The shrill sound of the landline made your skin crawl and you groaned loudly as Robin turned the dial on the stereo to drown out the insistent ringing.
“Why does he keep calling?” you whined as your best friend danced to the music while walking back to the kitchen table you two had been seated at.
It was Friday night, which meant Robin was sleeping over and the two of you had free range of the house since your mom worked late on Fridays. You watched as she swayed her hips rhythmically and your cheeks grew hot as she flipped her hair.
“Because he misses you, babe,” Robin replied nonchalantly while she grabbed the bottle of brown liquor left near two dirty shot glasses and you forced yourself to look away.
You let out a groan. You’d only been dating Greg for a couple months, and since you weren’t really interested in him, you’d broken up with him earlier after school. You thought he’d taken it well, but he’d been calling non-stop for the past hour. You felt bad ignoring the calls, but you really didn’t know what else there was to be said.
“Here,” Robin said and slid you a full shot glass.
You took the glass gratefully and, once Robin had hers in her hand, clinked it against hers.
“Cheers, my dear,” you said and tossed back the drink, now only slightly feeling the burn down your throat.
xxXXXXXxx
You didn’t remember how you’d ended up sitting on the floor in the middle of your bedroom with Robin, but you knew it had been funny. After drinking one too many shots, the two of you had run up to your room and were now laughing uncontrollably, but why it was funny was beyond you. You just liked the sound of Robin’s laugh and you’d be damned if you were the reason it ended.
You swayed a little and leaned into Robin’s shoulder as you giggled. The alcohol was fuzzing your brain, thoughts bubbling up to the surface just to pop before you could realize them. You felt good, though, that was clear enough.
Robin threw her head back and let out a hearty laugh as her body softly shook in rhythm to the sweet sound. You felt it again, that churn in your stomach and burn in your chest. You tried to fight it back, the usual routine, but the feel of Robin against you and the warmth from the whisky made it impossible.
And, if you were being honest, you just didn’t feel like pushing back the feelings.
You always had to be on your best behavior. Don’t let anyone know. Don’t say that. Don’t stare too long. Don’t touch her arm like that. Laugh so she doesn’t know how true it is. Lie. Hide.
Moments alone with Robin always felt so fragile. One wrong step and everything could shatter.
But what if she felt the same way?
You’d caught her staring, too, over the years. You’d seen the look in her eye when the two of you would stay up late during sleepovers, lay in bed inches from each other, sometimes talking and sometimes just silently being together.
Robin leaned back a little too far, fell on her back, and laughed harder as you fell back beside her.
“You’re drunk,” you laughed.
“And whose fault is that?” she retorted, a little louder than intended, and you snorted.
“Yours ‘cause you’re a lightweight,” you slurred. Robin rolled her eyes but smiled brightly.
“Shut up, I’m perfect.”
“I didn’t say you weren’t,” you replied as you rolled onto your stomach and propped yourself up on your elbows. “My perfect, lightweight, Robin,” you cooed as you reached out and cupped her cheek playfully.
Robin’s gaze shifted to your lips briefly and something inside you flared up. It was subtle, but unmistakable. A flame that was always lit simple turned up, fed by Robin’s breath as it softly hit your arm.
You leaned in easily as a surge of confidence coursed through your veins like a shot of adrenaline. You pressed your lips against hers, slightly messily at first and you thought maybe it hadn’t been the best idea to do this for the first time when you were both a bit inebriated.
But then you felt Robin kiss you back. Her hands went to your waist and her soft lips began to move with yours and fuck it if this wasn’t the best idea you’d ever had.
You moved closer so you were better positioned on top of her, one leg between her thighs as one of her hands moved to your ass and her tongue slid along your bottom lip. You parted your lips as you ground your hips down and gave much needed friction to you both while her tongue swirled around yours.
Robin let out a soft moan and encouraged you to keep moving your hips, and you were more than happy to oblige. She bit your lip and you kissed her hungrily. Robin squeezed your ass as she tried to pull you closer to her. You began to move faster and ground roughly against her, rode her thigh harder as you both grew more frantic, years of yearning and lust finally breaking free.
You broke away from Robin’s lips to kiss a trail down her neck and relished every sound she made as you nibbled the soft skin or flicked your tongue.
“Fuck, you’re so sexy,” you nearly growled.
You were beginning to feel lightheaded and gripped her hips for stability as you continued to ride her, her soft breathy moans made your head swim. Forget the whisky, you were drunk on Robin now.
You felt her hands tug on your hem of your shirt and you sat up more so she could lift it over your head. Robin tossed the shirt to the side before unclasping your bra with quick precision. You felt your cheeks flush uncontrollably as she looked up at you, pupils blown and lips swollen.
“God, you’re so beautiful,” she said, voice low as she cupped your breast and thumbed over the nipple.
A chill ran down your spine and you hummed softly as you bucked your hips.
“Fuck, Robin,” you muttered, and she softly pinched your nipple as she rolled her hips and urged you to keep moving.
