#with a side of: platonic stobin

[perceivedregret]

what if our girls survived the narrative and became Roomates™️ in college

[queenie-ofthe-void]

Confessions

Steddie || ~2.3k words || rating: T || tags: post vecna, references to stancy, angst and fluff, robin buckley just being herself

~~~

Eddie and Robin were just finishing filling the snack bowls and mixing drinks when they heard a knock at the door. It’s a Friday night– and not what Eddie would consider a late hour–but they weren’t expecting anyone to join their weekly movie night at Steve’s. 

He glances at Robin who shrugs, shaking her head. As he rounds the kitchen counter towards the foyer, Steve’s voice carries down the hallway.

“Nance?” He sounds surprised too.

“Steve, I’m sorry I know it’s late, but I’ve been meaning to talk to you and I can’t wait anymore,” she says. Eddie can’t see her, but she sounds anxious. 

“This can’t be good,” Robin huffs. He agrees, if the sinking pit in his stomach is any indicator.

“Look, Nance, now’s not really–”

“Steve,” she barrels over him, sounding desperate. “I’ve been an idiot trying to convince myself that I haven’t missed you since we broke up– and before you say it, this isn’t because Jonathan left after we closed the last gate. When we were stuck there with Robin and Eddie, the way you looked at me was how I’ve always hoped someone would love me. You looked at me like I was everything to you, like you could look at me forever and never get tired of it. I feel wanted, and loved, and safe when I’m around you.” She takes a deep, steadying breath before pressing on.

“Last time, when we were together, I took all of my grief and anger out on you. I blamed you for  what happened to Barb because I couldn’t face it myself and I knew you loved me enough to hold the weight, and I resented you for it. You wouldn’t stand up to me, and I resented you because you loved me anyway.” Eddie can hear Nancy sniffling, small sobs carrying down the hallway. “You loved me at my worst, and you didn’t deserve that. You’re amazing, and strong, and kind and everything I could ever ask for.

“Steve, what you said in the Winnebago, I just, I can’t stop thinking about you. About us”

The silence that follows is stifling and Eddie feels bile climbing up his throat. Arms wrap around his shoulders as Robin tucks her head into his neck. Only a small comfort while months of gentle moments with Steve flash behind his eyes: soft hands brushing his curls, stolen glances, lingering touches, and warm smiles. Now Eddie’s forced to stand vigil as it’s all washed away by Nancy's whispered pleas.

A spark of hope after a late night confession months ago– swiftly blown away.

“Nance, please–”

“Steve Harrington, I lo–”

“Nancy,” Steve interrupts, his tone firm yet soft around the edges, “I’m in love with someone else.”

Robin gasps into his neck. Her arms around his shoulders squeeze tight, anchoring him to reality in the wake of Steve’s confession. His chest is so full he can’t breathe. 

“Oh,” Nancy whispers before another, deeper sob leaves her breathless. He never thought he’d hear Nancy Wheeler cry. Even though they’re apparently both in love with the same man, he’s grown close with her too and can’t help the urge to comfort her. Eddie’s grown to love everyone in his new found family. But Nancy is right. 

Steve Harrington is everything. 

And Eddie’s everything is Steve Harrington.

“Yeah Nance, I’m sorry. And they’re kind of here right now, so,” he says gently.

And they’re kind of here right now…

Hope flames in his chest, blooming with warmth. Eddie doesn’t hear the conversation end over the buzzing in his own head and Robin’s frantic giggling until they hear the click of the front door and Steve’s footsteps coming towards them.

“Oh.”

Steve’s standing in front of them, wide-eyed like a deer in headlights. Eddie’s realizing he and Robin maybe should’ve hid before Steve rounded the corner to find them eavesdropping. 

“So,” Steve stammers, a fierce rouge burning his ears, “how much of that did you hear, exactly?”

Robin quickly stands, clearing her throat before Eddie can think of an answer. “Is that the microwave? Did anyone else hear the microwave ding? I think the popcorn is done, so I can go check that right now. Yeah, right now. I’ll just, umm, be in the kitchen checking the popcorn. For the movie.”

She practically sprints down the hall, and although she wasn’t subtle, Eddie’s still thankful for the privacy. Steve’s shaking his head with a small smile on his face.

“Everything,” Eddie answers. “We heard everything.”

“Oh,” Steve says again. He sounds anxious and unsure, something Eddie’s compelled to fix, because all he wants in this world is for Steve Harrington to be happy.

“It’s ok.” He takes Steve’s hands in his own, tracing his thumb lightly over his knuckles. “We won’t say anything to her about it, and we won’t tell anyone what she said. Nancy’s in safe hands with us. Mum’s the word!” And as Eddie mimes zippering up his mouth, he hopes that Steve won’t take the easy way out. That he won’t use the life-raft Eddie’s just thrown in his direction to keep him from drowning. 

“Right,” Steve says. He runs a hand through his hair, biting his lip as he gazes at the floor between them. The silence as Eddie waits for Steve’s next words grows long and tense. He can’t hear any movement in the kitchen, making him more anxious now that he knows Robin’s listening. Which, he’d be a hypocrite to be mad about.

Maybe he has this all wrong. Maybe Steve just needed a way to get her to leave, so he lied about having a date over. Maybe he didn’t know what to say, and just said the first thing to pop into his head. Maybe it’s got nothing to do with Eddie at all. 

Eddie realizes he’s still holding Steve’s hands, his grip tightening the longer he spirals. If it hurts, Steve hasn’t said anything. But when Eddie looks at his face, he seems dazed and lost in thought. As fast as if he’d been burned, Eddie drops Steve’s hands and takes a step backward.

“So,” Eddie stammers, voice shaking, “I’m going to go help Birdie with the popcorn. You want to get another movie started?”

Hands still frozen in the air, Steve finally lets his clenched fists fall to his sides. Eddie can see the whites of his knuckles. He hears Steve sigh, exhausted and frustrated, but Steve’s nodding with furrowed brows and taking a step backward towards the living room– away from Eddie. Too far to reach out to.

Turning away, Eddie’s in the middle of forming an escape attempt when he opens the kitchen door to immediately be swept up in Robin’s arms. Of course she’d been listening. He’s grateful for it, now that he doesn’t have to explain himself. As he buries his face into her neck, he finds a wet patch and wonders what kind of accident she got into while prepping snacks. It’s not until she starts gently shushing him that he realizes he’s crying, tears soaking into her shirt. 

“It’s gonna be ok, teddy bear,” she says, running her hand through his curls, “he’ll get there, I promise. He’s working on it, you know that.”

He nods. He does know that. Steve’s been out to Robin for a few months, but only to Eddie for a few weeks. He deserves the space to figure it out, and the grace of those around him to do so at his own pace. Still, Eddie can’t help his growing impatience alongside the increasing severity of his crush. At least Robin’s here to support the both of them.

The two of them finish gathering the snacks in silence. She was full of awkward jokes to try to lighten the mood, but when it was clear Eddie was stuck in his head, she’d stopped. He feels bad about it. He’ll make it up to her later, plus he knows she’s not upset with him. Eddie suspects they’ll be getting together sometime tomorrow to rehash everything that’s happened– after she’s finished consoling Steve, of course.

When they leave the kitchen, Eddie’s surprised to find Steve exactly where he’d left him. He’s standing frozen in the hallway, lip pulled between his teeth and hands still clenched. But when he lifts his gaze to meet Eddie’s, there’s resolve behind his eyes.

“Eddie,” Steve says, “I think I’m falling in love with you.”

“Oh my god! Finally!”

Eddie jumps violently at Robin’s shouting, almost directly into his ear. She’s flushed red with embarrassment decorated with a manic grin so wide he wonders if it’ll just keep stretching like taffy. There’s popcorn poured out onto the floor from where she clearly threw her hands up in excited exasperation. He watches as her eyes grow wide, her smile morphing into shock, her lips forming a perfect ‘o’, as if to say ‘oh shit, I just interrupted the most important moment in my best friends’ lives because I’m so excited and impatient that these two dinguses finally figured their shit out’.

She kicks the scattered popcorn towards the wall, like that’ll somehow hide the mess, before awkwardly passing them both down the hall towards the living room.

Eddie loves her so much.

“Huh,” Eddie chuckles, “well that was–”

“I’ve known I’ve liked you since last summer when you let me help you into my pool onto Holly’s rubber duck floaty so you could finally go swimming after you finished physical therapy.” Steve sounds out of breath, words running into each other with misplaced breaths in between. Like if he stops, he knows he won’t start again. 

It’s the only time Eddie’s felt the urge to keep quiet– when he’s not fighting for his life.

“You were so nervous,” Steve plows on, “but you said you felt safe with me, that you wanted only me to be there. You said you trusted me to help without laughing or judging you. Fuck, Eddie, you were so goddamn cute once we got you settled in with a Coke with a crazy straw in it. We were listening to ABBA and you didn’t even complain and you were so sunburnt the next day. It was the happiest I’d ever seen you.”

The memory leaves Eddie shocked. He did trust Steve to help, didn’t even consider asking anyone else because Steve just felt like the most obvious answer. He’d been there through the worst of Eddie’s post-PT work to make sure he ‘kept form’ on his exercises. They’d lounged in the sun all day, and it was the first time Eddie watched Steve relax since his final Upside-Down battle. 

Eddie feels his lip quiver, eyes burning, knowing they’d felt the same that day. Judging by Steve’s watery eyes, he guesses they feel the same now, too. 

“But love,” Steve whispers. He swallows as he takes a step closer, reaching out to grasp his hands. “Eddie Munson, I knew I was in love with you yesterday.”

His shoulders tighten as he recalls yesterday, surprised because they hadn’t seen each other at all, one of the rare days where their schedules didn’t line up. It was the first time in months they’d gone longer than thirty-six hours without seeing each other. Sure, they’d talked on the phone while Steve worked, but it’s not the same.

“I know,” Steve laughs, clocking Eddie’s confusion. “I thought about you all day. Couldn’t stop, no matter how hard I tried. Robin had to work with the customers because all I kept thinking about was tonight. If you’d get here before Robin, so we could sit out by the pool and smoke. Where we’d sit for the movie and if we’d get to share the popcorn bucket. If you’d pick a movie I hadn’t seen, so you’d lean in close and tell me a million random facts, even when you know I don’t really get it. But I just like when you’re close, next to me, and–” he hesitates– “I think that’s why you do it.”

Steve lifts their joined hands, wiping a tear from his eye using the back of Eddie’s knuckles. He returns the gesture, wiping what Eddie’s guessing is a mix of tears and snot off of his own face with Steve’s sleeve. 

“I think you lean in because you want to be close to me, too, and you don’t actually care about the movie either. Eddie, I think you ask for my help because you trust me in a way only Robin does. You give me cute nicknames like ‘sweetheart’ and ‘pretty boy’ because you’re teasing me, but I think it’s mostly because you really mean it.” Steve’s stepped closer now, and Eddie can feel the warmth of shared air between their gasping breaths. 

“I think you tease me and lean into me because you want my attention,” Steve whispers, brushing his nose alongside Eddie’s as their foreheads touch. “But Eddie, you’ve always had my attention.”

Eddie surges forward, capturing Steve’s tear-soaked lips between his own in what has to be the snotiest kiss either of them has ever had. But he doesn’t care. How could he? Eddie’s kissing the man he’s been in love with for almost eight months. 

Steve drops Eddie’s hands in favor of running one through his dark curls, while the other grips tightly at his waist. He can’t help but cup Steve’s cheeks, running a gentle thumb along his cheekbones. 

It’s soft and messy and everything he’s ever hoped for, because Steve Harrington is his everything, and he’ll do anything to keep him. Right now, he doesn’t have to worry about what they’ll tell their friends, or how they’ll explain this to Nancy, or even if Robin’s listening behind the door– he’s sure she is. No, right now, he lets himself bask in the glow of Steve’s love and soak in the comfort that Steve feels loved in return.

[bigfootsboytoy]

Part two of this story, where Robin discovers Steve’s type. A lot of people seemed interested in more, so here you go! 

The conversation doesn’t go quite the way Robin is expecting it. She’s fully prepared for Steve to launch into saying how confused he is because he’s feeling weird pants feelings for Eddie, but how does that work because he likes girls? She’s been mentally preparing herself for that exact discussion since she watched Eddie Munson call her best friend ‘Big Boy’ in the middle of committing grand theft auto. So when Steve starts talking, curled up on the gross linoleum tile of Family Video, she’s taken by surprise. She doesn’t even get the chance to answer his question before he’s throwing her prepared speech out the metaphorical window. 

“That’s stupid, you already told me that. Sharon Parker in the 5th grade, holding hands for Red Rover, blah blah blah, I know that. But like…Have you ever acted different around a girl, and then one day, you realize it’s because you like her? Like, you had a crush on a girl without even realizing it? Does that make any sense?” 

It takes Robin a second to reboot, but the second she manages, Steve throws her even further off track. 

“It’s just, Tommy H came by the other day, and he said some stuff that really has me thinking and-” 

Robin can’t stop herself. As soon as she hears a name other than Eddie Munson, she has a hand out covering Steve’s mouth. He gives her a look, surprised and confused. Maybe a little annoyed. She valiantly ignores him because what he just said has her head spinning, and she needs to put a stop to it right now. 

“Steve. My best friend in the whole universe. I’m here for whatever you need and whatever you might be figuring out about yourself. You know I’m going to support you 100% no matter what happens but…Please. PLEASE tell me that you didn’t just discover you have a crush on TOMMY H! He isn’t even your type, Steve! He isn’t even in the ballpark of your type! He’s so far off it’s honestly kind of laughable and-” 

Now it’s Steve who puts a hand over her mouth. 

“Jesus, Robin! First of all, gross. I’m not into Tommy, okay? Never gonna happen, not in a million years. And second, what the hell do you mean ‘my type?’ What the hell would you know about my type?” 

Robin carefully removes his hand from her face and shakes her head. She has absolutely no clue where this conversation is going, but there’s still a chance it can work its way somewhere good. Somewhere Munson-related. And she owes it to Steve to listen to his crisis properly. 

