#i work for scoops ahoy

[greggdropsoup]

“He said in the cosmos

is a single sonic sound

That is vibrating constantly

And if we could grip

and hold on to the note

We would see our minds were free

oh they're free…”

[briarberrythornedhart]

Maritime Warfare

Contains: flirting, banter, not appropriate work behavior, licking someone’s hand, suggestive talk, fluff

Eddie is very used to people pulling away.

He plays chicken, or teases, or gets in their faces. He flirts hard and dirty. And his target inevitably backs away and it hurts a little but Eddie tells himself it’s what he wanted. That he ‘won’ somehow. Because they think he’s too scary, or intense, or TOO MUCH and they always back away, but Eddie doesn’t even flinch... So - it’s a win of sorts. Right??

Cut to the moment when Eddie’s pulse is racing and he is sweating kinda all over and his cock is pressed uncomfortably against his jean fly but he can’t adjust it or YOU might notice his hand and follow it down with your hot eyes.

He’s only gone ATOMIC because you flirted back.

🍦 🦇 🍦

The new StarCourt Mall is bustling. Built further up Coal Mill Road, Northeast from Lover’s Lake, the new Mall has a lot of the old mall’s classic’s, including a Scoops Ahoy with the new management from Murray Bauman.

When Eddie got hired at Guitar Center he found he could get the occasional free scoop from Dustin Henderson if he were on shift. But the week SHE started working there, he suddenly found himself wanting ice cream for lunch - and only Ice Cream - every day.

“Back again, I see? Things slow at the Rock Star Factory?” His dream girl asked, adjusting her vest and readying the sample spoons. Probably because the last time he was here, Eddie swore he was gonna try every flavor. He had quickly done the math that with the 2 samples policy it would take him about a month to complete that quest.

“No officially licensed ‘Ahoy’ greeting dished out for little ol’ me??” Eddie asked.

“Ahoy. there. Matey. Are you ready to set sail on an ocean of flavor?” She said with a raised eyebrow.

“Yes. I’m hungry for a tasty adventure.” Eddie nodded.

She stuck out her tongue. Which was what he wanted to really taste... “Dustin is off work today. It’s just me here so don’t hold up the line with your usual indecision paralysis, okay?”

Eddie indicated ‘who me?’ by touching his chest, innocent as the day is long. “What’s the proper rank to address you by whilst I order?” Eddie asked. “Is it cadet, boatswain, or plain ol’ ...Seaman?’ He asked with a wide smirk.

She laughed, “You’re gonna call me whatever you want, Eddie, I don’t know why you ask permission.”

“I just can’t believe this uniform you have to wear, it’s a bit campy, don’t you think, like... don’t you mind that you have to wear that little hat and that the guys uniform is less tight and not as short?”

“Is it, I hadn’t noticed.” She said dryly, “Why..? do I look especially bad in it??” Eddie was almost certain he saw her pout, for a millisecond.

“No,” Eddie shook his head emphatically and gestured wildly with his hands, almost taking out a little kid who was pressing his face to the ice cream freezer. “You- you look great. I bet Murray hired you because he was thinking about what you’d look like in that get up... and out of it. You know he’s a big perv, right?”

Eddie leaned in, got closer and straightened her ‘My Name Is Y/N, Ask me about Scoops Points” Pin...and instead of her knocking his hand away or telling him to hurry up and order, or telling him to shut the fuck up, all of which he was prepared for as normal responses to his nonsense - she leaned in closer and whispered, “Murray’s never-ever gonna see what’s under this get up. That’s for Your Eyes Only, Sailor.”

Eddie nearly swallowed his own tongue.

“So whatt’ll it be?” She asked. “Probably not vanilla, right? You don’t look like you enjoy plain vanilla.” She looked him up and down, grinning.

“I l-like vanilla sometimes...” Eddie stammered.

“With something drizzled on it? Extra whipped cream on top? Over hot pie? Oh - I can warm up a couple big soft cookies for you??”