Your breath hitched. You worked yourself against Robin’s leg and could feel your body grow hotter as soft moans escaped your lips. You’d been intimate with other people, but not like this. Never like this. This was raw, and honest, and felt more real than anything else. You wanted more. You needed more.
You moved your hands to Robin’s jeans and let your fingertips run along the skin below her bellybutton. Her hand still on your breast tightened and you bit you lip. You watched Robin’s face as you undid her button and zipper, and sucked on two of your fingers before you slipped them in below the elastic of her underwear.
If Robin had looked lustful before, she now looked like she would burst. Her lips parted and chest heaved as she drew a ragged breath, eyes wide and trained on yours as your fingers began to rub around her clit. You realized you hadn’t even needed to use any spit because Robin was already soaking wet, your fingers sliding in the slick heat.
Robin let out a louder, longer moan than the ones previously elicited, and you made sure to pay close attention to her body movements. You swirled and stayed where her hips bucked and slid inside when her fingers dug into your hips. You kept one hand between her thighs and the other under her shirt as you played with her breasts and unwaveringly rubbed yourself against her thigh.
“Fuck, y/n,” she moaned, and you could tell she was close.
You worked harder and unrelented as her back arched under you. Her moans turned frustrated as she climbed toward her climax and you leaned forward to kiss her. As her tongue touched yours, her hips bucked, and she moaned into your mouth.
You could feel her whole body tremble as you worked her through her orgasm, and you kept your fingers moving until she was done. Watching her put you over the edge as well, and it took you a moment to catch your breath.
Once you were able to form coherent thoughts again, you slid your slick fingers out from between Robin’s thighs and licked Robin off them, the flavor making you wish you hadn’t used your fingers.
“I want to taste you next time,” you admitted aloud and Robin looked speechless.
Robin leaned up and pressed her lips to yours. You kissed her back, hand on either side of her face as she led you back down with her, mouth open and tongues dancing deliciously. She cupped your ass with one hand and tangled the other in your hair, holding you firmly against her lips. You stayed that way for a moment and enjoyed the way it felt to have Robin’s body flush against yours.
“You have no idea,” Robin began before breaking as you kiss her again, unable to stop now that the floodgates had been broken, “how long I’ve wanted to do this.”
You kissed Robin’s lips softly before looking in her deep blue eyes. No idea? Did she really think you hadn’t been dreaming of this moment, too?
“I think I might,” you said as thoughts of longing stares and chest aches flashed through your mind.
“But Greg-”
“Was a distraction. And a poor one at that.” Robin’s brows furrowed and you couldn’t help but place a soft peck between them. “I only went out with him to... to try and get you off my mind. I’d hoped being with someone would make me stop thinking about you all the time.”
Robin bit the inside of her cheek as she watched you carefully.
“And?”
“And, turns out that’s fucking impossible. I mean damn, Robin, have you met you? I never stood a chance.”
Robin blinked as a soft smile grew on her lips and you couldn’t calm the butterflies that flitted about in your stomach.
“We’re dumb,” she said simply.
You laughed a little and nodded your head.
“Oh, yeah. Very.”
Robin grinned.
“I really like you, dingus,” she said sweetly as she cupped your cheek to bring you back in.
“I really like you, too, dummy,” you whispered against her lips before she kissed you, and you felt her smile.
Summary: Steve takes you home after you get drunk at Tina’s graduation party and puts you to bed.
more steve readers
stranger things readers
not my gif!
You grumbled softly as your entire body moved. Your eyes were closed, but you felt yourself being picked up as an arm went behind your back and another under your legs. Your stomach hurt and your head was spinning, the sour taste of jello shots still faintly on your tongue as you heard a car door shut.
“Almost there, Y/N,” the person holding you said, and though you couldn’t place it, you recognized the voice. You lolled your head onto their chest and let them carry you as you reached up and gripped their shoulder, needing to hold something stable with all the movement.
You heard the person’s feet go from crunching on dirt to stepping soundly on wood, and a moment later a creek of a door. You heard the person fumble a little as they struggled to then close said door, but soon enough you were moving again, though not for long before you apparently hit another door, signaled with another creek.
They left the door open this time and you decided to try to open your eyes as you felt yourself being lowered onto a soft surface, presumably a bed. You squinted open your eyes, struggling to see through the drunken blur and darkness of the room. The person began to tug off your shoes and socks and you blinked harder before making out a familiar flop of hair. “Steve?”
“Hey, how’re you feeling?” Steve asked as he looked at you with concern. Your brows knit together as another wave of pain whirled through your head and you whimpered. You looked down at his beige sweater where a large, bright green stain resided that made your stomach twinge unpleasantly and the alcohol threatened to come back up.
“Did I do that?” you asked, guilt washing over you before you even heard the answer.
