What could've been - Stobin story
Chapter 4 - Code Red
Chapter I - chapter II - chapter III - chapter IV - chapter V
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Steve Harrington had a lot of regrets in life. The hair mousse incident of ’84. Dating Tommy Hagan’s entire personality. Letting Dustin convince him that “Dad Steve” was a flattering nickname.
But right now, his biggest regret was falling for Robin Buckley.
Because it made everything harder.
Like breathing. And thinking. And pretending he wasn’t staring at her every five seconds.
He was wiping down the counter — again — when Dustin Henderson burst into Scoops Ahoy like a gremlin on a sugar high.
“Steve! Robin! Emergency!”
Robin didn’t even look up from the register. “If this is about your weird science project again—”
“It’s not a science project,” Dustin snapped. “It’s a matter of national security.”
Steve groaned. “Oh no.”
Robin sighed. “Oh yes.”
Dustin slammed a notebook onto the counter. “I cracked a code.”
Robin blinked. “A code.”
“A Russian code.”
Steve froze.
Robin froze.
Dustin beamed.
“Guys,” he said dramatically, “we’re about to save America.”
The Code
Steve leaned over the notebook, squinting at the scribbles. It looked like someone had spilled alphabet soup and then circled random letters.
Robin leaned in too, shoulder brushing his. Steve tried not to react. He failed.
“Okay,” she said, tapping the page. “This looks like… nothing.”
“It’s Russian,” Dustin insisted.
Robin raised an eyebrow. “You speak Russian now?”
“No,” Dustin said proudly. “But I know someone who does.”
He pointed at Robin.
Steve blinked. “You speak Russian?”
Robin shrugged. “I take Latin. And French. And Spanish. And I’m learning Italian.”
Steve stared. “Why?”
“Because I’m not an idiot.”
He opened his mouth to argue, then closed it. Fair.
Robin flipped through the notebook, muttering under her breath. Steve watched her — the way she chewed her lip when she was concentrating, the way her fingers tapped out rhythms only she understood.
He was so distracted he didn’t notice Dustin staring at him.
“Dude,” Dustin whispered. “Why are you looking at her like that?”
Steve nearly choked on air. “Like what?”
“Like you’re in a shampoo commercial and she’s the wind.”
“I— what— Dustin— shut up.”
Dustin smirked. “Oh my god. You like her.”
Steve’s soul left his body.
“No,” he hissed. “I don’t.”
“You do.”
“I don’t.”
“You do.”
Robin looked up. “What are you two whispering about?”
“Nothing,” Steve said too fast.
“Steve’s in love with—”
Steve slapped a hand over Dustin’s mouth so hard the kid squeaked.
Robin blinked. “Okay… weird.”
Steve forced a laugh. “He’s joking. He’s always joking. He’s a joke.”
Dustin bit his hand.
Steve yelped.
Robin rolled her eyes. “You two are exhausting.”
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Robin eventually deciphered enough of the code to confirm one horrifying fact:
It was definitely Russian.
And definitely happening inside the mall.
Steve wished he could say he was surprised. But honestly? After the past two years, Russians in the mall barely cracked the top ten weirdest things in his life.
Robin paced behind the counter, muttering to herself. “This is insane. This is actually insane. Why are we doing this? Why are we involved? Why are we—”
“Because we’re heroes,” Dustin said.
“Because we’re idiots,” Robin corrected.
Steve watched her pace, watched the way her hands moved when she talked, watched the way her brain worked at a million miles an hour.
He was so screwed.
Robin stopped suddenly. “Okay. We need a plan.”
Dustin grinned. “I have a plan.”
Robin groaned. “Of course you do.”
Steve sighed. “This is gonna end badly.”
“It always ends badly,” Dustin said.
“But at least we’ll go down together,” Robin claims with a small smile.
Steve’s heart did something stupid.
Together.
He tried to play it cool. He failed.
“Yeah,” he said softly. “Together.”
Robin looked at him — really looked — and for a moment, something flickered between them. Something warm. Something dangerous.
Then Dustin ruined it.
“Okay!” he shouted. “Operation Child Endangerment begins now!”
Robin and Steve groaned in unison.
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After Dustin left, Robin and Steve cleaned up the shop in silence. Not awkward silence — just… charged.
Robin was wiping down the tables. Steve was pretending to organize the toppings. He kept glancing at her. She kept pretending not to notice.
Finally, she spoke.
“You’re quiet,” she said.
“So are you.”
“I’m thinking.”
“Me too.”
She looked at him, eyes sharp. “About what?”
He panicked.
“Uh— sprinkles.”
She stared at him.
He stared at the sprinkles.
She sighed. “You’re impossible.”
He smiled. “You love it.”
She didn’t deny it.
And that was the problem.
Because Steve Harrington was falling for Robin Buckley.
And he had no idea how to stop.
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Chapter I - chapter II - chapter III - chapter IV - chapter V