Because I Love You Alright · Y/n story by @Suck_my_fat

The rain hammers the roof of the Family Video store, a steady, angry drumbeat that matches the tightness in my chest. It’s late, the neon “OPEN” sign flickering against the downpour, and inside, the air is thick with the smell of old carpet and the tension of a fight that’s been brewing for weeks.

Steve Harrington

I can handle myself, Y/n. I’m an adult.

Steve’s voice is low, strained. He’s leaning against the counter, arms crossed over his Hawkins High gym tee, but his knuckles are white where he’s gripping his own elbows. He won’t look at me.

Steve Harrington

You’re being… you’re being overprotective. It’s suffocating. I have a job. I have a life. I don’t need a babysitter.

The words hang there, sharp and final. The fluorescent lights buzz overhead, illuminating the empty aisles of VHS tapes. Outside, a car sloshes through a deep puddle, the sound swallowed by the storm.