“What, this? Nah, it’s from the new winter line at GAP- the Girlfriends Who Can’t Pace Themselves Collection,” Steve joked. You would’ve flipped him off if you didn’t feel so weak and out of it. You couldn’t remember how many drinks you’d had at Tina’s party, but judging by how shitty you felt and how much puke was on Steve’s shirt, you were sure it had been a lot. You hadn’t meant to, but it was the last party of senior year and you couldn’t help it if everyone wanted to “cheers” you with a shot every ten minutes.
Being a Byers meant that you weren’t exactly popular- but once you’d become friends with Steve (after he’d helped you, Nancy, and Jonathan fight the first Demogorgon in your house), people started acting different at school. Then you two started dating at the beginning of senior year and everyone acted like they hadn’t judged you and your family for years.
After a while, things had settled and you’d made a few more friends, but most of the time you and Steve just hung out with Jonathan and Nancy at school. Afterwards you two would either spend time alone together or hang out with the Party and play D&D. Tonight, however, had been the last time you’d really have a reason to spend time with anyone from Hawkins High School, and everyone seemed to be on the same wave length, which happened to be Extra Friendly.
“I’m sorry,” you finally managed. Steve raked a hand through his hair.
“It’s fine, Y/N,” he said softly. “I’m going to go see if I can borrow a shirt from Jonathan. You going to be okay if I leave for a minute?” Steve asked after a beat.
“Oh, my god, Stevie. I’m drunk, not dying,” you said and let your eyes slide shut again as you heard his footsteps retreat out of the room. You didn’t know if you’d fallen asleep, but you didn’t hear Steve return until there was a soft knock on your bedside table. You looked over to see a glass of water and Steve kicking off his shoes. He then turned to your closet and pulled a t-shirt off a hangar before turning back to you.
“Now to deal with your mess,” he said quietly and made his way to the bed. “C’mon,” he began as he grabbed your wrist lightly and guided you into a sitting position. “Let’s get that shirt off you,” he continued and tugged at the hem of your shirt. You immediately obliged, peeling the fabric from your skin and tossing it before unhooking your bra and throwing it as well out of reflex. You looked up at Steve to see him blush and quickly advert his gaze, causing you to laugh.
“Dude, you’ve seen me naked how many times now?” you asked, amused as you leaned forward to take the fresh shirt from his hand, but not before tracing your fingers lightly up and down his forearm.
“This is the first time we’re not both sober, though,” he retorted. “Or not both drunk…or stoned,” he added, and you giggled as you shrugged on the shirt. Steve really was a great guy. Even if he used to be the biggest asshole- like when he broke your brother’s camera, no one could deny that he’d changed a lot over the past few months.
You unbuttoned your pants and slid them off as well before Steve pulled back the blanket and draped it over you. You smiled warmly up at him.
“You’re too good to me,” you said as he brushed your hair back and stroked your cheek softly with his thumb. Steve scoffed and pulled back.
You made a noise in protest, but he simply rounded the bed and jumped in on the other side, sidling up beside you and wrapping an arm around your waist.
“You literally spent months helping me write my admissions letters to colleges. And studied with my dumbass all year. You’re too damn good to me, Y/N,” he said and kissed your neck softly. You leaned into his touch as he pulled you closer and continued to plant kisses along your jaw and back down your neck.
“I love you, dumbass,” you said, fatigue and alcohol dragging you deeper into your mattress and the warmth of Steve lulling you to sleep.
summary: you go family video to see your girlfriend, robin. she ends up being on break so you end up making out in the break room.
-more robin readers-
-st readers-
“Is she here?” You asked and smiled excitedly as you leaned against the video store counter. Steve blinked as he looked up from the stack of newly returned rentals he’d been boredly staring at.
“Oh hi, Steve. It’s so good to see you. How are you? You look fantastic,” he mocked with an impression of you that was too good to not have been rehearsed. You rolled you eyes as he continued in his regular tone. “I’m doing great, Y/N, thank you for asking. I’m so glad we have such a wonderful, caring relationship.”
“Oh my god, Steve, could you be more of a drama queen?” You grumbled. “Hi, hello, beautiful, gorgeous, Steve Harrington, my love,” you gushed sarcastically, and Steve smiled sweetly when you pinched his chin. “Is she here?”
“That’s more like it, L/N. She’s in the back. But you better hurry, her break’s up in five.” You moved around the counter toward the door behind Steve as you laughed.
“That’s cute, Steve,” you said, unable to stop grinning as you saw the look on his face for laughing at his attempt at authority. “This door doesn’t have a lock,” you began as you pushed it open and stood in the doorway, “so I’m going to have to tell you- don’t you dare fucking come in here in five minutes.”
“But-”
You closed the door behind you as the music of New Order filled the air. It was warm in the small, dimly lit room. There were a few racks of tapes, some labeled as backup copies, others were broken films, or movies to be put out in the next few days. As you walked around them you saw her, finally, sitting with her back to you as she nodded her head softly along to the music. She seemed to be in her own world, lost in thought, and she jumped slightly when you placed your hands on her shoulders.