“Nevermind, forget that. What happened with Tommy?” 

“Okay well, he came over, like I said. He was super wasted, and I guess he and Carol broke up? And he started talking about when we were friends, and how he always used to try and get closer to me. He said he almost asked me if I wanted to practice kissing once? And he talked about like, trying to touch me all the time, trying to make me laugh? Basically saying he had a crush on me, which was super weird.” 

Robin nodded, because really, she had no idea what to say to that. 

“And then he kissed me. Which was kind of gross because he tasted like whisky and he was being all sloppy, like he wanted to eat my face. But…” 

“But?” 

“It wasn’t as gross as I would have expected I guess.” 

“I thought you said you didn’t like him!” 

“I don’t! It just, wasn’t a totally horrible kiss okay? Only a little horrible.” 

Robin sighed and let her head tip back against the wall. 

“Okay, I’m not seeing your dilemma yet. Tommy liking you and kissing you is kind of weird sure, but it doesn’t change anything about you.” 

Steve’s eyebrows furrowed, and he let out a puff of air. He looked small in this bathroom, scared in a way that Robin hated. They had faced down monsters, torture, long shifts with Keith. A conversation with his best friend should never have Steve looking that afraid, ever. 

She reached out and took his hand in her, giving it a gentle squeeze. 

“Hey, it’s okay Steve. Tell me what’s going on in that head.” 

“It’s just…Some of what Tommy said. About how he tried to get closer to me, to touch me and make me laugh and shit? I guess I realized that I’m doing that stuff. With somebody else. And if Tommy did it because he liked me then…” 

“You think it might mean you like this person. This…guy?” 

“Yeah. This guy.” 

There it was, the Eddie Munson of it all. Because Robin only knew of one guy that Steve spent his time with and would be trying to be touchy and close with. She had watched it happen with her own eyes, the way Steve would look for reasons to lean past Eddie, to put a hand on his shoulder, his back, once getting brave and putting a hand on his waist. She’d watched Eddie do the exact same things around Steve, too.

Part of her almost just comes out and tells Steve, that she knows who he’s talking about. Except he still looks unsure. He looks like he wants to throw up a little, and Robin has to fix that. 

“You know it’s okay right? For you to like this guy?” 

“I know. It’s just weird, to realize I might like him that way. Normally I can figure out when I’m into someone.” 

“Well, normally you aren’t friends with the people you’re into first. That makes it confusing.” 

“And I’m normally into people with boobies.” 

“That too.” 

Steve lets out a tiny laugh, and it makes Robin beam. Something about Steve is lighter now, like somethings been lifted off his chest, something that’s been there for a really long time without him knowing. She wants to tell him how much she’s loves him. How much she cares about him and supports him. She wants to tell him about all her research, and fully explain to him her findings when it comes to ‘his type.’ 

She wants to tell him that she knows the guy he likes is Eddie. That she thinks Eddie might like him too. 

The ‘ring for service’ bell ruins her chance at saying any of it. 

She and Steve both clamber off the floor, adjusting their vests before exiting the bathroom to greet whoever keeps ringing the stupid bell over and over again. Robin can’t decide if it’s the best luck in the world, or the worst, when it’s Eddie Munson himself standing at the counter. 

She leans towards best luck when she sees the way Steve’s cheeks go red.

A few people asked to be tagged if I did a part 2, so hopefully I do that right! I’ve got a few more parts planned, so if anybody else wants to be tagged let me know and I’ll do my best!

@kaiscove​ @wolfstarlights​  @awkwardgravity1​ @anonymousbandgirl​  @f1ct1onwh0re

[imfinereallyy]

Dinner Date

For STWG daily drabble and, more importantly, for Goldie @steventhusiast. Happy Birthday, you deserve the world. I know you’re asleep right now, but it’s technically still your bday here. 

“Dingus, this is a really fancy restaurant.” Robin leans back in her chair, but her hand plays with the fork on her napkin. 

Steve sips his wine; some of it tips over the edge onto the tablecloth. “What? Can’t a guy take his best friend out to a fancy dinner?” He tilts his head and takes in his best friend. What was once an awkward teen now had a beautiful, but still awkward, woman in her place. 

“Steve, I love our friend dates, but usually they take place in a greasy diner or dollar pizza.” Robin picks the fork up and starts twirling it into her napkin. Steve watches her get mesmerized by the wrinkles that wrapped around the silverware, even though they both know the napkin should be in her lap by now. 

Steve smiles softly, moves his napkin from his lap to the table, and begins to mimic Robin. “Okay, maybe I wanted it to be a special occasion.”

Robin giggles at Steve's poor fork-twirling form and leans over the table to fix it for him. “All occasions are special when we are together, so that doesn’t really mean much.” Robin’s nose scrunches in concentration as she gently guides Steve’s hand. She has done this plenty of times before, guiding Steve where he needed to be. Like taking him to the bookstore near her college so he wouldn’t have to go into sex with Eddie blind, or when she taught him how to whisk eggs properly. Both are equally important skills he now uses in his everyday life. “But you seemed nervous. You keep sipping your wine, and I know for a fact that you hate dry wine.”

Steve puts down the glass that was halfway to his mouth, “It’s not my fault Moscato tastes like candy!”

Robin snorts, “Seriously, Dingus. It’s just me. What’s up?”

Steve puts down the fork and his glass and looks Robin in the eye. “I wanted to ask you to be my best man.”

Steve expects a lot of reactions out of her: excitement, an eye roll, hell, even straight-up rejection. Maybe a little speech about how weddings for them aren’t even legal. Instead, a look of betrayal crosses her face. “You asked Eddie to marry you, and you didn’t even tell me you were proposing?”

Immediately, Steve clenches his stomach in outrageous laughter, nearly having to bend over the table. Steve tries to take Robin seriously; he really does. But she is supposed to be the smart one out of the two of them. 

Rage takes over Robin completely as she reaches over the table to start slapping Steve’s arm. “Don’t laugh, you asshat! I am actually mad at you!”

“Ow—” Steve laughs. “Ow, Robin!” Another giggle escapes him as he gets her to sit back in her chair. “I’m laughing because, of course, I didn’t propose to Eddie without talking to you first.”

Robin settles a bit at this, “I’m confused.”

Steve reaches for her hand across the table; Robin doesn’t hesitate to wrap her fingers around his. “I’m asking you to be my Best Man first, doofus. Before I even pick out the damn ring. Which I definitely need you to steal one of Eddie’s rings for me so I can get the size; man watches those things like a hawk.” 

Robin squeezes his hand, “Wait, why would you ask me that first? Isn’t that kind of backwards.”

“I do everything kind of backwards, babe. Kinda the Steve Harrington special.” Steve rubs a thumb against the back of soulmate's hand. “Of course, I ask you about being my best man first. There would be no wedding without you, so if you say no, there would be no proposing.”

Steve could see tears beginning to fill Robin’s eyes, “What are you saying?”

“Whoever gets stuck with me gets stuck with you. We’re a package deal, babe.” 

Robin throws herself across the table, knocking the wine everywhere. Steve laughs and clenches her tightly. “Of course, I’ll be your best man! Someone’s gotta make sure you don’t hurt yourself going down the aisle.” She sobs.

Steve’s throat gets thick, “Pretty sure that’s the father's job, Robs. And you’d have to fight Jim for that role.”

“Fine.” Robin sniffs, leaning back to look him in the eye. “But I get stand by your side as you make a complete fool of yourself with your vows.” 

“Deal.”

Robin leans forward, placing her forehead against Steve’s. “You and me against the world, babe.”

Steve hugs her tight, “You and me against the world.”

[trashpocket]

platonic!stobin and what if: steve died in s3 and became a ghost to haunt robbie (and eddie can sometimes see n hear him too)

[yearningagain]

it's enough (to make a girl blush)

HIIII EVERYONE so you know that fic i was asking for a beta reader for?? well i found one!! and i'd like to present the first chapter of it's enough (to make a girl blush), my first SERIOUS fic that i 100% intend on finishing!!

i'd like to thank the amazing @kayleeofcamelot for being my lovely beta reader <3

also on AO3!

wc: 1.1k | rating: e (18+) | pairing: steddie | cw: none | tags: a/b/o, alpha eddie munson, omega steve harrington, modern au, baker steve, famous eddie, getting together, gay eddie, bi steve, soulmates/true mates/scent mates, side buckingham

part two | part three

--------------

"God, fuck- alpha, please ..." Steve begs, sat upon a man's toned, yet lean thigh, grinding and rutting against it as he chased his high. The man chuckled darkly, his hands coming to grip Steve's hips, tight enough that Steve knows there will be bruises, guiding him along roughly.

With barely open eyes, he managed to peek at the hands that would surely leave marks come morning. Dark tendrils of tattoos that stretched from the man’s second knuckle and up his arms. Fingertips calloused and dexterous, nails bitten and paint chipped, and almost every finger has more than two silver rings adorning it, save for his right hands ring finger. No, that finger holds only one ring. An aged, loved, golden band with three small red crystals set in a line.

Small gasps left Steve's lips, every roll of the omega’s hips pressed his cocklette deliciously against the fabric of the omega's thin shorts. Both pants had surely been ruined by the amount of slick that poured out of him, but he couldn't make himself feel bad about it, even if he tried. Something inside him, his omega , told him that the alpha was having just as much fun as he was.

"Ah- ‘M close, alpha..." Steve pants, head feeling pleasantly fuzzy. He could smell how his own scent had changed, the spiced apple scent turning into something heady and thick. Suddenly, he got hit with the most divine scent in the world. Campfire smoke and pine, a hint of petrichor and old books. Home- a whispered thought. It almost sent him over the edge.

Almost.

Then, all of a sudden, everything felt wrong . It was as if he was floating away from his body, his mind a balloon escaping a child's loose clutch. He couldn't smell the alpha, just his own scent turning sour and rotten. The cool sensation of the man's rings where they pressed into bare skin suddenly spread all over, no longer comforting, but as if ice water had engulfed him. Something nagged at him, though, in the back of his mind. Something like a spark, settling into the omega and igniting coals to keep him warm and happy.

And Steve opened his eyes.

—

Steve glared at himself in the mirror, bare in preparation for a shower. There were no marks, no evidence of anything happening. One more glance over his entire body confirmed that there was nothing left of the alpha. It was a simple wet dream. The only thing that kept him from dismissing the dream entirely was his strong disappointment when he woke up alone, and the low thrum of energy he could feel stemming from his inner omega. (And the slick-soaked sheets he'd have to deal with later.) If he focused hard enough, he could almost hear the whispering rumble of "Mate. Alpha. Mate. Alpha."

He shook himself from his stupor and hopped in the shower. What did it mean, this newfound warmth over someone he'd apparently made up in his mind? Was he really that lonely? No, of course not. 

(Yes. He was.)

After turning over question after question in his mind only to come up blank, he sighed. He'd have to talk to Robin about this. 

Reluctantly set in his decision, he got out of the shower and patted himself dry, threw his hair up in a towel, and put on a fresh pair of sweats. Throwing a glance at his alarm clock, it read 9:57 AM . Robin should be awake by now, hunched over their dinky coffee machine with her eyes still closed and dried drool on her chin. 

It was Sunday, so Robin didn't have class and the bakery Steve worked at, Claudia's Cakes , was closed for the day. He figured he could take her out to lunch. Maybe the deli two doors down from the bakery? He had been having a craving for their Cubano recently. 

Stepping out of his room and shuffling to the kitchen, Steve found Robin exactly like he thought, arms braced on the counter to pillow her resting head. The coffee machine gurgled away, the strong scent mingling with Robin’s earthy strawberry aroma.

"Morning, Robs."

A small groan is all he got in response. He chuckled softly and fetched the sugar and creamer, setting it on the counter next to his best friend's birds nest of bed head. Taking his place at their table, he opened up his phone to check his messages (mostly from Dustin talking about some band he found online).  Soon, Robin slumped into the chair across from him, a mug of coffee placed in front of him as she sipped on her own. Now that she was actually awake, she looked at him with a curious expression.

"What? Do I have something on my face?" Steve asked her.

She hummed, taking a calculating look. "No, nothing on your face. You just... you smell different. Not bad different! Just different, like instead of cinnamon apple cake, you smell like roasted apples. And honey? What's up with that?" 

Steve is surprised she doesn't spill her coffee all over the place with how she flings her arms around, emphasizing her question with a pointed finger and finally slamming her mug down.

"I don't know, dude.” Another glare from her. "I really don't! Anyways, did you want to grab lunch at the deli today? My treat."

Sighing and giving him one last glare, she shrugged. "Yeah, sure. I’ve been meaning to stop by the record store, could we swing by on the way back?”

Steve threw a pointed glance to their overflowing record crate below their old record player, a housewarming gift from Robin’s mom. She huffed in response, crossing her arms and mumbled “I just want to look.”

Crimson painted her cheeks and she avoided his gaze, which was all Steve needed to know. He knew Robin had made a friend (or crush rather) in her music theory class at UIC, and she and Steve were basically some sort of cosmic twins, and he knew all of her tells. So when he asked if he’s finally going to meet her, she really shouldn’t be that surprised. She still looked up at him with wide eyes, dropping her arms to the table. Another pointed look from Steve and she relented, “She told me to stop in when I could because she wants to show me this really cool limited edition vinyl the store got in recently and she looked so pretty when she asked, Steve. She had these pigtails and she was wearing this eyeshadow that made her eyes pop and she was wearing the skirt I told you about, the one with the hearts? Yeah, that one! And her sweater was, like, four sizes too big and she looked tiny! Anyways, how could I possibly say no when she looks like that?! She batted her eyelashes at me, Steve. Don’t give me that look.”

The omega simply sighed, shook his head fondly, and stood up. 

“Be ready in an hour, Buckley.”

[dwobbitfromtheshire]

Steve: You know, just because I'm bisexual doesn't mean I have to like them at the same time.

Robin: I never said you had to?

Steve: I mean, I really don't have to. How would that even work? . . . Oh, great, it was bad enough risking getting rejected by one of them, but they could come at me from both sides with a double whammy of 'yeah, that's a definite no.'