“DO YOU WANNA go out sometime?!” Eddie started this out a little louder than he meant to.

Her eyes were so surprised on him - her mouth was in the shape of a little ‘o’.

The other patrons all seemed to be looking at him all the sudden and yet that was not as nerve wracking as waiting for her answer.

“I’m sorry I should not have asked you - you’re at work - Can I just ... ::sigh:: have a scoop of chocolate please and thank you.” Eddie murmured, and rubbed his forehead hard enough to hurt a bit.

She gave him a large scoop of chocolate in the Kiddie Scoop Sloop. Too much to fit in that container, really.

He handed her a $5 bill and Eddie studiously looked at Everything except Her while she rang it up

“Your change?” She said and pressed that same 5 back into his hand?? and held it there until he looked back into her eyes.

“Whut?” Eddie knew she’d cast a spell on him, he was stunned-reeling and likely to remain so for some time.

“Hey - It’s dripping all over your hand, Messy.” She took his hand holding the Scoop Sloop and licked a drip from his forefinger over his knuckles. Her tongue was so warm.

“Let’s go out after work?” She asked. “You get off at 7?”

Eddie thought for a beat. “Usually, but I’d like to get you off first.”

And she didn’t pull away or flinch. She just smiled.

Eddie had never been so happy to ‘lose’.

[jonathanbyersphd]

I'm sorry but I just think that Steve & Jonathan working at scoops ahoy and having the Russian plot would've been SO much funnier

[princessbrunette]

which reader would most likely work at a cutesy little ice cream shop?

puppy!!!!!! maybe she quit the pet shop after a while because she keeps getting attached to the animals and coming home in tears to john b begging him every week to let her adopt a new dog and they just decide it’s for the best she works somewhere else 😭 she enjoys working at the icecream shop sooo much always bringing samples for the pogues and having fun making the scoops look all pretty

[greggdropsoup]

A lovely piece, quite the example of how I tend to enjoy feedism in the intimate sense. Love, care, passion. Incredible.

A Cozy Night In

The couch was already warm and familiar as the glow of the TV bathed the room in soft colors. Your favorite blanket draped across both of you, legs tangled lazily, creating a cocoon of comfort. The opening theme of Cowboy Bebop played in the background, jazzy and inviting, while the coffee table bore the fruits of your evening’s labor: a feast of sweet and savory snacks you’d lovingly prepared.

“Okay,” you said, grinning as you held up a plate of brownies. “These just came out of the oven. They’re still gooey in the middle, so be careful or you’ll melt into the couch even more.”

Your partner, Biggie, gave you a look of mock exasperation, but it quickly melted into a soft smile. He grabbed a brownie with one hand, the other resting instinctively on his belly. You couldn’t help but watch the way his hand moved over its softness, absentminded but comforting.

“You spoil me, you know,” he said, biting into the brownie, his eyes widening slightly at the first taste.

“That’s the point,” you teased, grabbing a piece for yourself before leaning into his side. “Now shut up and let me spoil you more.”

You reached over to the bowl of popcorn you’d prepared—perfectly seasoned, with a touch of butter and a sprinkle of sea salt—and offered it to him. He took a handful, his fingers brushing yours, and you couldn’t resist sneaking your other hand beneath the blanket to rest on his belly. It rose and fell gently under your touch, warm and comforting.

“You’re gonna make me fall asleep before we even get through one episode,” he mumbled, the corner of his mouth lifting in a lazy grin.

“Then I guess I’ll just have to keep feeding you to keep you awake,” you shot back, eyes sparkling as you offered him another bite.

As the episode unfolded, you found yourself splitting your attention between the screen and him. The way his cheeks flushed slightly from the warmth of the room. The way his belly shifted as he adjusted to get more comfortable. The soft sound of his contented sighs every time you handed him something new to taste.

At one point, he leaned back fully, resting his head against the couch and closing his eyes for a moment. “You’re dangerous, you know that?”

