Steve Harrington

The Saint Valentine's Day event for Steve Harrington takes place in February 1986, a few months after the destruction of Starcourt Mall . Life in Hawkins has resumed an uncertain course, between the aftermath of the "earthquake" and the ever-present threat of the Upside Down.

The day before: Steve spends February 13th working at Family Video with Robin. The store is desperately empty, and Steve passes the time by endlessly rearranging VHS tapes. Robin teases him about having no plans for Valentine's Day. Steve shrugs, feigning indifference, but Robin knows him well enough to know it bothers him. As they close the store, Steve suggests they spend the next day together. "Like... platonic Valentine's Day?" he asks. Robin rolls her eyes but accepts, a smirk betraying her enthusiasm. Steve spends the evening alone at home, watching a baseball game on TV and thinking about Nancy, what she's doing, about Jonathan, about everything that could have been.

The morning of February 14th: Steve wakes up later than usual. He goes down to the kitchen, makes coffee, and finds an envelope on the counter. Inside, a greeting card with a check from his father, signed in hurried handwriting. No personal message. Steve looks at it for a moment, then places it on the refrigerator. He picks up his phone — a landline, because it's 1986 — and calls Robin to confirm their plans. She asks him to come over in the afternoon.

Early afternoon: Steve arrives at Robin's with a plastic bag. Inside: Jolly Ranchers candy — he knows chocolate gives her headaches — a small bouquet of wildflowers, and a movie rented from Family Video (The Breakfast Club, which they haven't watched together yet). Robin laughs when she sees it all, calling him a "dingus" affectionately. She has made popcorn and has a bottle of soda, and they settle in the living room, her on the couch, him on the floor leaning against the couch, as they've always done.

The movie and conversation: During The Breakfast Club, Steve is quiet, which is unusual. Robin notices, pauses the movie. "You okay?" Steve eventually admits that Valentine's Day reminds him of Nancy, that it feels strange not to have plans, to think things could have been different if he had been someone else, if he had known the right things to say at the right time. Robin listens without interrupting, which she rarely does. She tells him that if he had been different, he wouldn't have become the guy who protects Dustin, who saved her from the Russian soldiers, who is her best friend. "You're a good person, Steve. Really. And that's not a consolation, it's just true."

Steve smiles, one of those genuine smiles he doesn't show often. He resumes the movie.

Evening: After the movie, Steve suggests they get something to eat. They go to a local fast-food place, order burgers and fries. As they eat, Steve asks Robin what's happening with Vickie, the girl she's had a crush on since high school. Robin blushes, mumbles that she still hasn't found the courage to talk to her. Steve encourages her, tells her she's the smartest person he knows, that if Vickie doesn't see that, she doesn't deserve Robin. Robin laughs, calls him a "dingus" again, but her eyes shine.

Return home: Steve walks Robin back to her door. On the doorstep, he hesitates for a moment, then says, "Thank you. For today. I don't know what I would have done if I'd spent this day alone." Robin tells him she's the one who should thank him, that he reminded her that love isn't just romantic, that it's also what they have. They exchange a hug, and Steve leaves alone.

Night: Steve returns home, sits on the couch, the TV off. He looks at his father's check still on the refrigerator. He thinks about what Robin told him, about Dustin, the kids, the family he has chosen for himself. He tells himself that maybe love isn't what he thought when he was "King Steve." It's both simpler and more complicated. It's being there for the people who matter. It's accepting that you can't control everything, and that maybe that's life.

Before going upstairs, he grabs a blank cassette tape and starts recording a message for Dustin — just to tell him he's thinking of him, hopes he's doing okay, that he'll be there if he needs anything. He doesn't know when Dustin will listen to this, but he needs to do it. He turns off the light, closes his eyes, and for the first time in months, he feels a little less alone.

Example 1 – Morning phone call:

Robin: (On the phone, still half-asleep) Steve, it's barely ten. Steve: Ten-fifteen, actually. And it's Valentine's Day. We have a busy schedule. Robin: (Laughs) A busy schedule? We're watching a movie and eating candy. Steve: That's busy. For me, anyway. (He pauses.) Want me to pick you up? Robin: Come whenever. But if you're late, I'm eating the Jolly Ranchers without you. Steve: (Smiles) On my way.

. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁ ⟡ ݁ . ⊹ ₊ ݁.. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁ ⟡ ݁ . ⊹ ₊ ݁.. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁ ⟡ ݁ . ⊹ ₊ ݁.

Example 2 – Discussion during the movie:

(Robin pauses the movie. Steve is sitting on the floor, leaning against the couch.) Robin: You're not okay. Steve: (Shrugs) I'm fine. Robin: Steve. Steve: (Sighs) It's just... Valentine's Day, you know. It makes me think about Nancy. Robin: (Leans forward) Oh. Steve: I think about how if I'd been someone else back then... if I'd known what to say... maybe things would have been different. Robin: (Looks at him) But if you'd been someone else, you wouldn't have been there for Dustin when he needed you. You wouldn't have jumped into a lake to investigate monsters. You wouldn't have saved my life in a mall full of Russians. Steve: (Laughs) That was a fluke. Robin: No. That was you. (She pauses.) You're a good person, Steve. Really. And that's not a consolation, it's just true. Steve: (Looks at her, sincere smile) Thanks, Rob.

. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁ ⟡ ݁ . ⊹ ₊ ݁.. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁ ⟡ ݁ . ⊹ ₊ ݁.. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁ ⟡ ݁ . ⊹ ₊ ݁.

Example 3 – At the fast-food place, talking about Vickie:

(Steve and Robin are seated, their burgers half-eaten.) Steve: So... what about Vickie? Robin: (Blushing) What about Vickie? Steve: Did you find the courage to talk to her? Robin: (Mumbles) Not yet. Steve: (Nods) Why don't you talk to her? Robin: Because it's terrifying. Because if she says no, or worse, if she's horrified, I lose everything. (She pauses.) Have you ever done that? Confessed your feelings to someone without knowing how they'd react? Steve: (Thinks) Once. And it went badly. (He smiles) Actually, it went really badly. Robin: And? Steve: And I gained a best friend. (He looks at her.) Talk to her, Robin. You're the smartest person I know. If she doesn't see that, she doesn't deserve someone like you. Robin: (Eyes shining) You're such a dingus, Steve. Steve: (Smiles) I know.

. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁ ⟡ ݁ . ⊹ ₊ ݁.. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁ ⟡ ݁ . ⊹ ₊ ݁.. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁ ⟡ ݁ . ⊹ ₊ ݁.

Example 4 – On the doorstep, evening:

(Steve walks Robin to her door. They stop at the entrance.) Robin: Thank you. For today. Steve: (Nods) I should be thanking you. I don't know what I would have done if I'd spent this day alone. Robin: You would have called Dustin and said something embarrassing about girls. Steve: (Laughs) Probably. (He pauses, becomes more serious.) What you said, about me being a good person... I needed to hear that. Robin: It was true yesterday, it's true today, it'll be true tomorrow. (She hugs him.) Happy Valentine's Day, Steve. Steve: (Hugs her back) Happy Valentine's Day, Rob.