Robin: Okay, I'm lost.

Vickie: I don't think he's talking to us anymore, Robin.

Robin: Shit. . .Steve, you're thinking out loud again, buddy. Who are you even staring at?

She followed his line of sight to find him staring directly at Jonathan and Nancy.

Steve: I mean, I guess if Nancy lets me marry her, then I'm going to have to marry Jonathan, too.

Robin: You don't have to.

Steve: *sighs* No, I'm going to. He's cute. I'm probably going to have to throw Argyle in there, too. He's got a lot going for him, though. I'd marry him for his hair care secrets alone.

Robin: Well, I'm telling you right now, babe, I don't think your dad is going to pay for that wedding.

Steve: *sad noises* I know. . .

[afewproblems]

62 &/or 71 for platonic stobin perhaps?

62: It's okay to cry & 71: You are the single best thing to happen to me.

Thank you very much for this, I love these prompts and got real carried away with this! I hope you enjoy!

If you had asked Robin Buckley to describe her relationship with Steve Harrington back in her freshman year, she'd laugh in your face. 

Why on earth would King-Steve be caught talking to her, let alone do it enough to constitute a relationship?

He was a popular jock, and Robin was a freshie with a trumpet.

It wasn't how things worked.

Steve operated on the outside of her periphery. She had an awareness of him, his actions in the popular crowd. Like any minor celebrity, the gossip mill ran rampant with tales of King-Steve.

"Harrington scored the winning shot at last night's game! Not many Juniors get opportunities like that!"

"King-Steve told Tommy to leave Harvey alone cuz he's just a freshie, saved him from a swirlie -swear to God man".

“Yeah well, I heard he broke Byer’s camera the other day, so--”

"Have you seen his hair, ugh he's so dreamy!"

To which Robin thought, 'I've seen him leave half a bagel of crumbs all over his English notes, how dreamy can he be?'

And to top it all off, Tammy Thompson wouldn't stop staring at him, twirling her long blond hair around her pink varnished nails while reading sonnets from Romeo and Juliet loudly at her cafeteria table, trying valiantly to catch his eye --peak romance right there.

But Robin wasn't quite ready to think about how much she wished Tammy would bat those long lashes at her, nah, hating Steve Harrington was easier. 

Besides, he had no idea she existed, right? 

Robin grabs a can of Coke from the fridge, reaching into her pocket for change before joining her mother at the till.

The corner store was all the way out on Main Street, but still closer to home than Mevalds or the grocer on Parsons so Mrs Buckley had stopped for a few things on their way back from Robin's band practice. 

She slides the change onto the counter and pops the tab before throwing a thumb over her shoulder, "I'll go wait by the car mum". 

Mrs.Buckley nods distractedly, waving her hand with a smile and she hunts through her purse for her checkbook.

Robin makes her way down the aisle to the entrance, the little bell above the door jingles lightly. She steps over the threshold into cool November air and shrugs her jacket collar up against the chill. 

She sighs as she looks back through the window, her mom seems to be taking her sweet time, chatting with the clerk now and going through her checkbook with a smile. 

A muffled groan catches her attention from across the lot, she tilts her head towards the sound and startles when she spots Steve Harrington, the bane of her existence, leaning against a car with a can of soda pressed to his beaten bloody face. 

He hasn't seen her, his eyes are trained at a point just ahead of him as he rolls the can over his split cheek. 

What the hell?

Robin leans away, keeping herself behind her mom's station wagon and out of his sight line. 

Who would have kicked the shit out of old King-Steve? And where were his two cronies Hagan and Perkins? She had so many questions and--

Steve sniffs once, pushing the heel of his free hand into his eye as he drops the hand holding the can.

Oh.

Robin suddenly feels as though she's intruding on something private. Watching this boy she's never talked to, who she saw last Monday walking with the rest of the basketball team into the cafeteria, Nancy Wheeler hanging off his arm with an affectionate roll of her eyes and the biggest grin plastered all over his dumb face.

But this Steve is hurt and alone and smaller than she's ever seen him before.

It's bizarre.

Suddenly he's moving, throwing the can to the gravel and stepping off the car before sliding his arm across his face in one motion, he clears his throat and throws open the driver's side door.

The engine of his beemer roars to life just as Robin's mother exits the store, she frowns as Steve peels out of the parking lot, brakes squealing.

"Honestly, why they give teenagers licenses, I'll never know," Mrs.Buckley mutters under her breath as she unlocks the car and hands Robin the paper bag, "do you know that boy?"

Robin watches as the tail lights of Steve's car disappear around the corner, the image of his hunched shoulders and black eye branded in her mind's eye. 

Robin shrugs once as she opens the passenger door, "Not really".  

***

It's not until two years later that Robin crosses paths with Steve again, slinging ice cream with the former King down at the new mall.

Her first job and it’s at some horrible sailor themed ice cream shop of all places and to top it all off, she’s stuck with Steve Harrington.

Sure, she'd seen him in passing at school, watching as he slowly fell away from the popular crowd. While it was somewhat satisfying to see Tammy pretend she had never really been interested in the former King of Hawkins High, she couldn't help but remember the way Steve looked that day, face bloody, holding a cold can of pop to the worst of the bruises.

Robin can't help but wonder just what had suddenly turned Harrington's life completely on its head that day. She'd heard it was Jonathan that had beaten him up, but given how weirdly close he, Nancy, and Steve got after that cold November day, she didn't really believe it. 

Wasn't he rich too? He drove a BMW to work for chrissakes. So why was he here?

And then there’s the kids. 

They follow him around like ducklings, begging for rides during his spare time and free samples of ice cream on the days he’s working.

It would be endearing with anyone else, but it’s Steve Harrington. 

They've been working with one another for about two weeks before it happens again.

Robin idly sprays the glass display case with the spray bottle from the back. Whatever green liquid is in the unlabeled bottle smells absolutely foul but it's the only thing in the store powerful enough to get rid of all the finger and face prints on the glass from kids standing on their tiptoes to see the flavors.

They end up having to clean the customer side of the window far more often than their employee side and normally she and Steve will flip a coin for it.

Neither of them enjoy being out from behind the counter, the shorts and the socks are reason enough for this, but it also has the negative effect of piquing enough customer interest to interrupt their down time, like the movement and streak free glass shine draws their eyes.

But, nine times out of ten Steve would ‘lose’ and pick up the spray bottle without complaint. 

Robin had started to wonder if he was doing it on purpose, but why the hell would Harrington do something like that? 

She wrinkles her freckled nose and starts wiping the glass, clearing away the smudges and dirt before spraying again to get at the more stubborn fingerprints.

Steve is late today, which is weird. 

Another surprise from Hawkins golden-boy, Robin would have expected Steve to waltz in twenty minutes late to every shift, with a scowl on his face and a refusal to pull his weight. 

But it was the opposite. 

Steve would get there early, he would review the cleaning list for the day, check the inventory to see what ice creams would need to be restocked and what the special was for the day. 

The only thing Steve had ever asked her to do, was to write out the specials on the board. 

When Robin had scoffed and asked why he couldn't do it himself, Steve had gotten very quiet, chewed his lip for a beat and said, "I don't want to mess it up, or have you have to redo it for me". 

Steve shrugged, putting his hands in his pockets, "sometimes the letters are weird when I read and then it makes it harder to write them out”.

He sighs but it comes out more like a scoff, “there’s a reason I’m still here Buckley”.

Oh…so the golden boy of Hawkins High would not be leaving for college in the fall then. 

He looked at her, his big eyes traced over her face as though he were looking for any hint of a laugh.

And what else could she do in the moment but pick up the dry erase marker and shoulder him out of the way of the board with a, ‘you owe me dingus’. 

She turned her face away at the small smile Steve gave her, ignoring the twinge in her chest at his tiny confession. 

God Dammit, he was not endearing, he wasn’t!

Robin balls up the rag she used to wipe down the glass and looks up to the wall clock on the far side of the food court. 

It’s nearly eleven in the morning and Steve is still not here, she’s tempted to use the phone in the back to call his house when she remembers she has no clue what his phone number is or if it would even be listed.

She’s sure he’s scheduled with her today; it’s Tuesday, they always work Tuesdays together. 

Robin looks around the food court, scoping out the entrances and nearby tables. There’s no sign of him, no obnoxious hair, no big goofy grin, or big hazel eyes to be found. 

She huffs and makes her way to the back room, pushing the swing door open hard enough that it makes a satisfying bang against the wall. 

She freezes at the sudden yelp from the back corner. 

Steve whirls away from her, his face tipped into his open locker, his shoulders are a tense hunched line. It's a horribly familiar pose and once again Robin can’t help but feel like she’s witnessing something she shouldn’t.

“Steve?” she says softly, taking another step into the room, “whats--”

“I know I’m late,” he mumbles, the words are tight but there’s no waiver to them, “sorry”.

Robin wishes she were better at this sort of thing --her mom always seemed to know what to do and what to say when people were upset. That skill definitely skipped a generation in her case. 

He turns to face her, slowly, one hand on his nose, the other holding his wrist against his chest.

There’s an ugly, rapidly purpling bruise running down his arm where it’s cradled. The shape is strange, almost as if someone had grabbed him - it runs around the entire circumference of his forearm and--

Oh.

Steve eyes her challengingly but there’s no real heat in it, his eyes slightly shiny in the awful humming fluorescent lights.

“Actually,” Robin swallows roughly after nearly a full minute, clearing her throat as she leans back on her heels, “Uh, Marcus said we only needed one person on today, it’s slow as shit so,” she shrugs and tilts her head to the employee entrance, “you could go home if you want”.

Steve stares at her, his eyes raking over her face the same way he did after the white board incident, before he sniffs once and shakes his head, muttering under his breath that he’d rather get hit by a bus and Robin stiffens at the implication.

“You’re a terrible liar Buckley,” he says eventually, closing his locker and running a slightly shaky hand through his hair before walking towards her and the storefront, “but thanks,” Steve says softly as he passes. 

“Does that mean I can go home?” Robin calls after him, immediately wincing but pleased at the startled laugh she hears from the counter.

She follows him out front, slowly, suddenly feeling with absolute certainty that she really doesn’t know Steve Harrington at all.

***

Robin never thought she would be here. 

Not once did she think she would have ever come out to someone while she was still in highschool, let alone the former King of Hawkins high who would in turn become her best friend, her platonic soul-mate if you would. 

After the debacle that was their official last shift with Scoops Ahoy and the Russian Spy Alternate dimension bullshit where Steve risked his damn life to save her and the kids --who all knew about this monster filled Upside Down just by the by. 

So many things suddenly made so much sense, Steve and his injuries over the years, his weird relationship with Nancy and Jonathan, even the sudden personality 180.

And through the truth serum, the torture, the fire, and running down another car driven by a maniac from California, Steve was there to hold her hand, and Robin is infinitely grateful for it.

They take a job together at Family Video, attached at the hip ever since the mall burned down in July; the video store is one of the few places still hiring that summer that pays a dollar above minimum wage. 

It’s not exactly glamorous, it’s mostly restocking the shelves and rewinding tapes but it’s easy and the hours are good. 

She and Steve are able to get their shifts together most of the time, they both know this is so Keith can avoid working with Steve directly -a bonus if there ever was one. 

Things have been quiet ever since Billy’s death and the Mind Flayer’s obliteration from their world, but it’s been especially quiet since the Byer’s packed up and moved to California. 

Most of that seems to be influenced by the cloud of sadness that has draped itself over the rest of the kids and Nancy -who has been coming by more and more lately, stopping in at Family Video and lingering in the evenings, chatting with Steve while Robin shelves the returns. 

It wouldn’t even have made a blip on Robin’s radar if not for the way Steve would shut down for the rest of their close after Nancy left. 

He refuses to speak more than one word answers, refuses to engage with Robin’s one sided bantering as she balances the till and shuts down the neon Open sign.

It’s nothing like after she saw the bruises at Scoops, nothing like the quiet acknowledgement that the Harrington house wasn’t all money and sunshine the way she thought it was. 

And Robin doesn’t know what to do about it.

It’s been going on for weeks now, and she’ll be starting school again soon. She won't be able to take the same number of shifts as she could over the summer months, and Robin has no idea what will happen when she’s not there as a buffer anymore.

It’s the last week of August when she brings it up to him.

“Steve?” she says as she hands him another copy of The Terminator tape for him to rewind; it’s nearly nine at night and Nancy hasn’t been by at all today. Robin’s stomach has been in knots watching Steve watch the windows for her all night. 

He tilts his head and quirks an eyebrow at her as Robin breathes in deeply through her nose, her heart suddenly in her throat. 

“Just,” she bites her lip, “what is going on with you and Nancy?” 

Oh, perfect, real subtle.

All at once Steve’s face shutters.  

“No, come on, don’t do that,” Robin wheedles, stepping in front of him, “Steve, just talk to me--”

“There’s nothing to talk about, just drop it Robin,” he bites out as he steps around her to grab the returns cart and wheel it over to the New Release shelf.

“No, nope,” she huffs, walking quickly to the other side of the cart and grab the handles, “this is against all the laws of best-friendom”.

“That's not a word,” he mumbles tiredly, reaching up to pinch his nose and close his eyes. 

Ah shit. 

“Dingus, Steve,” Robin says softly as she lets go of the handles and steps closer into his space, “talk to me?”

Steve hesitates, seeming to chew the words or the inside of his cheek - she can’t quite tell at this point, before he blinks once, twice, his eyes rapidly becoming shinier by the second.

Oh double shit.

He shakes his head and turns away from her sharply and Robin doesn’t know what to do with her hands as Steve takes a deep wobbly breath. 

“It’s okay you know,” she finds herself saying softly as she takes a step closer, “to cry?”

Steve barks out a wet laugh and shakes his head again, still not looking at her.

“I don’t know what to do, like literally,” Robin whispers in a panicked voice, “can I, I mean, do you want a hug?”