“You love it,” you said, leaning up to press a kiss to his cheek.

“I really do,” he admitted, opening his eyes to meet yours, the warmth there melting you more than any brownie could.

The night stretched on, the snacks dwindled, and the anime’s credits rolled. But you stayed there, hand resting softly on his belly, both of you perfectly content, perfectly full, and perfectly in love.

[emily-mooon]

Jancy Weekend Day 4: AU

I’ve had the ocean on the brain due to it being summer, one of the teams for artfight this year is seafoam (which I love btw and hoping is the team that wins), and cause of my blogs theming, so I thought it fitting to draw them in a mermaid au! (that also takes place in the 19th century because I said so)

I’ve also just been itching to draw the ocean again. It was fun the last few times I did it and I haven’t had any ideas on what to draw in relation to it (until now)

[jayvrontio]

The Scoops Ahoy Trio

Man I love these three so much you have no idea. Can’t wait for the last season of Stranger Things

[cheerscoops]

I was left unsupervised for five minutes and bought myself a present for just existing.

[greggdropsoup]

“Don't think I'm so hung up on ya

I have to do the things I do

There's women jump over a brick wall

to get half of what I give to you…”

[eddiezpaghetti]

Made something very important in The Sims today.

Finishing touch

[robinsnest2111]

I think I will survive this grueling service industry job, chronic pain, connective tissue issues and shot joints be damned.

just gotta tell myself: it's the first step of getting myself out of this hellish living situation. just gotta keep at it for a couple years, save up enough money, and it'll be the first step to get out of this hellish living situation!!!!!

[himbosandhardwear]

"Look who's talking, Mr Ponytail and a Crop Top," Steve says with a smartass grin.

Eddie looks down. "Huh?"

"You," he waves toward Eddie's general vicinity, "looking like some kinda Metal Cheerleader." He noticably swipes his tongue over his bottom lip.

Okay. This is it, this is the perfect moment to tell Steve he's sending signals that he definitely doesn't understand he's sending.

"Steve," he has to clear his throat before continuing, "I need to tell you something."

He leans in, wide eyed and focused. "Yeah?"

That's not helpful. "Um. So, to guys like me... Gay," he chokes out, still hard to say aloud even though he knows Steve knows, "sometimes you say things or do things that come off as...flirty. And I know you didn't know," he rushes to explain, "but I wanted to make you aware. To not do that. You know, in case the wrong person overhears it. It's a safety concern," he finishes lamely. Safety concern! Ugh. More like 'You're breaking my heart, I can't take much more of it.'

He waits for Steve to say something but he's just blinking owlishly.

"Steve?" He prompts, concerned.

"......yeah?" He finally seems to come back to himself. His eyes drift away, over Eddie's shoulder. "So...you want me to stop flirting?"

"Yeah, just in case, you never know who-" Wait. What? "What?"

Steve still isn't looking him in the eye. "What?" He mumbles.

"Did you say..." He can't even repeat it, it sounds like putting words in his mouth, but he did say that, right?

"Yeah. Sorry. I'll stop. I didn't realize it was bad, I guess. I thought... It's stupid. Nevermind. I'm gonna, um, take off actually. I'll see ya around, maybe."

He hops off the back of the van and actually starts walking away, like they're not 6 miles from his house. That snaps Eddie out of the paralysis spell he was under, adrenaline taking over like a bump of cocaine.

"No!" He shouts, like an insane person, and then takes it one step further by jumping up and tackling Steve into the grass.

"Uggff," Steve grunts when Eddie accidentally shoulders him in the gut, but he ignores the embarrassment in favor of crawling up his body so they're eye to eye.

He gets Steve's face between two hands and smooshes it. "Were you flirting with me on purpose?" He shouts.

"Are you serious?" He mumbles, half coherent, through pursed lips. "I'm gonna jump into the quarry."

"Answer the question!" He rattles Steve's head a little bit, for good measure.

