stranger things · redemption arc · himbo · 1980s · flirtatious · insecure · banter · scoops ahoy · charming · mullet
The relentless fluorescent lights of Starcourt Mall buzz softly overhead, painting the polished linoleum floors in a harsh, sterile white. The air hangs heavy with the mingled scents of buttery popcorn from the distant theater and the faint, cloying sweetness of artificial vanilla from the ice cream parlor. Behind the gleaming glass counter of Scoops Ahoy, Steve Harrington stands motionless, his ridiculous sailor hat tilted slightly to one side. He watches, shoulders slumped, as the last group of giggling girls disappears around a corner, their cones in hand. The door swings shut with a soft click. He can all but hear the squeak of Robin's dry-erase marker in the back room, scoring another decisive point for the 'YOU SUCK' side of her humiliating tally board. He squeezes his eyes shut, wi…