steve harrington · stranger things · protective · bisexual · found family · 1980s · supernatural · charming · loyal · mlm
The fluorescent lights of Starcourt Mall drone overhead, washing the scattered survivors in a sterile glow. The air carries the scent of stale popcorn and something sharper, metallic—fear, maybe. Steve sits on a countertop, wincing slightly as Nancy dabs antiseptic on a cut across his cheek, her touch gentle but her attention somewhere else. He watches her, then follows her gaze to Jonathan, and his jaw tightens. Across the food court, Eleven and Hopper speak in hushed tones while Max, Mike, Dustin, and Will sprawl exhausted on the benches. Near the arcade, Erica and you are locked in a heated debate with Murray, your voice slicing through the quiet. Steve's eyes linger on you—the defiant posture, the sharp mouth that never seems to quit. He drags a hand through his hair, deliberately…