"I work for Scoops Ahoy." Steve deadpans, unamused.

Eddie is going to throw one hell of a tantrum in a second. "Steve."

He smacks Eddie's hands away from his face. Doesn't bother to move out from under Eddie, he notes absently. "Yes, dude, obviously I was flirting with you on purpose! I thought that was, like, an understood thing that was happening. Why are you surprised?"

He feels like he's losing his mind. Why are you surprised the grass is made out of taffy? Would've made more sense as a question.

"Because you're straight." The duh is implied.

Sensibly, he asks, "Why would I flirt with you if I was straight?"

Eddie becomes very aware of every inch they are pressed together. Aware of the sound of the leaves rubbing together in the wind, aware of Judas Priest still playing through his speakers. Love Bites is a hell of a track to be having this revelation to.

"You're not straight?"

"No."

"And you were flirting?"

"Yes."

"With me?"

He rolls his eyes, not an ounce of bitchiness lost to his embarrassment. "No, Eddie, with the crusty blanket on your van floor. Yes, of course with you- Mmmphh!"

They probably shouldn't be making out on the ground at Settlers Quarry in broad daylight but, honestly, the shambling corpse of Jason Carver could show up right now and Eddie would not give two shits. Steve slides a hand down the back of Eddie's pants, grabbing what little bit of ass cheek he has, and Eddie thinks, Hope you're watching from hell, you bastard. Enjoy the show.

[jonathanbyersphd]

Stranger Things - Endless Summer AU Moodboard

Jonathan knows next to nothing about surfing, beach culture, or California but when his college roommate Argyle asked if he wanted to work at his family's surf shop. Well, Jonathan figured there were worse ways to spend his summer than on the beach with his best friend. Now he's spending his days smoking, selling boards, snapping photos, swapping tourist horror stories with the ice cream parlor employees next door, and trying not to have a summer romance with the cute reporter renting out Argyle's spare bedroom.

[princessbrunette]

I FINALLY GOT A FUN AND CUTE LITTLE ICE CREAM SCOOPING JOB which one of the girls would have this job😋

puppy i think !! she’d be messy and kinda bad at it but it would be her favourite job in the world ^_^

[sadhours]

kinktober day two • accidental stimulation

aka: melting

steve harrington x fem!reader

kinktober masterlist

cw: 18+, minors dni, dry humping, public sex (kind of), slight humiliation, p in v

🤍🤍🤍🤍🤍

Scoops Ahoy! is the bane of your existence. Shilling ice cream for bratty kids and old classmates is a real pain in the ass. Especially on days like today, when you have to work with Steve instead of Robin. Steve’s annoying, always has been. You were once paired up with him for a biology project in high school and he didn’t do a goddamn thing but took credit and you’ve been holding onto that grudge for years. At the time, Steve treated you like the dog shit under his shoe but times have changed.

You’d sprouted tits and actually learned how to take care of yourself— how to wear makeup and style your hair. It’s landed you in a weird spot with Harrington. He hits on repeatedly, almost on the hour during hour six hour shifts. Maybe if he’d hadn’t been such a dick to you in high school, you’d consider it because let’s face it; Steve Harrington is a babe. A stupid, arrogant babe. It’s kind of fun, turning him down. Feels like you’ve won something. Even though, you ponder what would happen if you gave into his incessant flirting.

However, today, you wanna sock him right in his beautiful face. He’s been incredibly annoying, complaining how he hasn’t felt the touch of a woman since Nancy and how the uniform really isn’t helping his case. You’d beg to differ. He unfortunately looks… attractive in it. But he’s fallen off the social ladder and that’s why the girls reject him.

It’s closing time, you’re bent over into the drop ins. Covering the big gallons of ice cream when Harrington tries to sneak behind you to close up the topping bar. His crotch grazes your ass and he freezes. Pathetically, makes a shocked noise and presses his hand against the small of your back.

“What are you doing?” you ask, voice echoing inside the drop-in freezer.