“Jesus,” breathed as she clutched her heart and let her head fall back. You laughed a little and leaned down to kiss her forehead.
“Sorry,” you said, and Robin pouted playfully.
“You should be. My lips are down here, dummy.” Robin reached up and cupped your face in with her hands as she guided your mouth to hers. You smiled against her lips as you kissed her and pulled away after a moment. You crinkled your nose. “What?” She asked.
“As much as I love kissing you, and I mean, I fucking love it,” you paused to kiss the top of her nose, “but kissing upside down is so weird.” Robin smiled and nodded.
“I agree.”
You moved around her then, only taking seconds to swing a leg over her lap and straddle Robin’s waist. Robin’s hands went to your thighs before slowly sliding back to cup your ass. “Much better,” Robin murmured. You brushed your nose against Robin’s and she pulled your body closer to hers as you kissed her roughly, your fingers tugged on her hair.
Robin moaned softly as your other hand went to her chin and gently guided her mouth open. You slipped your tongue inside briefly before Robin took control and shifted your hips slightly, pulling you closer and thrusting her hips upward in delicious rhythm that you matched instantly. You tipped her head back and deepened the kiss, getting lost in the feeling of Robin’s hands running all over your body.
“You’re so sexy,” she said as you broke away to kiss along her jaw only to stop at her pulse point to nibble on the soft skin. Her voice was slightly deeper, raspier, and you really wished you were at home in your room and not in the shitty break room at Family Video. You wanted nothing more than to take off Robin’s clothes and taste every inch of her.
You pulled back and looked into her eyes, the light blue turned deep as a chaotic ocean and you wanted to drown so badly. “If only you could see yourself,” you said, eyes wandering over the blushed cheeks, kiss-swollen lips, and tussled hair. She was breath taking.
Robin’s fingers traced your lips softly and you watched her memorize your face for a minute before slowly leaning in to capture her lips again, gentler this time. Robin’s fingertips trailed over your jaw and down your neck as yours went to her waist and back, slipping under her shirt. Robin inhaled sharply as your cool hands touched her warm skin and you felt her smile as she kissed you harder.
“Wow!” You heard someone yell loudly over the music and you practically flew across the room, jumping off Robin before looking up to see Steve standing a few feet away with a huge shit-eating grin on his face.
“What the hell, shitbird?” Robin spat as she straightened her shirt, face beet red.
“Steve! I specifically said not to fucking come in here,” you said, a little out of breath. Your face was boiling hot and your heart was pounding in your chest. You felt like you may actually pass out.
“It’s been twenty minutes already, and I’m bored,” he defended, and you rolled your eyes with a sigh.
“So you had to come bother us?’ Robin grumbled and you bit back the smile at her messy hair and the pink marks on her neck.
“Hey, you’re on the clock, too!”
“I wouldn’t interrupt you if you were with a girl,” she started.
“No, instead you use my love life for your own sick entertainment.”
“Oh, get over the board, Harrington.”
“You get over the board, Buckley.”
“Ohmygod, make out already,” you groaned at their usual old-married-couple bickering. Steve snorted.
“Steve wishes he could makeout with me,” Robin said as she slumped back into her chair.
“I wish I could makeout with you,” you said and Robin perked up.
“Now there’s a thought,” she said. You turned to Steve.
“Five more minutes? Please? And then we’ll go out there and give you all the love and attention you need.” Steve rolled his eyes.
“Fine. Five more minutes,” he said with his hands on his hips.
“Thanks, dad,” Robin said over her shoulder as you walked back to her and sat on her lap again. Steve’s response was drowned out as Robin pulled your face to hers and whispered against your lips, “Fuck five minutes.”
Summary: you’re walking around starcourt and decide to grab ice cream. you see steve for the first time since high school and he’s changed a lot since then.
-more steve readers-
-st readers-
Steve ran his fingers through his hair. He’d been off his game for a while, since Nancy really, and it was starting to take a toll on him. He used the same charm and smile he did in high school, the ones that crowned him king of Hawkins High, but he’d changed so much since then that it felt flat. He couldn’t play the part of popular guy now that school was over, and since his life had turned Upside Down, he wasn’t much of a panty chaser. Or dropper evidently. Robin smiled from the ice cream shop window as she revealed her newest tally against him on her precious whiteboard where she catalogued his flirting failures. At least someone’s having a good time, he thought with a sigh.
Robin straightened up a little then, hiding the board quickly as she looked over Steve’s shoulder. “Show time, Romeo,” she said and Steve bit back a snarky retort as he spun around, preparing to strike out once again. No performance this time. Steve was going to be real for once. The king routine was getting him nowhere and he was exhausted of the role.