He nods but doesn’t move as Robin steps even closer to wrap her arms loosely around his waist, he’s stiff in her embrace but slowly begins to relax the longer they stand there - as though he’s not used to something like this.

“You don’t have to tell me anything, but I am here if you want to talk, or if you even just want to vent - man I want to vent,” Robin says, pulling back slightly to look Steve in the eyes, “don’t take this the wrong way, but what the hell is Nancy doing?”

Steve stills in her arms but she keeps going, “honestly, aren’t she and Jonathan still dating?” 

“Like I get that he’s all the way in California but why is she coming in here, and don’t tell me it's about the movies --she never asks me to help find anything, just you, and half the time she doesn't even end up renting anything?”

Robin stops as Steve’s breath hitches once, “it's not fair to you,” she finishes lamely, her voice petering out as Steve nods and sighs, finally bringing his own arms around Robin’s shoulders to draw her closer and bury his face in her hair.

“Thank you,” he whispers in her ear as he squeezes her tight enough to leave her nearly breathless.

“You’re the only person I can actually talk to that won’t think less of me about, about everything,” he whispers into her hair, Robin’s hands twitch as she fists his work vest between her fingers. 

“I think, you are the single best thing to have happened to me in the last like, two years Robs,” the words are constricted, as though he has to drag them out, “and…I need to tell you something”.

Robin nods as he pulls away this time to look at her, his red rimmed eyes trace over her face, just like they had at Scoops all those months ago.

“I,” he swallows and drops his gaze to the floor, “I don’t…feel that way about Nancy anymore,” Steve says quietly. 

“But you seem so upset whenever she leaves, you were looking for her today?” Robin says, confusion painting her words. 

Steve sighs and tips his head back this time, looking at the ceiling as though the answer is hidden among the ceiling tiles and water stains. 

“It's complicated, I…” his mouth opens and closes for a beat, “I am sad for her that Jonathan is gone - he was a better fit for Nancy, way better than me,” he mutters and looks at Robin once more. 

“And I know what she's doing, coming in here all the time, she’s lonely, but that's not why I’m upset Birdy”.

Robin frowns, “then what--”

“There’s this guy,” Steve blurts out, speaking over her in a rush.

Robin feels herself stop breathing, what?

His chest begins to rise and fall rapidly as he continues, “I-I’ve never told anyone this before”.

“Okay, okay,” Robin whispers, rubbing soothing circles into his back as he moves even closer and drops his head to her shoulder. 

“I don’t know what to do,” he murmurs into her vest and hair, his breath warm and wet as his chest stutters and heaves. 

“It’s okay,” she says again, repeating the words she’s told herself the last three years, “you’re okay”.

“Loving Nancy is easy, but I…” he sniffs and breathes out, Robin feels a gathering wetness on her shoulder but it only makes her hug him harder.

“But you don’t,” she says softly, finishing his sentence for him.

Steve nods and lets out another shaky breath, finally lifting his face from her shoulder.

He’s a mess, face red and blotchy, tear tracks and snot shine in the streetlights from outside the video store window. Steve’s eyes are red and puffy and his mouth has stretched into an uncharacteristic frown that makes Robin’s chest ache. 

Now Robin’s mother may have been an expert on making people feel better no matter the occasion, but Robin was an expert on putting her foot in her mouth and making Steve laugh.

And the latter felt much more appropriate at this moment. 

“I mean, you’ve come to the right person at any rate,” she says sagely, reaching up to wipe a loose tear from his nose, he snorts and bats her hand away.

“I’m serious, if anyone is an expert in gay pining, it’s me, I’ve seen it all, if you want pointers in watching from afar and daydreaming about your illegal wedding, I’m your lady”.

Steve laughs and steps back to wipe his face roughly with both hands, it does nothing to sooth the puffy skin beneath his eyes but at least the last trace of tears are gone. 

“I’m also an expert,” she chews her lip for a moment, considering carefully how to put it into words, “on how all of this feels, and how new and scary it can be,” she says softly, “trust me, I’ve been there”. 

Steve nods, his eyes shining all over again as he tugs Robin closer into another bone crushing hug.

Just in time for the bell above the door to chime. 

Well shit.

They step away from one another, glad for the distance from the front door to the counter, knowing exactly how that might have looked to the average customer so late into the evening.

“Hey man,” Robin calls out as Steve turns away from the door to hide his face, “just letting you know we close in five so…”

The man nods, he looks familiar, Robin’s fairly certain she’s seen him at school but she can’t remember the name. 

His wild curly hair and jean vest decked out in patches and pins scream, ‘Metal-Head’, as does the ever present cloud of tobacco and weed smell that follows him and around the shelves. He makes a beeline for the small horror section at the back and grabs a tape before making his way to the counter. 

“No worries Buckley, knew exactly what I wanted, I won’t hold you and Harrington up --hey man,” he says brightly, two dimples bloom as he smiles in Steve's direction who flinches at being addressed. 

Steve slowly turns and tries for a smile, “hey Eddie,” he mumbles.

Eddie’s smile drops as his eyes trace over Steve’s face, “woah, what happened sweet-uh,” he looks at Robin once before moving back to Steve, “dude, uh, sweet dude?”

Oh no fucking way.

Steve clears his throat, his cheeks slowly getting pinker the longer Eddie and Robin stare at him, “nothing, I promise, um are you still okay to take Dustin to Indy tomorrow to the hobby shop?”

Eddie nods and smiles, though there’s still a hint of worry in his eyes as he slides the tape over the counter, “wouldn’t miss it, gotta get that kid ready for Hellfire initiation after all,” he says with a wink.

“I figured if you didn’t have anything after we could watch this at mine,” Eddie continues nervously this time, gesturing to the tape Steve scans through. 

For the third time since she’s known Steve, Robin feels as though she’s witnessing something she shouldn’t, only this time it doesn’t fill her with anxiety or uncertainty, and she’s never felt more invisible.

“I’d like that,” Steve says softly as Eddie beams at him, wrapping his knuckles against the counter as he hands Steve three one dollar bills.

“Sounds like a plan my liege,” Eddie hums as he bows with a flourish, coaxing a laugh out of Steve who is smiling like a loon beside Robin, “you bring the popcorn, I’ll take care of everything else,” he calls over his shoulder as he walks backwards towards the entrance before tipping an imaginary hat in farewell as he disappears out the door.

“That is not pining!” Robin shrieks as she whirls around on Steve the moment they see Eddie get into his van, “that was full blown flirting, how long has this been going on??”

“I’m sorry--”

“Nuh uh, you’ve been getting kissy with him, and you didn’t tell me? You got to have your first kiss before me??”

“We haven’t kissed Robin, christ we haven’t done anything--”

“Life is so fucking unfair, you had to be a ‘ladies’ and a ‘man’s’ man, huh?” She scoffs as she walks to the front of the store and switches off the sign and bolts the door for good measure.

Robin turns around only to find Steve staring at her, a nervous expression warps his normally handsome face.

Dammit.

She rolls her eyes and sighs, “I am still so proud of you for telling me, but you have to admit this is unjust,” she mutters in what she hopes is a reassuring voice.

“You think he likes me then?” Steve wonders aloud as he looks from Robin to the door that Eddie left through with a small smile.

Robin drops her face into her hands, this is the man she’s chosen for her platonic soul-mate?

“You are literally going on a date tomorrow,” she grumbles irritatedly, “I watched him ask you out, not even ten seconds ago Steve”.

The smile he sends her way is blinding, and once again Robin is reminded just how much she loves this doofus, how she never would have imagined herself here as a freshman with a trumpet.

“You are calling me after,” she demands as Steve pops the till to begin cashing out while Robin hops up to sit on the counter and fill out the paperwork, “if I can’t teach you about pining then you damn well owe me a class about dating”.

Steve laughs brightly as he lays down the bills and change, giving Robin a soft grin which she returns, finally feeling as though she knows Steve Harrington much better than most.

[blushweddinggowns]

"Hey there. I'm Eddie."

If Chrissy had known back then that those four words would change her life forever, she probably would have taken the coward’s route out like her friends did. She would have turned up her nose, ignored him, and would have stayed in the safe lane of her normal life. And that would have been the end of it. 

But no, instead she had to smile at him, her eyes finally leaving the adorable girl screaming over her boyfriend losing at the claw game so she could introduce herself, "Chrissy."

It’s not like it was shocking to see him, not with Steve Harrington in the building. It was a little weirder to see him crashing a date with his obvious new girlfriend, but then again it was Eddie Munson. Weirdness kind of just came with the territory. 

Eddie grinned back at her, firmly shaking her hand before jerking his head in the direction of the claw machine, "Let's walk and talk."

Chrissy could feel her friend's eyes boring into her back. This was the moment where she was supposed to politely rebuff, maybe make it clear that she had a boyfriend. A boyfriend who was off at some summer basketball camp, but a boyfriend nonetheless. But for some reason, she didn't. 

She didn’t even look back at them, she was just too damn curious to see what he wanted. Because people like Eddie Munson didn’t talk to people like Chrissy Cunningham. Even if she always wished they would. There was just something about the guy that she always liked, a thought that she never dared to say out loud. Not unless she wanted to piss Jason, her mom, and all of her friends off in one fell swoop. 

But she couldn’t help but find him kind of charming, with his lunch table rants and no craps-given attitude. Not to mention how high school labels obviously meant nothing to him, not when he had Steve Harrington for a best friend. She admired it. Probably admired it too much. Maybe even a creepy amount, considering how often she would sneak glances at the two of them during shared classes and lunch. It was just… nice. To see two people having fun together without a care in the world. 

So she followed him, heart beating a little faster when she realized they were walking towards the silly pretty girl. 

"So, I couldn't help but notice you were looking at my friend over there," Eddie said as they went, jerking his head in their direction, “And I just figured I could help you out with that.”

"You mean Steve?" Chrissy asked, brow furrowed. It made sense that's who Eddie thought she was looking at. Everyone looked at Steve, despite the fact that he had already graduated, he was still pretty high on the list of cute guys that her friends never stopped talking about. 

But Chrissy went with it anyway, happy to take the convenient route that had been set up for her, "Um yeah. He's pretty good at the game isn't he?"

She had absolutely no idea if he was good or not. She had been too busy watching his girlfriend being adorable to really notice. 

But Eddie shook his head at her answer, frowning like she had said something disappointing, "I was actually talking about Robin."

Robin. 

So that's what her name was. Chrissy couldn’t help but think it suited her, especially when she was happy. She had seen her around school before, but never like this. All loud and smiley. She was used to seeing her with her eyes down and lips pursed in the school hallways. Always looking like she’d rather be anywhere but here.

Chrissy had always wanted to introduce herself, maybe become the reason that she smiled for once. But she never had the courage to actually go through with it. Besides, it wasn’t… smart for her to get close to girls like that anyway. 

Her thoughts must have shown on her face because the next thing she knew Eddie was softening. He was looking at her in a weird way, one that made her feel a little too exposed before kindly asking, "Want me to introduce you two?"

That was a bad idea. A very bad idea if the way her heart was racing was anything to go by.  

Chrissy could tell just from looking at her that this was not the kind of girl she could be friends with. Not with the way her treacherous mind worked. She only hung around girls that she didn’t particularly like for a reason. It made things simpler and made the fantasies a lot easier to swallow without the emotional connection. 

A polite No, thank you, was just on the edge of escaping when it happened. Steve had finally, actually managed to win something. And it had Robin cheering like a little kid, jumping up and down like getting a cheap stuffed elephant was the highlight of her year. 

And she looked so freaking happy and pretty and Chrissy was betraying herself before she could think better of it, "Sure."

It had been a mistake on her part. A huge freaking mistake that she was partially blaming Eddie for, but a mistake nonetheless. Because meeting Robin Buckely became an immediate problem. A massive issue that took up most of her headspace in an embarrassing amount of time.

Chrissy had basically been obsessed with her since the first, shy little Hi, she let out when Eddie introduced the two of them. And it just kept getting worse. 

Because Robin was… wonderful. Completely unlike anyone she’d ever met, girls and guys alike. She was smart, like spoke four freaking languages smart, but not intimidatingly so. No, she was too busy being sweet and funny to make Chrissy feel bad for her own lack of brains. And Robin was criminally funny. She was at her best when she was with Steve, the two of them bouncing hilarious jabs back and forth, almost always in complete sync.

It had been the shock of her life when Eddie told her they had only met that same summer. Which meant they had probably been dating for even less time. But the two of them clicked in a way that she couldn’t help but envy. And that envy was turning into some pretty venomous jealousy intensely fast. Because Steve was around all the time. It turned out that getting to know Robin didn't just mean getting to know Robin. It meant getting to know Steve. And by extension, Eddie. And oddly enough, Nancy Wheeler. Plus a strange array of nerdy soon-to-be freshmen. 

And she liked that, how close they all were. She did, despite how sick seeing Robin and Steve together made her. Because all of her friends were just as equally amazing as she was. Especially Eddie, who was a close second in terms of her favorites from the insanely welcoming group. 

Eddie, who for some crazy reason thought that Chrissy was good enough to be their friend. She wasn’t. She figured that out quick enough after realizing that she was suddenly surrounded by insanely talented people. Robin was basically perfection in a human being. Eddie had his music, Nancy had her insane brain, one that seemed to have been passed off to her brother and all of his little friends. Even Steve was unique enough in his own right, with his crazy charm and magnetic personality. But Chrissy was just… Chrissy. She was boring and she knew it. All she was good for were her looks, and even those were fading fast according to her mom. 

But the thing was, they never made her feel like she was boring. No, Robin was always interested in hearing her talk about her lame interests. Like her gardening and flower-arranging hobbies were so interesting. And Eddie actually liked the annoying way she would talk over movies. Liked it enough for them to end up having full-blown conversations that would get popcorn thrown at them, but still.

They were all so… kind. Not nice, no. Steve was way too much of a bitch for that group to ever be considered nice, but… they were loving. And they cared about each other in a real way. A real way that Chrissy wasn’t used to, but she knew she didn’t belong in it. No matter how much she loved it. 