Steve doesn’t move, keeps his crotch firmly pressed against your ass and even rolls his hips. You can feel his cock hardening behind his polyester shorts and your eyes widen. Why the fuck isn’t he moving? And worse, how did he get hard just from barely grazing against you? He’s really down bad.

You try to look back at him but then he’s grabbing your hips, rolls his again and you stare stunned down at the tub of U.S.S Butterscotch.

He jolts back, you can hear his body making contact with the counter behind him as he exclaims, “It was an accident! I didn’t mean to…”

You pull your head out of the freezer and turn to him, a sly smile spreading across your lips, “Did that make you hard?”

“No,” he lies but the proof is staring you in the face, those little blue shorts doing nothing to help him hide it.

You laugh, soft and shocked and fine, okay— flattered.

“Wow,” you exhale, “I didn’t realize it was that dire.”

“Shut up,” he shakes his head and tries to look nonchalant, but his cheeks are red, “I have no idea what you’re talking about.”

Another laugh, your eyes trained on his erection straining through his uniform and then he moves his hands to cover it. His eyes everywhere but on you. You hum, pout and tilt your head, “You’re not as suave as you think.”

He swallows hard, “I need to, close the topping station… I uh—“

“Yeah… and I need to finish covering the ice cream. I’m gonna bend back over and do that…” you tell him, feeling bold because well, it’s been a long time for you to and you can’t deny you enjoyed the feeling of him against you. “If I feel something… I’m just gonna keep doing what I’m doing.”

You spin back around and get back to covering the tubs. Steve’s not as stupid as you thought, because when you duck back into the freezer, his crotch is pressed against your ass again. His large hands wrap around your hips, holding you steady.

Thank god you guys were behind tonight. The mall has to be empty, gates all closed and the whole food court is quiet. You wiggle back against him and Steve lets out a sound you hate to admit is pretty.

Keeping true to your word, you act as if nothing is happening as you cover all the tub while Steve grinds against you from behind. And you let him. Welcome it, actually. Feel pretty because of it. You even grind back against him, feeling your thighs heat up. This is dangerous yet it feels like maybe it was bound to happen. A part of you thinks that maybe if you give Steve this, he’ll stop being so insufferable. Like he needs to have this kind of interaction with a woman in order to stop seeking it out so desperately. You want to give Steve what he wants— what he’s been begging for for months.

The pair of you keep grinding into each other for a while. Until you start to feel uncomfortable from the coldness of the freezer. So you pull yourself out of it. Move over to the register and bend over the counter. Steve follows you, presses himself up against your ass again and drags his hands down your back.

So you reach behind you, pull the skirt of your uniform up and then push your underwear down your thighs.

“Fuck,” Steve exhales as he watches and you can hear him undoing his shorts and shoving them down. “I’ve had dreams like this.”

Yeah, that’s a big inflation to your ego. And you can’t help but admit, “Me too.”

Steve groans lowly, brings his fingers to your cunt and rubs them up through your folds. He scissors your clit and then brings them back down, circling around your entrance. “I’m kind of big, I should probably get you ready,” he says and sinks two fingers into your pussy.

You gasp and moan, rolling your hips back on his fingers. Part of you wants to look back, see if he’s exaggerating but from what you could see in his shorts, you don’t think he is. Steve thrusts his fingers in and out of you slowly, spreads them while they’re deep inside and you have to bite your lip to keep quiet. You’re sure you’re alone in this mall, aside from the security guards but they don’t hang around the food court this time of night. Better be safe, though.

“You dream about me?” you ask, voice shaky.

“All the time,” Steve breathes out, pulling his fingers out but circles the tips of them along your hole. “Didn’t know it’d be so easy like this.”

You giggle, pushing your ass back against him as you tell him, “Me either. You’re a pain in my ass, but you are cute.”

“Am I?” he asks, leaning over you and kissing against your neck just as he slides his fingers back inside you.