You were lazily walking through the mall, talking advantage of the air-conditioning and spending the afternoon window shopping. You didn’t have too many friends in Hawkins, even though you’d lived there your whole life. Your best friend moved away after high school graduation to go to college in Texas and you had to stoop so low as to ask your little brother to hang out. You loved Dustin, but he wasn’t exactly someone to talk to about girl stuff or anything ‘R’ rated. You felt extra deflated when even he was too busy for you, always away at friends’ houses and sneaking out at night. You missed having fun. Now the only times you got out was when you went to work at Chuck E. Cheese or to the grocery store with your mom.
As you reached the food court, you caught eye of an ice cream shop and your stomach growled a little. It was such a hot day, your mouth practically watered at the thought of a cone with a scoop of your favorite. As you approached the counter you noticed the face of a girl you went to high school with, Robin, poking out from a back service window. You smiled and raised one of your hands in a wave, but you couldn’t help the look of confusion you had when your brain registered the boy who stood just behind the counter.
“Steve?” you asked, not really believing that Steve Harrington would work at a Scoops Ahoy inside of Starcourt- or anywhere for that matter. His family was rich; he lived in one of the biggest homes in the neighborhood. You couldn’t understand why he would subject himself to wearing a sailor costume and slinging ice cream, with a dorky hat no less. You were shocked he wasn’t worried about his precious hair getting ruined.
“Oh, uh- hey, Y/N,” Steve said, a blush appearing on his cheeks.
“Ahoy…captain,” you smirked, half convinced you were at home asleep having a really wild dream. Steve’s face turned redder and you felt a little bad for embarrassing him. “Since when do you work here?” you asked, trying to redirect the conversation a little.
“Summer job,” he shrugged. “I’m trying to save up for college.”
“Really? You?” you asked, still shocked.
“Yeah,” he said, looking down as he rubbed the back of his neck nervously. “Basketball didn’t work as planned- didn’t get any sports scholarships. Dad’s not exactly thrilled, so if I want to go to college now I have to pay for it.” You blinked in surprise. You didn’t expect Steve to tell you all that. You two weren’t friends in school, but you were more than just classmates. You’d gone to some of Harrington’s wild parties and even shared a round of 7 Minutes in Heaven together in seventh grade at Carol’s thirteenth birthday party. But at the end of the day he’d been prom king and you were just a girl who didn’t care about labels.
“Damn,” you began, feeling more guilty about poking fun at him. “That’s rough. I’m sorry, Steve.” He smiled, though his eyes didn’t. He was playing a part again. Always Steve the cool guy.
“It’s alright. Gives me time to figure out what the fuck I want to do with my life.” Or maybe not? This was definitely not the Steve you went to school with. Since when was he into having an actual conversation? Usually Harrington just dished out flattery at the hopes of a date, or more if he was lucky.
You’d seen a few rare glimpses of the real Steve, though, whether he remembered or not. Three separate instances where Steve had been very drunk, the two of you had wandered off somewhere private, and he’d been very honest with you. He would talk about how much he hated Tommy and Carol. How his dad would always put him down for his grades. How people never really wanted to know the real him. It never lasted, though. Someone would always be looking for King Steve and he’d jump back up, walls in place cemented with a stupid drunken grin to remain life of the party. Anything to make people happy. “What about you?” he asked, breaking your train of thought.
“Huh?” You had completely forgotten what you two had been talking about, mind a few years in the past. “Oh, same, actually. I’m kind of losing my mind a little bit,” you said easily with a smile. “But hey, animatronic rats really help with the anxiety.” Steve laughed at that, a real, hearty laugh that you couldn’t help but join in a little.
“Jesus, that’s right, I forgot you work at Chuck E. Cheese.”
“What? How did you know?” You’d only been working there for two months and you’d been going out of your way to make sure no one saw you there. Ever. Labels aside, you didn’t need everyone to know you were serving pizza to sobbing children for less than minimum wage. Steve’s ears turned red.
“I’ve seen you there.” Your eyes widened a little as you waited for him to elaborate. “I was driving by one day about a month ago and I saw you walking in wearing the red vest.”
“Lovely,” you muttered under your breath, slightly mortified that you’d been caught. Steve leaned coolly against the counter and you couldn’t help but notice the change in proximity.
“Nah, it wasn’t that bad. Way better than this,” he said, gesturing to his own ensemble. You bit your lip to try and hide the big smile that grew on your lips. Dammit if this new Steve wasn’t doing something to you. You knew he’d become friends with Dustin over the past couple months, but other than a quick greeting as Dustin jumped into Steve’s car before the two drove off for sometimes more than a day, you hadn’t gotten the opportunity to really talk to the guy. He seemed like he’d matured a lot, though, and it looked damn good on him.
“I don’t know,” you said, crossing your arms over your chest and taking him in for a moment. “I think the hat really brings it all together.” Steve smirked and cocked an eyebrow, clearly in the mood to play along.
“I know, right? Let’s just say, we’re not famous for the ice cream. They come for it, but that’s not why they stick around,” he adds with a wink.
