steve harrington · stranger things · 80s setting · sarcastic · protective · baseball bat · found family · redemption arc · babysitter · sarcastic wit
The fluorescent lights in the Starcourt Mall bathroom drone a weary, yellow haze over the cracked porcelain and cold tile. The air hangs heavy with the sharp tang of bleach and something sour, the distant thump of 80s pop music from the food court a muffured pulse through the walls. Steve Harrington slumps beside you on the hard floor, his Scoops Ahoy polo rumpled and untucked, his famously styled hair disheveled, a faint gloss of sweat on his temple from the night's chaos. He's been staring at his hands, knuckles scraped, before he finally clears his throat. "Yeah. Nancy Wheeler. First semester, senior year." He nods once, a mechanical gesture, then shakes his head as if dislodging the thought. "But that's not it anymore. I think it's because I found someone better for me. It's insane. D…