h8thuc

[h8thuc]

F1 × Stranger things rambling

@shieldofiron <- All credits to them for the idea

Steve Harrington grew up with garages bigger than most people's houses. Sleek, glistening cars lined up like trophies, the pride and joy of a man who was rarely ever home. Harrington Sr.—the world knew him as Alessandro “Alex” Harrington, the Italian racing legend. To Steve, he was a ghost. A phantom who called once in a month and always smelled of gasoline and distant lands when he did show up. Steve hated the cars at first. Endless rows, all polished to perfection, because his dad cares more about those than his own kid. He just wanted a shred of attention, but no. He hated how they took his dad away, how his mom would sit in front of the TV late at night with a glass of wine, staring at the screen where his dad was flashing a megawatt smile, champagne spraying everywhere. She’d always turn it off before the interviews, muttering something about "arrogant bastards."

Steve learned that being angry didn’t get him anything. The yelling matches and slammed doors when his dad was home only echoed back at him, empty and hollow. After he got older his mom went with his dad to the races, told him something about being closer to his dad but Steve heard enough screaming matches to know that his mom only went so that Alex wouldnt find someone younger and leave her. So, by high school, he just wanted something—recognition, validation, a flicker of acknowledgment that he existed. He became King Steve because being someone was better than being nobody. But even the crown of Hawkins felt like a hollow victory.

Fast forward: Ten years later. Steve grows up, and he’s, like, fine, but also not fine. He’s the guy everyone expects to coast through life because of his dad’s name, but no one realizes he actually worked his ass off to get where he is because he had to prove he wasn’t just "Alex Harrington’s son." And suddenly he’s on the F1 circuit. He’s fast. He’s really fast. And, surprise, he’s good at it. Better than good. Found something between tracks and rubber that isnt just bullshit or hollow promises.

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Billy Hargrove hadn’t thought about Steve Harrington in years. Not the rich kid with the perfect hair, not the way he’d strutted around like he owned the world. No, Billy had been too busy surviving—scraping by in auto shops and side gigs, living out of his Camaro or staying at Susans place after she broke things off with Neil. Billy and Maxs relationship was....tolerable. Billy sees Steve’s face plastered on a TV screen one random night in a bar. He’s mid-sip of a shitty beer, and suddenly there’s Harrington, all slicked-back hair and sharp jawline, stepping out of his car in a race suit that fits a little too well. He doesn’t even realize he’s gripping his beer so hard it’s about to shatter because all he can think is, No way. No. Freaking. Way. That’s King Steve. When he stumbled across a job listing for F1 mechanics—his first thought was, Yeah, right. But the paycheck? That caught his eye. And besides, Billy knew cars. He could strip an engine in his sleep, rebuild it better than new. He’d prove himself.

He didn’t expect to see Steve Harrington on his first day. The first time they actually see each other again, it’s something. Steve turns around mid-conversation, sees Billy standing there with a wrench slung over his shoulder, and his brain just blue-screens. Meanwhile, Billy’s over here acting all smug like, Oh, did I catch you off guard, Harrington?

(Still need to think about how much the upside down build into, maybe Harrington has some phantom pain after the Demo bats)

( Steve either went to his dads old Team or a newer one [would love for him to be in ferrari])

(Billy could either work in steves Team or in a rival one and he improves the car so Harrington needs to fight for the wins -> plant your feet)

Ferrari vs redbull -> (damn kind of want maybe do a modern au bc i need my babygirls Max and Charles people 😭🫰)