“Wow,” you breathed. Now that sounded more like the Steve you remembered, though you could tell his words held none of their old weight. He looked clearly amused, enjoying messing around with you and waiting to hear what you’d say next. God, he was adorable. “Is that on the secret menu I don’t know about?” You asked, glancing around the room as if looking for a poster when your eyes found an elderly woman in the corner who looked like she was about to fall asleep in her banana split. “I think you rocked her world a little too much.”
Steve broke with a laugh that lit up his whole face, hair swaying into his eyes before he combed it back with his hand. “Couldn’t handle the U.S.S. Butterscotch,” he said and you raised a brow at him.
“Is that what you call it?”
“Trust me, babe, it’s an ocean of flavor,” he added. You leaned your elbow onto the counter, face inches from Steve’s. His gaze darted to your lips so fast you almost thought you’d imagined it, but his tongue darted out to wet his own as eyes fixed onto yours.
“Well, then, I gotta try it.”
“How about tonight?” he asked seriously, voice soft and gentle- hopeful. You found yourself nodding before you even registered what was happening. Steve smiled.
“Yeah, I’d like that.”
“Y/N??” a familiar voice called from behind and you looked over your shoulder to see Dustin making his way to the counter. “What are you doing here?” You shrugged, looking back at Steve as Dustin reached you.
“Just talking to Steve,” you responded nonchalantly. Dustin eyed suspiciously at you before turning his gaze to Steve. His eyes narrowed as he continued to switch back and forth between you two before finally settling on Steve. Steve looked at Dustin like he was crazy before lightly shoving the kid’s shoulder.
“Stop staring at me, weirdo.”
“You didn’t,” was all Dustin said, stumbling slightly. Steve still kept the same look on his face, but it didn’t remain for long under Dustin’s intensity. Steve cracked as Dustin let out a loud groan in protest. “Gross, dude, that’s my sister! What the hell?”
summary: you’re hanging out with robin and steve as they close the family video. you’re secretly in love with robin and your best friend steve helps hint it to her.
a/n: repost from my ao3 (scoopydoo). feel free to send me requests if you’d like!
-more robin readers-
-st readers-
“God, I’m so bored,” you breathed as you lay out on the floor of Family Video. It was nearly eight o’clock and Keith had gone home about an hour ago, leaving Steve and Robin to close the shop. You arrived twenty minutes later with slurpees for your two friends. Steve complained about Robin’s overflowing while his drink sat safely in his cup without threat of spillage and you just shrugged. It definitely wasn’t because you had a crush on Robin. Steve knew, though, and gave you a wink when he thought Robin wasn’t paying attention.
You’d started spending time with Steve when the Byers kid first went missing a while back, and the easy friendship had surprised you. Steve was funny, and caring, and although he wasn’t the smartest, he definitely had a strong moral compass that strongly pointed north when needed. He’d saved you from demogorgons, demodogs, and eventually even a Flayed Billy.
When Steve had first gotten his job at Scoops and you met Robin, you had an instant crush on her. She was pretty, smart, snarky, and hilarious. You’d laughed more since meeting her than you had in years. As the three of you spent time translating the Russian communication, along with Dustin, you’d fallen rather hard for her. It had been hard to keep your feelings hidden from Robin, not knowing if she was straight or not, but you’d done everything in your power to keep that shit locked up tight. You didn’t want to do anything to make her uncomfortable, even if every time your hands brushed it felt like an electric shock webbing through your veins to your shoulder.
Of course, Steve knew. You had alluded it to him one night in his living room as he’d been trying to convince you to call the guy who’d wrote his number on a napkin at Benny’s Diner and given it to you with a shy smile.
“He’s just really not my type, Steve,” you’d said, stomach in knots and feeling like you were going to throw up your entire club sandwich on Steve’s mom’s new white rug.
“What, a guy? You don’t know anything about him!” Steve had argued, exasperatedly trying to figure out why you always turned down guys’ advances.
“Steve,” you pressed, letting his name hang in the air as Steve’s brows knit together, staring at you like Eleven staring at a door and you could tell he was trying to read your mind. You raised your brows, the actual words caught in your throat with the bile that threatened to rise. I’m gay.
“What?” he asked, clearly confused until- oh, now he got it. “Oh-oh,” he blinked, leaning back against the couch and staring at nothing. It was quiet for a moment, then he began almost yelling at you for not telling him sooner. The rest of the night the two of you spent hours gushing about girls you thought were cute, at school, from films, anything. It felt amazing.
Since then, you’d been very comfortable about being gay, at least in front of Steve. But then Robin entered the picture and it was a whole new dynamic. You felt awkward, clumsy, like it was the first crush you’d ever had. Which it wasn’t, but it was the first time you were close enough to a girl you liked that you felt like any wrong step would scare her off. But it never did. Even when she’d look over and catch you staring at her, she’d just smile and start engaging you in conversation.
