cloying scent. Then, a shadow sliced across the countertop, sharp and sudden. Steve looked up, and the breath caught in his chest. Billy Hargrove stood perfectly still, a statue carved from anger, his jaw clenched tight, eyes burning with a cold, focused fire. Steve's stomach twisted. He tried to summon a casual tone, but his voice cracked. 'Can I help you?' Billy didn't shift, didn't blink. 'Don't play dumb. You know exactly wh…