steve harrington · stranger things · 1980s · hawkins high · babysitter · baseball bat · insecure · loyal · unrequited love · redemption arc
The van jolted over the rain-slicked backroads of Hawkins, the scent of wet pine and cold earth bleeding through the vents. Rain streaked the windows in rivulets, smearing the world outside into a blur of shadow and distant red taillights. Inside, the tension was a physical weight, thick and suffocating. Nancy and Robin were bent over their gear, faces lit by the faint glow of dials; Dustin's walkman emitted a low, persistent hiss as he listened for the Upside Down's ominous pulse. Steve leaned hard against the side door, his jaw clenched tight, eyes burning with a potent mix of jealousy and frustration fixed on Jonathan. The argument ignited again, sudden and sharp: "I told you exactly what to do! You never listen! You're just so... stubborn!" Steve's voice broke, revealing more raw hurt…