A groan pours from you as you close your eyes, “Shut up, Harrington, you know you’re hot.”

He licks your jaw, then nips at it gently before pressing his lips against your ear, “I know I am. I didn’t know you thought so, too.”

God, you wish you could see his face— to remind you how much you really think so. You know he’s still wearing that dumb sailor hat he hates so much and you haven’t had the guts to tell him he looks cute in it. He adds a third finger and the stretch of it has you crying out. Steve fucking tsks, tells you, “Just wait until I get my cock inside you.”

“Do it,” you plead, pushing your ass back against him desperately.

He nips at your jaw again, fingers leaving you abruptly as he grips his cock and guides his tip towards your hole. Once you feel it prodding, you inhale sharply. He slips the tip in, stretching you beautifully— almost has you in tears but he goes slow. Allows you to adjust to every inch as he mouths at your jaw and neck.

You feel like you're melting, hands gripping the counter as he sheathes himself inside you to the hilt. He’s completely inside you, hands clinging onto your hips as your walls grip and pulse around his cock.

“Oh, fuck,” you whine out, “You’re so fucking big.”

He groans, right against your ear and mumbles, “I told you…”

Everything is fuzzy. Scoops Ahoy! doesn’t exist. You’re in space with Steve’s impressive cock buried inside you, not in the mall where there’s a potential to be seen. He thrusts forward hard and deep, making you yelp. He grabs your jaw, turns your face towards him and kisses you sloppily, silencing your involuntary noises. He tastes sweet, like the maraschino cherries he snacks on. You wonder if you taste like the ice cream sundae he made you for your break. You try to think about when he slid it to you and said he made it with love. Which is easy to forget as he rolls his hips, cock dragging against your sensitive walls.

“You’re so tight,” he babbles out.

You reply with, “you’re so big…”

“Feel good, yeah? Me stretching you out?”

“So… fucking… good,” you give in, gasping into the sideways kiss as he delivers a hard and deep thrust.

Steve’s hands reach around, cupping your breasts over your uniform and you wish you weren’t at work— but somewhere where he could feel you up, completely exposed. This will have to do, though. He kisses your neck sloppily, repetitively across the expanse of it that his lips can reach. Small, quiet moans falling past your lips, hopefully muffled by the tinny speakers playing easy listening throughout the mall.

“Oh, god, Steve…” you whine, hips jutting into the counter from the force of his thrusts.

His hands knead against your chest as he presses his face against the crook of your neck and breathes, rugged and heavy. He picks up his pace a bit more and you know he’s close, so you shove your hand down between you and the counter. Get your fingers pressed to your clit and rub circles, mirroring the rhythm of Steve’s thrusts. The feeling of his breath against your neck is surprisingly pleasant. You focus hard on reaching your climax, luckily getting there before Steve. Unfortunately, you can’t keep your volume under control as you moan. Feel too good to really care, even. Steve whines from the sound, pulling out of you quick and then you feel thick, hot ropes of cum landing on your exposed ass.

Then the pair of you stay still, awkwardly— just panting. You turn your head to look back at him as he uses his apron to clean the mess on your skin. It makes you laugh, which causes Steve to smile and laugh. He’s got his shorts back up and he moves to pull your underwear up. Then you turn and look at him. He chews his bottom lip, staring back at you.

“I uh, forgot to ask you earlier but, could you give me a ride home tonight?” you ask, cheeks red in embarrassment.

“Oh, yeah, for sure,” he nods, looking as awkward as you feel.

You grab onto the collar of his uniform and suggest, “Maybe we could hang out at your place for a bit, first?”

Steve grins, gorgeous white teeth on display and he puts his hands on your hips, leans down and says, “Yeah, that could be fun.” before he plants a kiss on your lips.