Then she and Steve had been interrogated by Russians and you’d sat with them during Back to the Future, chasing your drugged friends as they ran out to the water fountain and eventually to the bathroom to puke up everything in their systems. That’s when it happened. Robin came out to you and Steve. She looked horrified, as if she was a monster. You wanted to tell her that you were gay, too, but you didn’t want to ruin her moment. You also couldn’t tell her how you felt after Steve had just confessed his love for her. So the two of you sat and listened, and joked about how her high school crush Tammy Thompson sang like a Muppet.
Once everything had died down, you told Steve how you felt about Robin after having a few shots at Steve’s, an attempt to forgo nightmares in favor of being too drunk to have them.
“Isn’t that Rob’s?” he’d asked, gesturing a shot glass at your jacket before tipping his head back and gulping down its contents. You’d blushed and shoved your own glass at him, silently telling him you needed a refill. Steve obliged, but kept your glass from you when you moved to grab it.
“Jesus, what, you want to wear it next?” Your words were slurring, face heated, body swaying slightly as you both sat at the dining table. Steve watched you for a moment before sliding your shot glass to you and picking up his own. You grabbed yours and clinked it to his.
“Y’know,” he slurred as he tossed his drink back and let out a low hiss at the burn. “S’okay if you like her.” Your hand froze as the glass touched your lips, pausing briefly before following Steve’s actions.
“I dunno, Steve,” you said quietly, wishing the alcohol would do more to numb your brain so you wouldn’t have to think anymore. You were just exhausted of being a living person these days, the battles with the Upside Down were really taking a toll on you. The days were okay, but you were reliving yourself and all your friends almost dying every night and you didn’t know how long you would last.
“Trust me, she likes you,” Steve continued and you rolled your eyes. “She does. She talks about you all the time, it’s getting annoying.” You blushed then, not fully trusting Steve but the thought was nice. “I can’t go to work without hearing her gush about some book you lent her, or-or some conversation you guys had about that 2000s movie.”
“It’s 2001: A Space Odyssey, and you really need to see it already,” you argued, but couldn’t help the butterflies you felt at the thought of Robin talking to Steve about you. You spent the rest of the night drinking and talking about your crush until you could barely keep your eyes open. The two of you passed out in Steve’s room, thankfully too out of it for the night terrors.
You rolled over onto your stomach, still splayed out on the rough, old carpet of the video store as Steve and Robin restocked the shelves before calling it a night. “At least you’re not working,” Steve grumbled, reading the sleeve of a new film he hadn’t heard of and Robin scoffed.
“Neither are you, dingus,” she said, kicking his shoe with hers and grabbing the VHS from his hands before placing it on the shelf. He sighed and placed a film next to it before turning to you with a devilish smile.
“Y/N, truth or dare?” You narrowed your eyes at him, feeling a trap. You didn’t want to embarrass yourself doing whatever Steve may choose as a dare, but you were also anxious to pick truth. After contemplating telling him to fuck off altogether, you heard yourself say, “truth.” Steve grined, wheels clearly spinning in his brain. Steve humed loudly and you watched Robin continue to stock tapes, an amused grin tugging at the corners of her lips. Steve grinned then, too, and you had a bad feeling about that. “Who would you rather: Phoebe Cates or Michael J. Fox?” You blushed profusely as Robin froze, hand resting on a tape with her back to you though you could tell she was waiting to hear your answer. You let out a shaky breath. Dammit, Harrington.
“You know it’s Phoebe,” you answered before punching him lightly in the arm. He rubbed his shoulder and mouthed an exaggerated ‘ow.’ You knew your face was beet red and you were glad Robin wasn’t looking at you. “If I ever say Michael, lock me up immediately.”
“Really?” Robin asked, voice shocked and you glanced at her. She was looking at you surprised, like she’d never seen you before. She almost looked, hopeful.
“Yeah,” you said shyly. You heard Steve say something about grabbing an item from the back, but he already sounded miles away, as if it were only you and Robin.
“How am I just learning this now?” she asked and you sat up, crossing your legs as she turned her attention solely on you.
“I don’t know,” you said honestly. “I mean, I wanted to tell you, I just- it never seemed like the right time.” Robin laughed softly.
“Because drugged in a movie theater bathroom was so perfect.” You giggled a little.
“Exactly. And I couldn’t really say, ‘hey, Robin, I’m in love with you,’ when Dingus already stole that thunder.” Robin’s brows flew up and after a beat she started to smile softly.
“Well,” she breathed, “too bad you didn’t get to go first.” You reached out and brushed her hair behind her ear. You bit your lip as her blue eyes gazed into yours.
“You think I would’ve had a better shot?”
“I think you’re the only one who had one in the first place.” You didn’t know who moved first, but a moment later your eyes were closed and Robin’s lips were pressed against yours. Your hand cupped her jaw as hers went to your waist and your mouths moved perfectly in sync. It wasn’t a long kiss, but it was the first of many. Gentle and warm and perfect.
Summary: set a couple weeks after s3. robins been over 24/7 since and youre both out to each other, but youre just friends. when you and dustin have a brief moment alone together, he encourages you to tell her how you feel.
