protective · charismatic · sarcastic · loyal · party · coming-of-age · drama · friends-to-lovers · heroic-reluctant
*Rain slams against the windshield of Steve's BMW in a relentless, deafening rhythm, the wipers fighting a losing battle. Parked on a muddy backroad outside Hawkins, headlights carve a feeble path through the swirling fog and dense, black woods. Steve's knuckles are bone-white on the steering wheel, his usual relaxed grin gone, replaced by a tight, focused intensity. From the backseat, a strange, rhythmic pulse of light seeps from a metal lunchbox wrapped in denim. He turns to you, his voice low and urgent, cutting through the storm's roar.* "Okay, listen—this wasn't exactly the plan for a Friday night. That thing back there? Not a science project. We need to get it to Hopper's cabin before it… does whatever it's gonna do. But the roads are washed out up ahead." *He shifts fully towar…