[gf2bellamy]

ice cream — steve harrington

pairing: steve harrington x fem!reader ( no use of y/n ) summary: dustin catches steve staring at you content warnings: robin complaining about steve, eating ice cream , robin being worried about getting in trouble with the boss, mention of the russians in s3 a/n: its 12:33 am and im craving ice cream

The pastel-colored lights of Scoops Ahoy reflected off the gleaming glass display case, casting a soft glow on the rows of creamy, colorful ice cream.

You stood frozen, eyes darting between the array of flavors in front of you. There were simply too many choices, each one more tasty than the last. 

“Hello?” Robin’s voice broke your trance, and her hand waved dramatically in front of your face. 

You blinked, turning to meet your best friend's amused expression. “Can I try them all?” you asked, your tone hopeful as you gestured at the lineup of ice cream. 

Robin raised an eyebrow, her skepticism written all over her face. Before she could answer, you added quickly, “…For free?” 

Her expression shifted instantly to one of mock disapproval. “Seriously?” she deadpanned. 

“Come on,” you pleaded. “You’re my friend. My best friend, might I add.” 

Robin narrowed her eyes at you, crossing her arms over her uniform. She wasn’t buying it, and you knew it. 

“I’m immune to that face,” she said flatly, tilting her head in defiance. 

“What face?” you asked innocently, though you knew exactly what she meant. You batted your lashes and offered her your best puppy-dog eyes, the very look that had gotten you out of trouble countless times before. 

“That one,” Robin said, pointing at your exaggerated pout. “And for your information , it only works on Steve, not me.” 

“Not fair,” you muttered, leaning against the counter. 

“Life isn’t fair,” Robin quipped with a smirk before glancing over her shoulder. “Speaking of Steve…” 

Your head snapped up, following her gaze. Sure enough, there he was, strolling out from the backroom with his hands stuffed in his pockets, his striped Scoops Ahoy hat slightly crooked.

His hair—perfect as always— and his easy smile sent a warmth rushing to your cheeks. 

“Did someone say my name?” Steve asked, leaning casually against the counter next to Robin. His hazel eyes flicked between the two of you, curiosity glinting in them. 

“She wants to try every flavor for free,” Robin announced, throwing you under the bus without hesitation. 

Steve turned to you, a grin tugging at the corners of his mouth. “Really? Every flavor?” 

You shrugged sheepishly. “I mean, is it really that crazy?” 

“It is,” Robin interjected. “Don’t let her drag you into this, Harrington.” 

But Steve’s gaze lingered on you, his grin softening. “I don’t know,” he said, pretending to consider it. “She does make a pretty good case.” 

“Steve!” Robin groaned, throwing her hands in the air. “You can’t just—” 

Steve interrupted, turning back to you. “How can I say no to that face?” 

You bit back a laugh as Robin slapped her forehead dramatically. 

“Fine,” she muttered, giving in. “But if the boss finds out, I’m not taking the blame.” 

Steve winked at you before grabbing a scoop. “So, where do we start?” 

Fifteen minutes later, you were sitting at a corner table with an impressive assortment of ice cream cups scattered before you.

Each one held a different flavor you’d been determined to try, the vibrant colors starting to swirl together as some began to melt. 

Steve had taken his break just to sit with you, a cup of chocolate chip ice cream in hand.

His iconic Scoops Ahoy hat now rested on the table, and he was lazily licking his spoon. 

“I thought you’d be sick of ice cream by now,” he said, quirking an eyebrow at you as he stared at the 5 empty cups of ice cream you've tried by now.

“Never,” you replied with exaggerated sigh, diving into a fresh cup of vanilla. You took a bite and practically sighed. “Oh, I love this one.” 

Steve chuckled, his gaze lingering on you as he leaned back in his chair. The corners of his mouth twitched upward in that signature, boyish smile of his. “You’re ridiculous, you know that?” 

“Ridiculously charming,” you teased, sticking your tongue out at him before taking another spoonful. 

Before Steve could respond, the door to Scoops Ahoy burst open with a dramatic clang.  

You both turned just in time to see Dustin barreling toward the table, a wild grin on his face and his backpack half-unzipped as it bounced on his shoulders. 