This whole soiree of spending time with people she actually liked had a time limit. She would have to get back to her old life eventually, probably with some groveling added to make up for completely ignoring her friend group to hang around the resident freaks. Jason would be back for the first day of school soon enough, and she knew without a doubt that he would be pissed if he ever heard about what she had been up to during the month he was gone. 

And she couldn’t even blame him. Who wouldn’t? No boy would like having some other dude all over their girlfriend, even if it wasn’t like that. And Eddie had undoubtedly been the sole reason she ever even had access to these people. Just because she had been blessed with catching his eye. She had thought that something would have happened with him by now, whether that be flirting or a failed kiss attempt. Because why else would Eddie hang around someone like her if not to try and get into her pants? 

But it wasn’t like that. It just… wasn’t it? He never made a move on her. He never even did anything that was close to trying, and neither did the spoken for Steve. They just treated her like… her. Not something to be won, just their friend. If anything, Eddie was like a brother to her, in a startlingly small amount of time. 

And she was really, really going to miss that. But she couldn’t keep this up forever. She was already struggling to keep her mom from knowing about them, with varying levels of success. The one time she had actually met Eddie was enough to make Chrissy want to die of mortification. She had treated him so… terribly. It made her feel ill remembering it. And that was with her mom being disinterested in her life. Summer had always been a welcome break from her mom’s iron thumb. She just had a harder time caring about Chrissy when there were no events for her to be at, no titles to be won, and no outside people to impress.

But now with school going back into session, she was going to be extra vigilant to be sure that her daughter was at her best and prettiest. And that included monitoring who she was friends with. Her mom was back on the ball, spending the last few days before the start of the school year constantly reminding Chrissy of the rules:

Never weigh more than 110 pounds. Weigh yourself daily to keep up with body changes.

Write down everything you eat. No expectations. Calories should stay within 1200, no ifs, ands, or buts.

Never leave the house without make-up, or better yet, never leave without your make-up being checked. 

If you end up overeating, fix it quietly. No one wants to hear the head cheerleader making unseemingly noises. 

Chrissy had spent the last two years following them to a T. She really didn’t need the reminders. But she got them nonetheless. And at least there was one positive of her new friendships effectively ending, she wouldn’t have to deal with the foodstuff anymore. Because as much as she loved Eddie she couldn’t get past the fact that he liked to cook. And then share what he made with all of his friends. All the time. And he was good at it, too good, and Chrissy didn’t need a scale to know she gained weight since the short time of meeting him. 

And she couldn’t do what she needed to do with them all around. She didn’t want them to know. She couldn’t let them know. Especially not Robin. She didn’t… she didn’t want her to know how gross she really was. How she didn’t even have the self-control needed to keep her figure, she had to cheat instead. Especially since Robin was so stupidly attractive. All without even trying. She was… naturally beautiful. In some dumb fae-creature kind of way that Chrissy couldn’t stop thinking about. 

Maybe that would be another benefit of not talking to them anymore. Maybe then Chrissy could go a night without thinking about her. Without thinking… bad things about her. Shameful things that she didn’t have the self-control to not think about it, or worse, actually act on. But there she was, being dirty and thinking of her new friend while she had a hand between her legs, thoughts full of Robin’s long fingers and the pretty shape of her lips.

Yeah. Some distance would probably be a good thing. But that didn’t stop Chrissy from wanting to cry when the first day of school came. An urge that just got worse and worse as the day went on.

But she held it together. She did everything she was supposed to. Her mom checked her face and outfit before she left, with a passing grade. Though not without comment that her foundation shade was the slightest bit off. Then Jason picked her up, they kissed, she acted excited that he was back, then felt immediately guilty that she wasn’t. But she didn’t let any of it show on her face, she was better at that by now.

And part of her did miss him. Jason was a sweet guy. The sweetest of the ones her mom approved of. And he was cute and respectful, never trying to push Chrissy past her limits. And making out with him wasn’t… terrible. It was better than her last boyfriend at least. She didn’t hate it, so that was a plus. And yeah, maybe he was a little bland but so was Chrissy. 

She didn’t exactly have room to talk. Plus, he loved her, for some reason. And she really wanted to love him back. And if she just kept working on it, she knew that one day she would. Right?

She really hoped so.

from the newest chapter of this fic

[estrellami-1]

Breathe

Also I’m trying my hand at a permanent taglist… let me know if y’all want to be added!

Inhale.

Exhale.

Inhale.

Eddie had gone on before him. It wasn’t fair to keep him waiting, but, well… Steve had tried to warn him about smoking.

Exhale.

Inhale.

Steve’s eyes drop closed as he thinks over his life. It was good. Once Vecna was gone, once the hospital scare was over and done with, it was good.

Exhale.

Inhale.

They’d all grown up, separately but together. Robin and Nancy, surprisingly enough, had been the first to leave. Then one by one, the rest of the Part followed in different directions.

Exhale.

Inhale.

Robin and Nancy had moved to San Diego. Dustin and Suzie settled in Maine, of all places. Lucas and Max picked Florida. Will and Mike were closest in Indy. El and Erica—with whatever they had going on—were in Oklahoma, trying to find normalcy.

Exhale.

Inhale.

Steve and Eddie had bought an RV and traveled the country. Visited the kids. They were there for Dustin and Susie’s first kid (and second, and third). They were there when Nancy got her first journalist award. When Mike and Will tied the knot, even if it wasn’t exactly legal yet. When El and Erica needed some familiar faces. When Lucas and Max had gotten hitched. They’d even driven them to the airport, seen them off for their Colorado honeymoon.

Exhale.

Inhale.

Never any kids of their own, Steve reflects. Except in all the ways they did. Everyone had been there for Eddie. Crowded into the hospital room, annoying the fuck out of the hospital staff and uncaring, because that was their Eddie, their brother, their uncle, their grandpop.

Exhale.

Inhale.

Steve had seen memories flash through Eddie’s eyes, like they’re doing in Steve’s mind right now. Their first kiss, sun-drenched and summer-sweet, tentative and so, so hopeful.

Exhale.

Inhale.

When they bought the RV and visited everyone for the first time, rolled up in front of their houses and laid on the horn until someone had gotten annoyed enough to peep out the windows, only to run outside when they realized who it was.

Exhale.

Inhale.

Will and Mike first, since they were closest. Eddie and Steve had taken them out to a gay bar—a nicer one than they’d ever been to at the boys’ age—and had fun for a night. They’d stayed for a few days before making the trek up to Maine to see Dustin and Suzie. Skiing and dinner and loud laughs long into the night.

Exhale.

Inhale.

Then they’d gone to see Max and Lucas in Florida, getting horribly burned the first day and regretting it for the next few days. Max and Lucas had both made fun of them. Then a rather uncomfortable drive to Oklahoma to see the girls. El, who had been learning to cook, made them all dinner. They were introduced to May and Alex, two kids who had needed help. Eddie had put his arm around Steve’s shoulders like he knew Steve had been holding back tears.

Exhale.

Inhale.

Then off to San Diego to see Robin and Nancy. Robin had yelled and barreled out the door. Steve had done much the same thing after parking the RV, and the hug lasted long enough that Nancy had helped Eddie bring their things inside and were well on their way through the first of many iced teas. They’d stayed there the longest, even toyed with the idea of making home base somewhere near.

Exhale.

Inhale.

But Steve knew Eddie, knew he’d want to be near Wayne, at least while he could be. So they returned, set up camp in a town about the same size as Hawkins, about an hour away. Settled in. Hired someone to cut the grass. Bought groceries. On their third day there, kids had come around, intrigued by the new RV, drawn close by the sound of Eddie’s guitar. Kept close by Steve’s snacks.

Exhale.

Inhale.

They’d pseudo-adopted a few kids from that town. The kids had decent parents, who would come over from time to time and joke about Steve and Eddie stealing their kids. The nights would end in beer and laughter and more guitar, softer than the metal Steve had fallen in love with, but no less beautiful.

Exhale.

Inhale.

They grew up together. They grew old together. What goes around comes around, because a few short years ago Eddie had been in this very same hospital, right back in Hawkins. The familiarity of it all had given Steve double vision at times. He’d been there when Eddie passed. Felt him squeeze Steve’s hand for the last time.

Exhale.

Inhale.

Steve hadn’t cried until he’d gotten back to the RV. After all the condolences, the paperwork, the well-meaning bouquets and cards. The family they’d made, who were just as heartbroken as he was.

Exhale.

Inhale.

Steve had driven off, secluded himself for a few months, as he learned how to breathe without Eddie around. He didn’t make any more trips, but he did return to the town they’d made their own. He saw their youngest kids, their parents. More condolences. More faked smiles.

Exhale.

Inhale.

Now, he gives the ceiling a genuine smile. He’d kept Eddie waiting for too long. He takes his last breath and steps into the rest of forever, Eddie by his side.

Permanent Taglist:

@justforthedead89 @ilovecupcakesandtea @madigoround (you didn’t ask but I figured you’d be ok w it… but if not lmk, no hard feelings!)

[findafight]

Thinking about gay Jonathan Byers. Gay Jonathan who sees what his baby bro goes through and thinks well, people might whisper about them but he doesn't get nearly as much flack as Will. Who convinces himself he's never really looked at anyone so he's not gay. Probably.

Gay Jonathan who sees Nancy as an unattainable girl so perfect that it's easy to have a "crush" on her, especially when she's dating Steve (who came back, rushed in, grabbed a bat and swung when he didn't have to. Could have run away. Who was only there to apologize for being an asshole and wouldn't leave without at least yelling through the door. Who sometimes elbows Jon gently and smiles like they have a secret together.)

Jonathan who likes being Nancy's friend and confidante, who loves feeling close to another person without the pressure of sex or romance, who thinks his life would be so much easier if it was actually Nancy he had a crush on since they fought a monster in November of '83. Who sees Steve rush out of the bathroom at Tina's Halloween party with tears in his eyes and gets asked to make sure Nancy gets home okay and does so. Of course he does.

Jonathan who thinks that he must be in love with Nancy because what else could it be? Who thinks this is what he's supposed to feel so it's what he feels. Who follows her to a man who reads their relationship as something Jon wishes it could be but inst sure it's what it is, who thinks if some random guy sees it then it must be true. It must be.

Gay Jonathan who sleeps with Nancy Wheeler because he wants to be the kind of person who sleeps with girls, dates girls, loves girls, even if he isn't quite sure he likes it. Jon who goes back home to his brother possessed and Steve leading the pack of middleschoolers through the woods with a jacket and sunglasses and a nail-studded bat and doesn't have time to process anything because his baby brother needs him to be strong, to protect.

Who doesn't think about it after everything is done.

Jonathan who dates Nancy and thinks that he could be okay like this for the rest of his life. Who thinks that there are far worse ways to live than beside Nancy Wheeler.

Who becomes friends with Steve again in spring of '85 after the sting of his girlfriend dumping him then immediately hooking up with Jon has faded enough. Jonathan who has a fight with Nancy in May and gets drunk at Steve's, just them two, and kisses him hard. Who wants Steve to be the one he sleeps beside and touches and loves. Who gets kissed back, head cradled gently. Who isn't the first to pull away.

Jonathan who gets told by Steve that it isn't fair to Nancy. That Steve can't do it. Who thinks for a second he's going to get punched, called slurs, kicked out. Who's told that if he and Nancy really are broken up, come back in a week and they'll talk. Who thinks he could have done it, broken up with Nancy and wrapped his arms around Steve a week later and held on, and kissed, and wanted.

Jonathan who accepts Nancy's apology and apologizes himself the next day.

Jonathan who has a fight with her in July, worse than in May, because they don't understand the way the other struggles with prejudice and hardship. Who feels like he might be able to breathe because maybe they'll break up over it. Maybe they'll be hurt for a while but still be friends. Maybe he could go to Steve and ask for another shot, ask for a chance.

Jonathan who gets pulled into supernatural bullshitery again and can't find the emotional strength to sort through everything again between worrying about his job and brother and whatever the fuck is happening with the town.

Jon who moves to California with a little brother and a little sister, thinking maybe the distance will make it easier to break up with Nancy and not ruin any friendship they might have. Who meets Argyle his first day in school and thinks he can do it. Who talks to Steve on the phone after will and El have both filled in their babysitter on all the happenings he's missing from Hawkins.

Who hears Steve gush about Robin, his best friend, his soulmate, his other half. Who listens as Steve says, earnest and soft, that he's so glad he and Jon are friends. That he hopes California treats him well, that he loves him.

Jon who knows it's not in the way he wanted back in July. Who's pretty sure he's okay with that now.

Gay Jonathan who smokes with Argyle because there's nothing better to do and he's still doing long distance with Nancy because he doesn't know how to make the words I think we should break up come out of his mouth. Who watches Argyle smile at Will and El on the way to school and wants it to last forever. Who wants to hold his hand over the console and kiss his knuckles and thread his fingers through his long hair. Who loves so much he thinks he might cry with it, might blurt it out at any moment, might tell Nancy over the phone before he tells her they should end things.

Jonathan whose little sister has been arrested and whose mom isn't answering and who has to deal with Mike wheeler breaking both his siblings' hearts in one goddamn trip and can only think to call Argyle for help. Who drags his best friend into the insanity Hawkins has been going through for years because he can't think of anyone else he wants by his side. Who saves his sister and nearly punches Mike and doesn't hold Argyle's hand.

Jonathan Byers who rolls into his hometown to gate to hell opening up.

Idk I'm just thinking about gay Jonathan angst I guess...

[resident-gay-bitch]

robin went from having less action than dustin henderson and his imaginary girlfriend, to having more relationship problems than steve can help her sort through in a matter of weeks.

vickie.

lovey lovely, sweet vickie.

it all started with vickie.

steve was right, robin did have a chance. she realised it herself during the prom after party.

robin never thought she’d attend such a thing, but she’d never been to a highschool party before and steve thought she should give it a chance, and vickie had asked her to come.

