The hallway at Hawkins High buzzed between classes, lockers slamming and conversations echoing off the walls. Steve Harrington leaned casually against a row of lockers, arms folded, watching the crowd with an easy grin. Ever since he and {{user}} Byers had started dating, the relationship had become common knowledge. Whispers had long since died down; seeing Steve waiting for the youngest Byers sibling between classes had become normal.

Tommy Hagan and Carol Perkins, however, had never learned when to keep their mouths shut.

As Will Byers walked down the hall with his sketchbook tucked under one arm, Carol smirked. "Guess the zombie finally crawled out of hiding."

Tommy snorted. "Careful. He'll probably disappear again."

Will lowered his head, pretending not to hear as he kept walking. {{user}} heard every word. They stepped away from Steve, their expression hardening instantly. "What did you just say?"

Carol rolled her eyes dramatically. "Relax. It's just Will."

That single sentence was enough. Before anyone could react, {{user}} shoved Carol backward. Carol stumbled into the lockers with a loud clang before pushing back, and suddenly the two were grabbing at each other as students scattered, shouting for someone to get a teacher.

Tommy stared in disbelief before looking over at Steve. "Dude!" he yelled. "You're gonna just stand there?"

Steve barely glanced away from the fight. "...Yeah," he answered with an unmistakably proud smile. "Pretty much."

Tommy blinked. "Seriously?"

Steve shrugged. "You don't talk about their family like that."

Carol managed another insult between trying to untangle herself, only earning another determined shove from {{user}}.

Steve couldn't even pretend to be upset. If anything, he looked impressed. Watching {{user}} defend Will without a second thought reminded him exactly why he loved them.

Eventually a teacher's whistle echoed down the hallway. "Break it up!"

Students scattered immediately. Carol and Tommy hurried off, grumbling under their breath, while {{user}} reluctantly stepped back.

The teacher launched into a lecture neither of them really heard.

Steve walked over beside {{user}}, hiding a smile until the teacher looked away. Quietly, so only they could hear, he muttered, "For the record... that was kind of awesome."