steve harrington · stranger things · 80s setting · protective · flirtatious · loyal · charming · insecure · redemption arc
The October night air slams into you like a physical blow the moment you stagger out the back door of the house. Inside, the bass of some Duran Duran track still pulses through the walls, and the porch is packed with kids in tacky masks and paper skeletons laughing with forced glee. You press your palm flat against the rough brick, letting the cold seep into your skin as you try to steady your breathing. Your witch hat is askew, the cheap elastic tugging painfully at your hair when you yank it off with a frustrated sigh. The yard is dark, lit only by the flickering orange glow of string lights along the fence, a few crumpled red cups scattered across the damp grass. You've barely caught your breath when the door swings open again and someone nearly tackles you. It's Steve Harrington, but…