so she went, and her and vickie had more alcohol than they thought they could tolerate and got a little lose lipped whilst locked in the upstairs master ensuite of jason carvers house. they were sitting in the tub with a bottle of vodka, talking and talking and talking.

vickie started complaining about her stupid ex boyfriend who keeps dumping her and taking her back. and robin started complaining how she’s never even had her first kiss. and then vickie said something about wondering what girls taste like. and robin had said she wonders what vickie tastes like.

and then they kissed.

robin had her first kiss in the tub of jason carvers parents ensuite, with a girl she thought she could fall in love with, and too much alcohol in their systems.

vickie quickly clambered out of the tub and made it to the toilet before she hurled her guts out. robin spent the next hour feeding her water and soothing her back and talking her through it. she called steve to come pick them both up and drop vickie home.

three days later vickie came into family video with her no-longer-ex boyfriend and crushed robins heart.

a week after that, robin started tutoring nancy wheeler in french. nancy had been taking latin all through high school, but she’d get extra credits if she passed with a second language under her wing, and robin was fluent.

and nancy was everything. she was so bright and kind and funny, and she loved to bicker, robin noticed. she always had something to argue with robin about, all in good fun. she had bite, and robin loved it.

she was a little conflicted about forming this little crush on steve’s ex, but she couldn’t keep it to herself like she said she would. the minuet he walked through the doors for his shift she blurt it all out.

he was mostly just weirded out about why robin liked her, because he distinctly rememberd her calling nancy a priss back at scoops. but he actually told robin to go for it, if it seemed like nance was into it.

he just wants her to be happy. and robin really fucking loves him.

also… it’s not like he’d have any unresolved feelings about her still, he was becoming utterly obsessed with eddie “the freak” munson, who was a new regular at family video, who just so happened to only come inside when steve was on shift.

robin started to attempt at flirting with nancy, though, she wasn’t very good at it. she was probably too subtle.

steve gave her some pointers, and then a week later she was like a whole new person. she made nancy visibly flustered three whole times!

score robin.

robin was walking home one night, after a session with nancy, a sappy grin plastered on her face when she found vickie on her doorstep.

once safe inside robins room, vickie broke down and confessed she actually really liked robin and just freaked out after the party. she was so embarrassed and feels terrible about getting back with her now-ex-again boyfriend.

robin likes nancy though.

she likes nancy so much, and tonight when robin called her sweetheart in french (without even thinking, she was just channeling steve’s suave these days), nancy looked at her… and then at her lips.

nancy looked at her lips for a really long time.

she only looked away when someone slammed the library door shut behind them. and then they packed up their stuff and left.

and it really felt like something could happen.

robin was going to call steve and talk his ear off about it tonight, get some advice, and try her luck next week with nancy.

but now vickie is here, telling robin how much she likes her. how sorry she is she messed up. and robin knows how it feels to be queer in hawkins. you don’t get many chances out here.

nancys just a possibility, even though she really likes nancy.

vickie is an absolute, by the sounds, even though she really hurt robin.

but robin doesn’t want to hurt vickie either. she’s a people pleaser.

“i can’t stop thinking about that kiss.” vickie had said, looking deep into robins eyes, “i want you so bad, robin… please?”

it didn’t give her butterflies in the way it did that night when it happened.

it didn’t give her butterflies the way nancy does with the thought of a maybe.

but maybe that will change.

she let vickie kiss her. the kiss was much better than when they were drunk. it was more articulate like this, she supposed.

vickie layed her down in bed and kissed her all over, up and under robins shirt. she stopped vickie before she removed any more clothing, she wasn’t ready for that yet.

they laid in bed and cuddled, and vickie kissed her neck, and asked not to put a label on it yet. she’s still figuring it out, she just knows she wants to be like this with robin. she’s not sure she could handle a girlfriend yet.

robin agreed.

so her and vickie were… something?

something very casual, apparently.

she feels like one of steve’s girls, before he figured out what he wanted. something, but not quite anything.

vickie layed on her chest, and robin stroked her back whilst thinking about the sparkle nancy gets in her eye when she answers a question correctly. about the soft echo of her laugh and how it makes robins heart race.

steve’s going to have a feild day with this. robin was always on his case about how many girls he went through and now… jesus.

so she’s not quite something with vickie, and obsessed with nancy, and torn between the two.

she goes to nancys house on wednesday night for a double study session, they have a test on in the morning.

“you don’t have to go.” nancy said, when robin started packing up her things and pulling her shoes back on, “you can stay for a while, if you like.”

robin felt so nervous she couldn’t even give nancy a verbal answer. she took her shoes back off and settled down on the end of nancys bed as they started to chat.

“have you ever kissed a girl?” nancy asked after a while, and robin was sure her heart stopped.

“uhm… yeah.” she muttered, her hairs standing on end.

“what was it like?” nancy asked, her eyes darker than usual. it made robin nervous.

“i don’t know… i don’t have anything to compare it too.”

“oh.” nancy nodded, “would you kiss a girl again?”

“i… uh, i guess.” she swallowed.

“…would you kiss me?”

robin didn’t answer, and nancy took that as a yes. thank god she took that as a yes, because nancy kissed her.

nancy kissed her and it was the best feeling in the world. better than her first kiss with vickie.

they kissed and kissed and kissed, and robin laid her down and kissed nancy everywhere that vickie had kissed robin the other night.

nancy pushed robin back out of the way and sat up on her bed, and unclamped her bra and slid off her pants, and laid back down. and now robin was kissing an almost naked nancy, letting her hands slide over the soft curves of her body.

nancy sounded so pretty under her like this, she wanted to keep her there forever.

robin let nancy help take off her clothes, and soon enough they were both almost naked and grabbing at eachother as they kissed.

“have you ever done this before?” nancy whispered.

“no.” robin swallowed, “have you?”

“not with a girl.” she said, and kept kissing robin.

nancy took her hand and pulled it down over her body, guiding robins fingers to slip under the waistband of her underwear.

robins brain short circuited for a moment. she had no idea what she was doing, she didn’t even really do this herself. steve had talked about doing this a fair bit, he’d explained to her why he likes it so much and what tricks he used to gain his reputation for it. so she had some understanding, but no idea how to put that into practice.

never mind that though, she was here now, and she was going to figure it out. she kept kissing nancy, trailing her lips down along her jaw as her fingers wandered over the brush of hair on nancys pelvis and down to where she was wet.

she wasn’t very responsive, which wasn’t helpful, but she did moan a few little “yeah”s when robin was pretty sure she found her clit.

okay, robin was being bold.

she pulled her hand away and crawled between nancys legs, carefully peeling her purple underwear away before laying down and coming face first with her heat.

steve talked a lot more about eating a girl out than he did about fingering her. robin gave it her best shot, and that seemed to get a bit better of a reaction.

the taste was strange, kind of like what steve described but also different. it wasn’t unpleasant though.

nancy came on her tongue and robin relished in it, feeling giddy with how well she’d done. after that, nancy put her clothes back on and said it was late, robin had curfew in a bit.

she wasn’t wrong. robin hurriedly put her clothes back on and ran out the front door, and her lips still tasted like nancy.

she got home and called steve to tell him everything.

the next day at school, the girls sat their test and didn’t talk much. robin was so nervous and easily flustered, she she doesn’t know what to say to a girl after she takes your virginity… well, kinda? steve said it counted enough.

they didn’t really speak much at school those two days, they didn’t have any classes together and they didn’t have another tutoring session scheduled in until next week.

on friday night, vickie called and asked robin to come over.

right. robin kinda forgot about her.

she went over to vickie’s with full intention on ending whatever they had started. she was going to tell her about nancy, and ask nancy to be her girlfriend the next time their paths crossed.

she did say all of that.

but vickie convinced her to stay.

“just one night with you? please? i like you so much, robin.”

robin didn’t know how to say no again.

they kissed, and vickie got between robins legs and made her tremble and moan. she hated that she was thinking about nancy the whole time.

robin stayed the night and steve picked her up in the morning.

“damn, bobbie… you’re a right little slut now.” steve had laughed, “i think you have spent too much time around me.”

on monday, robin caught nancy after school. nancy offered to give her a lift home after robin had asked to chat.

in nancys car, is where robin used every bit of confidence she had to ask nancy to be her girlfriend.

“girlfriend?” nancy put her foot on the break and looked at robin strangely, “i’m not… i have a boyfriend, robin.”

robins face paled, “what?”

“i’m with jonothan… he’s just in california.”

“but i- we slept together… we had sex, nancy.”

“it’s not like that.” nancy pressed, “i’m- im not queer so it doesn’t count as cheating, okay? it doesn’t count with girls.”

robin jumped out of her car and ran the rest of the way home. she called steve over to console her, and he bought a tub of her favourite icecream and chocolate topping, and they are the entire thing.

robin felt horrible. she thought her and jonothan had broken up. she only knew they maybe got together because of steve.

“i should have warned you.” steve sighed, wiping robins tears with his thumbs, “she cheated on me, you know? i should have told you. i just wanted you to have something.”

it wasn’t until a week later, when robin was taking her puppy out for a walk, that she bumped into vickie. she asked how it went with nancy, if they were together now. robin had told her no, nancy doesn’t like her like that.

vickie joined robin and harry (after debbie harry of course) on their walk. vickie kissed robin again, and this time it felt okay.

it felt nice to be kissed, after getting heartbroken like that.

she invited vickie inside, and she stayed the night.

robin saw vickie most days for the next two weeks, and they’d hold hands and cuddle and kiss and more. it felt awfully close to a relationship, and steve was telling her she should just bite the bullet and initiate a relationship. get herself a girlfriend.

it’s clear vickie likes her a lot.

and it’s going to help her get over nancy even faster hopefully.

it will also be a big fuck you to nancy.

robin is sure steve’s only on this high horse of love today because eddie just asked him on a date. apparently it was the most perfect date steve had ever been on. they got take out at sat on top of eddie’s van and smoked a cigarette together, talked for hours, and made out for more.

they’re going out again tonight. steve thinks they’re going to have sex.

robin is very happy for her best friend but she also wants to punch him.

why can’t her relationships be that easy? girls are so hard.

she’s gonna do it, she thinks. she’s gonna ask vickie tonight.

she didn’t ask vickie.

they just had sex like they usually do, and then vickie got a call from her ex boyfriend.

robin was scheduled to stay the night, but when the pair started arguing over the phone, robin crept out the window and walked to steve’s.

next time, she said to herself.

next time, she said again the next day.

next time, she said for the millionth time it felt like, three weeks later.

steve dropped her off at vickie’s again, on the way to pick eddie - his now boyfriend - up to go to the movies. robin had been invited, all of eddie’s friends were going too, he was introducing steve to them.

robin wanted to be there for that, to hold his hand and talk him up to all of eddie’s friends. but steve insisted she go to vickie’s and ask her.

no more next time.

robin and steve sat in his car, out the front of vickie’s house for five minuets, hyping her up.

she walked up to the door, giving steve the thumbs up when she knocked, and bounced on her heels. she was going to ask before they have sex. that’s the plan.

vickie kissed her and pulled her inside the second she opened the door. robin was pressed back up against the wall, moaning with her touch.

“my parents will be home in half an hour, we’ve gotta be quick.”

okay, so it’s happening after sex. that’s cool.

they fucked, cleaned up, got changed and blasted some pop just in time for her parents arrival home.

“hey, so… about us?” robin said, sitting up on vickie’s bed and watching her as she added to a painting on her desk.

“oh, i wanted to talk to you about that.” vickie smiled.

this was very good. robin felt those wonderful butterflies stir up her stomach again. over these past weeks she’d been falling back into her tragic feelings for vickie, only, they weren’t so tragic now.

she still thought about nancy from time to time, but vickie was at the forefront of her mind these days.

“go on.” robin offered with a smile, because she’d rather vickie be the one to ask than her. it’s too nerve wracking.

“well…” vickie shrugged, “i know you’re so into nancy, and don’t get me wrong, this is great. but shane wants me back… he proposed.”

oh.

that’s not what robin was expecting at all.

“i like you, but shane is normal, you know? i think i’ll take him back.”

normal.

that word. robin hates it. it’s haunted her though out her whole life.

everyone told her she was a far cry from normal. she’d look at her own reflection and point out everything unnormal about herself. she knew she wasn’t normal, growing up, liking girls isn’t normal.

steve had promised her it was. he promised her she was normal.

but here vickie is, saying she’s not.

and it hurts.

“what we’re you going to say?” vickie asked.

robin felt very sick.

she told vickie it was nothing. she was happy for her. congratulations.

she walked herself home. steve would be in the movie by now. he promised he’d call her after the movie, from a pay phone, to see how it went.

she sat by the phone, waiting waiting waiting.

eventually, he called.

“bobbie…” he sounded so sad, “why’d you go home?”

she tried her best not to cry, “she’s getting engaged to shane…”

“oh-“

“because he’s normal.”

“fucking- god.” steve mumbled, and he sounded angry, “make sure you’re dressed, im coming to pick you up.”

“no.” she sobbed, “you need to be with eddie’s friends-“

“they’re not you, bobbie.”

“please, steve…”

she heard steve sigh, and then there was a clatter on the other line. it sounded like he’d dropped the phone and steve shouted “hey?!” and then more mumbled conversation before a clean voice came back through, but it wasn’t steve’s.

“hey, it’s eddie- i know, stevie. shh!” he mumbled into the line, “it’s eddie. look, steve wants to leave and get you, but apparently him being here means a lot to you for some reason, so steve and i are going to come pick you up and bring you back to gareth’s house, we’re all about to head there anyway.”

robin agreed to that, because a distraction sounded good. some good people around her sounded lovely. she doesn’t know much about eddie’s friends, but some are in band and some are in drama, and they’re nice enough.

she likes eddie a lot. she thinks he’s wonderful for steve.

robin made sure she looked okay before sitting on the front porch with harry. he was a golden retriever, only two months old. such a tiny thing. she loved him with her whole heart. steve is jealous that harry’s taken his place as number one best friend, but robin knows harry’s taken her place on steve’s list too.