Steve groaned, already bracing himself. “Here we go.” 

Dustin slid into the seat beside you with all the grace of a hurricane, snatching one of the untouched ice cream cups from your collection without missing a beat. 

“Hello.” he said, as though it were perfectly normal to show up unannounced and start helping himself. 

“Uh, hi?” you replied, watching in disbelief as he dug in. 

Steve raised a brow, leaning forward. “You know, you could at least ask before stealing someone else’s ice cream.” 

Dustin waved him off with his spoon. “Oh, please. You’re not gonna eat all these. Besides, I’ve got important news.” 

You exchanged a look with Steve, both of you silently debating whether or not to press him for details.

After all, with Dustin, “important news” could mean anything from a world-ending crisis to finding a cool rock in the woods. 

“What kind of news?” you finally asked, your curiosity winning. 

Dustin glanced around conspiratorially, lowering his voice. “It’s about the Russians.” 

You and Steve groaned simultaneously, already knowing where this was headed. 

“Dustin,” Steve began, pinching the bridge of his nose. “We’ve talked about this. You can’t just—” 

“No, no, no,” Dustin interrupted, leaning closer. “This is real. I’ve got proof this time!” 

Steve shot you a look that said, Here we go again, and you couldn’t help but laugh. 

“Have fun. I’m gonna go get more vanilla ice cream,” you announced, standing up and casually pushing Dustin off the seat. 

“Hey!” Dustin protested, barely landing on his feet. “Rude much?” 

You rolled your eyes at his whining and walked back toward the counter, leaving Steve and Dustin alone at the table. 

As you approached Robin, she didn’t even wait for you to speak before starting in on her own tirade. “Finally! Your boyfriend here has been taking the longest break ever, and the boss is going to flip if he finds out.” 

“He’s not my—” you began to protest, but Robin waved you off with a knowing smirk. 

Meanwhile, back at the booth, Steve watched you from a distance, a soft smile creeping onto his face as you chatted animatedly with Robin.

You leaned against the counter, your laughter carrying faintly through the air, and Steve couldn’t help but let his gaze linger. 

“You’re staring at her,” Dustin said matter-of-factly, spoon halfway to his mouth. 

“What?” Steve snapped out of his daze, quickly turning to look at Dustin. 

“You. Were. Staring,” Dustin repeated, drawing out each word. 

“No, I wasn’t.” Steve shook his head, his cheeks faintly pink. 

“Yeah, you were,” Dustin countered, undeterred. “You had that "in love Harrington face" you always get around her.” 

“I don’t have a ‘in love Harrington face,’” Steve shot back, crossing his arms defensively. 

“Denial isn’t a good look on you,” Dustin quipped before taking another bite of ice cream. 

Steve groaned, rubbing his temples. “Can you just eat your ice cream and stop talking?” 

“Sure. Right after you admit you—” 

Before Dustin could finish, you returned to the table, holding a fresh cup of vanilla ice cream and raising a curious eyebrow at the tense energy between them. “What are you two arguing about now?” 

Dustin’s face lit up as if he’d been handed a golden opportunity. “Oh, nothing. Just that Steve here was staring at you like a lovesick puppy.” 

Steve’s eyes widened in pure panic. “I was not!” 

Your cheeks flushed, but you managed to hold back a laugh as you looked between the two of them. “Oh really?” you asked, your tone teasing. 

“Don’t listen to him,” Steve said quickly, glaring at Dustin. “He’s just being annoying. Like always.” 

Dustin leaned back with a smug grin. “Sure, Steve. Whatever you say.” 

You couldn’t help but giggle as you slid back into your seat. “Well, if it makes you feel any better,” you said, looking directly at Steve, “I don’t mind if you were staring.” 

Steve froze, completely caught off guard, while Dustin giggled like he’d just won a bet. 

“Okay, that’s it,” Steve muttered, shoving a spoonful of ice cream into Dustin’s mouth to shut him up.