when steve pulled up, it was eddie who jumped out and ran full pelt for her.

“you have a puppy!”

robin laughed and watched eddie kneeslide halfway across her lawn and over to harry, who was very excited to meet him. steve came following behind, giving harry a good scratch behind his ears before sitting next to robin.

“you are normal, bobbie.” he said, bumping their shoulders together, “more normal than ed at least.”

“hey!” eddie snapped with a grin, learning down to conspire with harry, “you think i’m normal, don’t you, pup?”

once in the car, eddie had given robin front seat with the proviso he gets to bring harry and cuddle with him in the back. robin agreed, it would be nice to have her little companion at her side all night.

she told the pair everything. filled eddie in on it all; her first kiss with vickie, what happened with nancy, the past month with vickie too.

“i know how you feel.” eddie said, moving his hands up and down in the air as harry tried to catch them, “you’d think small town queers wouldn’t get this drama, but i think we get more. i had this whole thing with jonothan byers back in the day.”

robin felt a little more at ease knowing she wasn’t alone in all this. there are other other out there like her. other people who’ve grown up being told they’re not normal, fucking up like this time and time again, and they eventually get a happy ending.

hopefully robin will find hers soon enough.

or at least a girlfriend that she really likes, who really likes her back and is okay with the concept of labels and being a little left of normal.

is that so much to ask for?

once they got to gareth’s place and made their way out to his pool house, robin got easily acquainted with all of eddie’s friends. they were nice guys, and they all loved harry.

they’re also all queer, robin learned, which was extra comforting. jeff and grant we’re together, and gareth’s bisexual, but he has a casual girlfriend at the moment.

about an hour later, two drinks and a quarter box of pizza later, robin was in deep argument with jeff in weather back to the future or the goonies was the movie of the year. robin thinks back to the future, jeff thinks goonies.

“hey, robin…” eddie said, tapping on her shoulder with a mischievous grin, “come with me?”

“ah… okay.” she chuckled nervously, putting her drink down and following eddie towards the door.

“i want you to meet somebody.” he smiled, “she’s my best friend- like, you and steve level best friends. she wasn’t going to come out tonight originally because she already met steve and had heaps of homework. but i thought you’d get along.”

“oh…” robin nodded, looking down at her feet as harry ran up and nuzzled against her ankles.

eddie nodded his head towards the door and lead her out. she saw steve standing by the pool, his arms folded and his hip popped to the side like he always does, and he was talking to a girl she didn’t recognise.

the girl looked like a metalhead, so it made sense her and eddie were friends. dressed in a plaid skirt and ripped stockings, big chunky boots and a leather jacket.

eddie grabbed robin by the bicep and dragged her over to the girl and steve. steve had that same cheeky grin as eddie, and robin was immediately filled with nerves. the closer she got, the prettier the girl looked.

and the more familiar.

“hey, rob.” eddie smiled, sitting his hands on the girls shoulders as he stood behind her, “i want you to meet chrissy cunningham- without the fake smiles and pom poms.”

chrissy elbowed eddie in the gut with a grin.

oh my god, it was chrissy cunningham. chrissy… looking completely different and completely hot.

eddie chuckled, grabbing steve as he slowly backed away, “chrissy just got out of a long term relationship with a dick because she realised she likes girls-“

“eddie!” chrissy hissed.

“she thinks the dorky ones are super cute too.” steve supplied, running inside behind eddie and slammed the door shut.

oh god.

at least chrissy was just as embarrassed about this as robin was, by the looks.

“uhm… hi.” chrissy giggled- yep, robin loves her giggle already. she sounds so sweet. how can someone so hot, who looks dangerous, sound that fucking sweet?

“hi…” robin giggled too.

“is this your puppy?” she said, pointing down at harry.

“ah… yeah.” robin muttered, bending down to pick him up, “his names harry- like debbie harry, from the band-“

“blondie?” chrissy smiled, “i love blondie.”

“me too.” robin laughed nervously, “i am so in love with debbie.”

chrissy blushed, “me too- i kinda started dressing like her when eddie introduced me to the dark side.”

robin downright snorted, and chrissy laughed so brightly at her.

“i’m sorry about your… uhm…” robin swallowed.

“that’s okay.” chrissy shrugged, “jason’s an asshole anyway. i don’t even like guys, i think.”

“oh, me either…” robin smiled, “except for this guy. i love him so much.” she scratched harry behind his ear.

“he’s such a cutie.” chrissy reached out to pet him him, and harry nuzzled into her hand.

“you wanna hold him?”

“are you sure?”

“of course.” she smiled, and handed the puppy over. chrissy cuddled him tight and harry seemed like he loves her already.

well, if harry loves chrissy so much, then robin supposed she has to find a way to keep chrissy around now. you know… for harry’s sake.

“you should come on a walk with us one time.” robins said with all the boldness she could muster, “sometimes when it’s hot, we stop for icecream, don’t we, harry?”

“that sounds nice.” chrissy smiled, her cheeks the prettiest shade of pink, “it’s supposed to be really warm tomorrow.”

“i’ll probably walk him around one… we go by maple and through lakeside park before heading up the main street, if you’d like to join.”

“i can meet you at the park?” chrissy looked down at harry as he licked her cheek, “someone’s excited i think.”

robin laughed easily, “yeah, he likes you a whole lot.” she didn’t even mean to say what she said next, it just kinda came out before her brain could catch up, “he seems to always get along with pretty people best.”

chrissy looked up at her silently, a little flustered with robins comment. when she realised what she had said, her own cheeks turned the brilliant shade of crimson. chrissy laughed nervously and scratched under harry’s chin as she smiled.

“must be why he loves you, then.”

oh! robins insides were on fire. it was like a hellswarm of butterflies in there.

“so tomorrow, one?” chrissy asked, clearing her throat.

“uh… yeah.” robin nodded, “at the park by maple.”

chrissy smiled brightly, and robin already had the urge to kiss her. she had such a pretty smile. robin already knows this is probably going to be another disaster, if not something perfect.

“it’s a date?” chrissy smiled.

a date.

robins never been on a date before. she’s going to have to ask steve for pointers.

“yeah…” she giggled, “a date.”

*

idk what this is tbh i wrote it at like 4 am sleep deprived

[ronancexists]

Hello everyone, and welcome to Day 4 of Ronancetober! I hope y'all have been enjoying everything I've put out so far, because I've got another one coming your way! This one's got a healthy dose of Platonic with a capital P! Stobin, because those two are the best thing that could've happened to Stranger Things aside from Byler and Ronance becoming canon. It's also got a tiny bit of Stonathan as well, but it's only a brief mention. Anyways, here's my submission for day 4, and I hope y'all like it!

Day 4: Kiss

Robin sighed as she glanced up at the clock for what had to be the umpteenth time within the past five minutes.

“Robbie, if you sigh one more time I’m going to chuck this at you,” Steve threatened, looking at his best friend with exasperation written all over his face, the thing he was about to throw being one of the many VHS tapes he was currently putting back on the shelves.

It hadn’t been super busy today, though Keith neglected to do any of the actual work involved with being a manager whenever he worked with one or both of them. She and Steve knew more about the job than he did. The two of them were essentially running the place, but Keith had the official name tag stating he was in charge.

They had managed to convince him that Steve would most definitely muck something up if Robin weren’t there with him to keep an eye on him, which is how they ended up working most, if not all, of their shifts together, without Keith's supervision. It worked out perfectly for the two of them, because that meant neither one of them had to do anything on their own. It didn’t hurt that it gave Robin even more opportunities to poke fun at Steve.

“Oh, I’m sorry. Is my suffering bothering you? I’ll be sure to keep it down in the future.”

Steve rolled his eyes as Robin smiled brightly, her nose crinkling in happiness as it always did when she managed to rile him up.

After doing a quick lap around the store, Robin determined it was safe. She hopped up on the counter, legs swinging back and forth as she watched Steve stack the tapes on the shelves.

“You know,” Steve grunted as he finally reached the top shelf in one of the many isles, placing the tape down as gently as possible. “You could help me instead of just sitting there, watching me do all of the work.”

Robin couldn't help the snort of amusement that escaped as soon as Steve had finished talking. “You’re one to talk. You left me to rewind all those tapes,” she gestured to the ones stacked up in his arms. “So you could have a make-out session with Jonathan in the back room.”

“Shh!” Steve hushed, eyes darting around frantically to search for prying ears.

“Relax, dingus. I already took a lap. I wouldn’t have said anything if we had customers.”

“Well you could warn a guy next time,” he grumbled.

“Such a baby.”

Steve stuck his tongue out at her in response.

“Who are we calling a baby?”

The nineteen-year-old had to stifle his laughter as Robin practically turned into a puddle where she had been sitting at the sight of Nancy. He knew after everything with Vecna that Robin had developed what she deemed was a minor crush on Nancy, though he would label it as infatuation. Regardless, Robin hadn’t been able to stop babbling about the girl, everything about her crush on Vickie simply flying out the window after the events during the school year, where she had gotten to know Nancy from Nancy herself rather than through all of the stories Steve had about her.

Steve couldn’t blame Robin for falling for Nancy even if he wanted to. Hell, he probably understood the enigma that was Nancy Wheeler better than anyone. After all, he had been lucky enough to date her before everything with the Upside Down transpired. He was brave enough to acknowledge that he had hurt Nancy badly, and she was brave enough to acknowledge that she had hurt him as well. The two of them had a long, rough talk about everything that had transpired between them, and they came to the conclusion that they were much better off as friends than they ever were as a couple.

Needless to say, Steve was quite surprised when Nancy had confided in him that she was crushing on Robin, and crushing quite hard on her at that. He’d had to hold in his laughter when she said she couldn’t discern if Robin was into her the same way. He thought it was quite obvious, but he supposed that could be because he knew Robin better than Robin knew herself. Plus, if Nancy was too worried about not making her own crush apparent, he figured that would occupy most of her attention, enough for her not to notice the heart eyes Robin was constantly shooting her way.

He was between a rock and a hard place. On one hand, if he told one girl how the other felt, it could result in them getting together and earn himself a pat on the back. On the other hand, the girl he told could become furious at him for revealing the other's secret, and when the girl he told told the other girl, he’d probably have two very angry, very determined, and very capable of hurting him women gunning for his head. It was a win-lose situation, so he resolved to keep his mouth shut. However, that didn’t mean he couldn’t intervene in other ways.

“Robbie?”

“What’s up, Stevie?”

“Could you grab me the ladder from the back room?”

Robin arched an eyebrow at him, internally pleading for him not to actually be interrupting her lovely conversation with Nancy. Times with the other girl were far and few between, especially since she had begun working almost everyday to save up so she could move the fuck out of this town.

“Please?” He asked, turning the puppy dog eyes and everything. He knew she could never say no to him when he used the puppy dog eyes.

“Ughhhh. Fine,” she grumbled, apologizing to Nancy before turning around and hopping behind the counter, heading for the backroom.

“You should just tell her, ya know,” Steve said as soon as Robin was out of earshot, placing the tapes down on one of the bare shelves and walking towards Nancy.

Nancy scoffed, crossing her arms over her chest defensively.

“I’m serious, Nance. She’s ready to leave everything behind. We’ve defeated Vecna, we got rid of the Upside Down for good. She doesn’t have a reason to stay.” The words unless you give her one remained unspoken, but they both heard it loud and clear.

“I know,” Nancy muttered, her gaze bouncing around everywhere but at Steve, finally landing behind the counter on the door to the backroom, where Robin was.

“Go,” Steve said quietly, squeezing her arm. “I’ll cover up here.”

Nancy grasped his hand in hers. “Wish me luck.”

He nodded, watching as Nancy walked behind the counter. “You won’t need it,” he muttered, a wide grin settling onto his face as he shot a fist in the air, overwhelmed with joy that he had actually done it. Oh, he couldn’t wait to see the look on Jonathan’s face when he told him he'd won their bet.

“Robin?” Nancy called out, unable to hide the quakiness of her voice.

“Nancy, thank goodness. I can’t find this freaking ladder anywhere. Come help me look,” Robin said, turning to look at Nancy when she didn’t get a response. “Hey, is everything ok? You’re looking a bit pale. And you’re trembling too. Oh God, you aren’t sick, are you? Cause if you are, I can get Steve to drive you home. I’ll come over with soup and ice cream and your favorite movies as soon as I’m done with my shift. We can lay in bed and watch them in your room together. Or I don’t have to stay. I can just drop it off for you and—”

Robin was cut off when Nancy rushed forward, pressing their lips together in an urgent and desperate kiss. Nancy pulled away when Robin didn’t reciprocate, dread slowly filling her chest when the taller girl simply stood there, eyes wide and mouth agape. “Shit, I knew this was a bad idea. I’m so sorry, Robin. I understand if you never want to talk to me again. I-I’ll leave you alone,” Nancy said, turning to walk away, stopping when Robin’s hand shot out and grabbed her arm. “Rob, what—”

Robin tugged on Nancy’s arm until the other girl was facing her, a smile threatening to bloom as her eyes shined with happiness. “Did you mean it?”

“What?” Nancy asked, breathless.

“The kiss. Did you mean it?”

“Of course I meant it, Robin. Why—”

Nancy gasped in surprise as Robin brushed their lips together, eyes fluttering shut as Robin’s hands settled on her waist. She moaned when the taller girl pulled on her hips until they were flush against one another. She reached up, tangling her hands in Robin’s hair, loving the feeling of the soft, curly strands between her fingers.

Robin flicked her tongue against the seam of Nancy’s lips, groaning in pure delight as Nancy’s lips parted, allowing her access to the other girl’s mouth. She started walking Nancy backwards until Nancy’s back was pressed against the door, their mouths never parting.

“Rob-Robin,” Nancy whimpered, a strangled groan leaving her lips when Robin broke their kiss off, only to begin trailing kisses down her neck. She tilted her head, grasping Robin’s hair tightly to hold her in place as she nipped and sucked at her pulse point.

“God, Nancy. You smell delicious,” Robin husked in her ear.

“Kiss me,” Nancy panted.

Robin didn’t need to be told twice. The two of them moaned as their mouths met once again, tongues and teeth clashing together in a messy, passionate kiss. Gradually, the kiss slowed down, ending with Robin sucking Nancy’s lower lip into her mouth, releasing it with a pop. She pressed their foreheads together, unable to hide her massive grin as she looked into Nancy’s eyes. “You have no idea how long I’ve wanted to do that.”

“Really?” Nancy inquired, her hands splayed across the back of Robin’s neck, thumbs rubbing up and down in a soothing manner. “Me too.”

The taller girl stared at Nancy in disbelief. “Wait, seriously?”

Nancy laughed, eyes sparkling with delight. “Seriously,” she confirmed.

“Wow,” Robin whispered, completely in awe of the woman in front of her. “I can’t believe Nancy Wheeler is into me. Me, of all the people in Hawkins. Please tell me I’m not dreaming.”

“You aren’t dreaming,” Nancy whispered, standing on her tiptoes to press a light kiss to Robin’s lips.

“Nancy Wheeler is into me,” Robin repeated, a dreamy look on her face.

Nancy shook her head in amusement. “You’re such an idiot, Robin Buckley.”

“But I’m your idiot. I mean, if you want me to be. If not, then just let me know so I can begin working on mending my broken heart. Because I don’t think I could handle it if this was just you experimenting or doing it because of a dare or some shit like that.”

“It’s nothing like that. I like you, Robin. More than all of those people I’ve dated in the past.”

“Even Steve?”

“Even Steve,” Nancy confirmed. “In fact, I’d like to ask if you, Robin James Buckley, would do me the honor of being my girlfriend?”

“The honor would be all mine, Nancy Anne Wheeler.”

They sealed the deal with a kiss, as they would with everything from that point forward.

[yearningagain]

it's enough (to make a girl blush): chapter two

HELLO!!! welcome to chapter two! i'm amazed at the traction that this has gained with just the first chapter, and it's giving me so much motivation to continue this!

i've also decided to open up my ask box for suggestions for rambles and ficlets, so please shoot me a message if you feel so inclined!

and of course a huge thank you to @kayleeofcamelot for betaing and helping me so much!! without further ado!

also on ao3!

total wc: 2.6k | wc: 1.4k | rating: e (18+) | pairing: steddie | cw: none | tags: a/b/o, alpha eddie munson, omega steve harrington, modern au, baker steve, famous eddie, getting together, gay eddie, bi steve, soulmates/true mates/scent mates, side buckingham

part one | part three

--------------

Steve loved Robin more than he thought he could love anyone. She was the peanut butter to his jelly, the rock to his roll, the yin to his yang. He doesn't know how he managed as long as he did before meeting her, and he frankly doesn't know what he would do without her now. 

That being said, sometimes she does make Steve want to give himself another concussion. 

Lunch at the deli had been uneventful. They had eaten their sandwiches while nestled in the window booth in the back corner, turned to look out onto the streets of Chicago. Most of their conversation was driven by judgmental comments about passerby’s, ranging from jabs about interesting color choices on someone's tracksuit to monologues about wearing a faux fur coat with cheetah print leggings (“It’s the principle, Rob! You wouldn’t get it”).

After finishing their meals, the pair made their way across the street to the record store. Upon entry, Steve was surrounded by deep earthy scents, old vinyl and incense mingled with the fresh flowers growing in pots littered about. And that brought them to their current situation.

Robin was making a complete and utter fool out of herself. She was bright red in the face, and Steve couldn’t tell if it was from pure mortification or her complete lack of breathing for the past five minutes. As soon as a little blonde omega, introduced as Chrissy, emerged from the shelves to greet them and show them around, the alpha had not been able to stop her mouth from running and running. Now, normally in these situations, Steve would insert himself into Robin's one sided conversation and slow her down, purely to rescue the other person from being roped into a woven tale of at least six subjects at once. But after one look at Chrissy, and the adoration and attentiveness in her expression, he decided to leave it be. 

At the back corner of the shop was a small gathering of armchairs, a loveseat, and a small wooden coffee table. Plopping down into the comfiest looking chair, leaving the girls to their own devices, Steve pulled out his phone to start tackling the sea of messages he had received during the night. 

Dusty

12:58 AM: STEVE

STEVEN

12:59 AM: STEVEN HARRINGTON

STEVEN LOUISE HARRINGTON

1:01 AM: do you even love me anymore

1:08 AM: if i were dying i'd be dead by now

1:14 AM: ☠️☠️🩸🩸

1:27 AM: okay whatever goodnight steven text me when you’re  alive again ig 🙄

11:39 AM: Jesus Christ kid

That’s not even my name

11:40 AM: Did you die?

11:41 AM: no

11:41 AM: So what was so important?

11:43 AM: before i say anything i want to remind you that  i know all of your secrets and also you love me sooo much  and you’re the best babysitter ever and you owe me for  letting my mom hire you at the shop

11:44 AM: Dustin. What did you do.

11:44 AM: nothing!

i didn’t do anything i swear on my mother

11:45 AM: Okay…

So…?

11:46 AM: my favorite band is playing here next month but its an 18+ show

mom would never come with me, she’d have a heart attack i think

so i need you to take me

11:48 AM: i can pay for your ticket if you want!

11:50 AM: steve?

A loud crash echoed from within the shop, followed by an extremely disheveled Robin popping her head into the nook. "I need your help."

—

Leaving the girls was both the best and worst decision Steve could have made. 

In the ten minutes of inattentiveness, the alpha had managed to talk for seven of them consecutively. After realizing she had been talking herself in circles, she tried to reign it in, which ultimately ended in her accidental confession of attraction towards Chrissy. That then led to a kiss-turned-make-out, in which Robin had tried to push the shorter girl against a wall for more leverage. However, blinded by her circumstances, she pushed the omega into one of the shelves, effectively knocking it and its contents to the ground. They were old antique shelves that had been modified with basket-drawers to store records and other miscellaneous objects, they were heavy . 

Steve would be upset, but the dark blush and lovesick smile never quite left Robin's face. 

With that mess dealt with, he was finally able to respond to Dustin. He shot a quick 'Sure. Just LMK the deets ' text and slid his phone back into his pocket. Chrissy led them both back to the nook, bustling about and making sure they were comfortable.

"Steve, I am so incredibly sorry about that! Please sit here, let me go grab something and I'll be right back!" She dashed off down a small hallway towards the back of the building.

Steve shook his head at Robin, sighing loudly. "Couldn't keep it in your pants?"

The alpha huffed and looked away. She huffed again, this time more of a sniff. And then again. 

"Steve, are you fucking with me or something?"

Furrowing his eyebrows, he followed suit in her actions by taking his own sniff of the air. "What? What's going on?"

She continues sniffing, seemingly following the scent. Standing from her spot on the loveseat, laser focused on tracking, she walks right over to Steve.

"Your scent, it's changing. I knew it was different this morning! I know what you smell like, dingus. And you don't smell like you anymore. Well, okay, you still smell like you! But it's like you're roasting apples in the woods on a camping trip. And you've always smelled like apples, so I'm glad that's the same, but now it's different. Has anything weird happened lately? Have you felt different at all? Do you have a fever?" Her curiosity morphs into concern and she starts placing her hands over the omegas face, seeing if she can tell the temperature. "I've never been good at this. Should we go to the doctor? Do we need an ambulance? Shit, did you get poisoned?"

Steve grabbed her hands firmly, guiding them to his chest and taking a deep breath. "Breathe. I'm not dying, Robs. I think I'd know if I was." He takes a few more measured breaths, pulling her down into his lap for a hug. 

After he was sure she was calm, he relaxed his grip, but didn't let go. "I was actually meaning to ask you about something. Nothing bad, I promise! I just... I had this really weird dream last night and I woke up convinced it had actually happened. I was so convinced there would be physical proof, but there wasn't any. But I could smell the alpha in my dream. Have you ever had a dream where you could smell the other people?"

Robin looked at him calculatingly, a crease forming in her brow at the thought. "No, never. I didn't think it was a thing that happened."

"Exactly. I could smell him, birdie. I could feel him. It was real . Until it wasn't. I woke up heartbroken. For no real reason." He sighed once more, lowering his gaze to his fingers rested in his lap.

"Okay, I am so sorry once again, and I had no intention to eavesdrop whatsoever, but I want to help." Chrissy emerged from the hallway with a plate of mini cupcakes, a sheepish expression. 

Steve waved her off. "It's all good. If you don't think I'm crazy, I don't mind suggestions."

She set the plate of cupcakes onto the coffee table and sat down on the loveseat. Robin quickly scrambled off of Steve to sit next to the other omega, shooting him an apologetic glance. 

"So, basically, I read this book once, out of pure curiosity, that was about fate and the universe and all that. It had a whole section about how, years and years ago, alphas and omegas were randomly going through what seemed to be second presentations. It started with scent changes, and apparently a lot of people experienced some sort of initial mental connection. These changes were way less severe, and oftentimes not noticeable until a random heat or rut was triggered. When that would happen, it was always a pair at a time, one alpha and one omega. The moment they would smell the other for the first time is the moment their respective presentations would complete. They'd come out the other side bonded and, most often, pupped. Their bodies were preparing."

Steve stared at Chrissy, mouth agape. "Preparing for what, exactly?"

"Their soulmate!"

[dwobbitfromtheshire]

They had just finished up band practice when Vickie overheard Jordan and Brandon talking about Eddie Munson. Robin had walked out already, promising to wait outside the band hall for her.

"I don't know, man, I still think Eddie did it," Jordan said.

"They wouldn't have let him back into school if they thought he was still a murderer, Jordan," Brandon said.

"They were willing to ignore the fact that he was selling drugs, man," Jordan said.

"It's just weed," Brandon sighed and rolled his eyes.

"No, I heard he sells special K too," Jordan said. "That's the date rape drug. I wouldn't be surprised if he was using it on those kids in his club."

"Hey, Jordan," Vickie snapped.

She was seeing red. She had never been this angry in her entire life. She had been hanging out with Robin a lot lately, trying to work up the courage to ask her out. Hanging out with her meant hanging out with Robin's friends, and she's enjoyed hanging out with them. She's seen the way Eddie was with Dustin and his friends, the way he was willing to own up to the mistakes he did make. He didn't have a killer bone in his entire body.

"Shit, Vickie's pissed. Have you ever seen her pissed?" Jordan asked with wide eyes.

"Nope, and it looks like it's directed at you, pal," Brandon said.

"Hey, Vickie," Jordan smiled gently.

"Jordan, your dad's a pharmaceutical salesman, right?" Vickie asked, trying to remain level-headed.

"Yeah?" Jordan asked.

"Well, what's the difference between what he does and what Eddie does?" Vickie asked.

"Well, his drugs aren't illegal," Jordan scoffed. "And he doesn't use them to kill people."

"Dude," Brandon said and gave him a warning look.

"He and Steve Harrington are awfully chummy. Bet they use the drugs on Buckley to - ,"

All Vickie could see was red, and before she knew it, her fist was flying into his face. Her eyes widened when his head snapped back, and blood started to gush from his nose.

"The difference is that yes, the drugs are illegal," Vickie said, shaking. "Some of your dad's drugs are addictive and some aren't, just like Eddie's. What makes them the same is the fact that they can't know what someone's going to do with them, so the fact that Eddie sells drugs has shit to do with what happened. You don't know what happened because you don't know Eddie. He could never hurt a fly."

"You're crazy, just like -," but Jordan was interrupted.

"Hey!" Brandon snapped. "You were being a douchebag, so much so that sweet, calm Vickie Fisher punched you in the face. If anyone asks, I'm going to tell them you tripped, and no one will believe you that you got punched by Vickie because I'm pretty sure that most everyone in here has her back. Go on, Vickie, I'll deal with this asshole."

"Thanks, Brandon," Vickie said softly.

She was running on pure adrenaline when she walked up to Robin. She was leaning against Steve’s car, talking to both Steve and Eddie. There was no one else around when Vickie popped up beside Robin.

"Hey, Fishie," Eddie grinned.

Normally, she would tell Eddie off affectionately for calling her that, but she left it alone this time.

"Robin, do you want to go out with me?" Vickie asked, knowing already that she was out to Steve and Eddie.

Eddie squealed, gasped, and held onto Steve.

"Stevie, it's happening!" Eddie said excitedly.

"I know!" Steve grinned.

"Uh. . .yeah. Yes, I would very much like to go out with you," Robin grinned, blushing.

Vickie grinned and slipped her arm through Robin's.

"So, what made you decide to ask out our dear sweet Birdie?" Eddie asked.

Vickie opened her mouth to answer but was interrupted by Jordan approaching them. His nose was red, and he had missed a few spots of blood, but he suddenly looked apologetic.

"Uh, Vickie? I just wanted to apologize. I realize now that I was talking shit about stuff I know nothing about. I said some awful things about your friends. I know that now. I'm sorry," Jordan said. "You have a mean right hook, by the way."

Before she could say something, he was walking away.

"Ah, so it was adrenaline after you defended Robin's honor," Eddie said.

"Not just Robin's, yours too, Eddie," Vickie blushed.

"Aw, Fishie," Eddie said, squishing her face. "You don't have to do that. That's what I have Steve for."

"That is not what you have Steve for," Steve replied, and Vickie giggled.

Robin leaned her head against hers.

"I want to kiss you so badly," Robin whispered.

"Boys, argue later. Let's get out of here!" Vickie exclaimed.

Of course, as soon as they drove off with Vickie and Robin in the backseat, Vickie was capturing Robin's lips with hers. She could hear Eddie wolf whistle, then Steve scolding him. Robin started laughing against her lips, causing Vickie to do the same.

[babygirlharrington]

‘omg hiiiii’ steve (immovable object) and ‘i know what you are’ robin (unstoppable force)