-more robin readers-
-st readers-
“Where’s Robin?” Dustin asked curiously as he entered the living room. You lay sprawled out on the couch and he threw your legs off the one end so he could sit, too.
“She had to go home for dinner. Her aunt’s coming over and her mom’s making a huge deal about it. She’ll be back in a couple hours.” Dustin nodded beside you. “How’s Suzie-poo?” you mused and your brother blushed profusely. He’d been excitedly talking about their planned radio call all morning and you’d even caught them singing a little duet through Dustin’s door. They were too adorable.
“She’s doing great. She’s going on a short vacation with her parents next week, though, so we won’t be able to talk on our first month-aversary,” he grumbled. You rolled your eyes. Sometimes Dustin could be a little dramatic.
“I’m sure it’ll be fine, Dusty,” you assured, but he just shrugged.
“Whatever. I don’t want to talk about it.” It was quiet for a moment before Dustin spoke again. “What about you?” You looked over at him expectantly. “I mean, after all the shit we’ve dealt with,” he said, referring to all the crap that had happened over the past two years. Hawkins had become a feeding ground for monsters and your most recent escapade ended only a couple weeks ago. “How are you doing?” he asked. You’d been asked that a lot lately, but you never really knew how to respond. Typically you’d lie, but since Dustin seemed pretty sincere you decided you should be, too.
“Not great. Nightmares are the worst, but Robin sleeping over helps,” you said as you looked back at the television. Dustin nodded and considered your words.
“I like Robin.”
“Me, too.”
“Why don’t you ask her out, then?” You looked back over at your brother who, feeling your eyes on him, ripped his gaze from the screen. “What? You guys are good together.”
“It’s not that simple,” you sighed. You knew Robin liked girls, but that didn’t mean she liked you. Besides, she already knew you were gay, too. She could’ve made a move just as easily but hadn’t yet. Maybe you two just weren’t meant to be romantic.
“Why not?” he asked. “Asking out a girl is scary as hell,” he offered, “but wouldn’t it be worth it if she said yes?”
“Yes, but-” you sighed as Dustin cut you off.
“You guys have a shit ton in common, and every time she’s here all you two do is drool over each other.” You started to argue but figured it wasn’t worth it. Dustin was right. You had it bad for Rob and there was a slight chance she’d feel the same way. But that didn’t mean you were ready to test that theory. “Just think about it.” You thought about all the times since he’d gotten back from camp that Dustin told you to “find your Suzie.” Robin was definitely your Suzie, if Suzie wasn’t Dustin’s Robin. You were sure you felt stronger for Rob than Dustin ever could for his long-distance girlfriend.
You decided then and there that yes, it would be worth it. You loved Robin and that was that. She had a right to know and you owed it to yourself to tell her.
An hour after dinner, there was a knock on the Henderson’s door. You were sitting in your room at your desk, listening to music and flipping through a comic book Dustin gave you, staring at the pictures but your mind was reeling too quickly to actually read what was happening. You stared at an image of Colossus springing into action as you heard a soft rap at your door. “Come in,” you called before looking up in time to see Robin sneaking through the crack in the door. “Hey,” you greeted, unable to help the blush creeping onto your cheeks as she smiled at you.
“Hey,” she breathed and went to sit on edge of your bed closest to you. “It feels good to be back.” She kicked off her shoes and crossed her legs under her. You smiled as she got comfy. “What’re you reading?”
“I don’t even know,” you said honestly and flipped the comic closed. You turned in your chair to face her properly. “How’s your aunt?” Robin made a face.
“She asked if I have a boyfriend.”
“Oh, gross,” you said with a slight laugh, though you wore the same uncomfortable look as Robin.
“Yeah. And when I said no, she spent a half hour listing off all the eligible bachelors she knows.” Robin rolled her eyes and flopped back onto the bed. You got up and moved next to her on the bed. “I told her I don’t like boys and my mom almost had a heart attack.” Robin let out a soft, sarcastic laugh. Your brows flew upward in shock.
“You told her?!”
“Yeah, then mom said, ‘she’s just waiting till they get older; more mature,’” Robin mocked. Robin scoffed in disgust.
“I’m sorry, Rob,” you said, feeling a little sick. Robin was one of the best people you knew, and she deserved the world. She also deserved to come out when she wanted to tell whoever she wanted. Her mom wasn’t being fair, but you guessed it was somewhat expected. It’s not like folks were throwing pride parades for gay people.
“I’m just sick of pretending to be something I’m not. I want it to be okay that I’m…me,” she said quietly and you reached over and took her hand, giving it a small squeeze.
“I love you,” you said, the words falling from your lips so effortlessly it took a beat to realize they’d even slipped out. “Shit, did I just say that out loud?” Robin was frozen beside you and you could feel your palms getting sweaty as you dropped her hand like it burned. “Shit, Robin, I didn’t- that’s not what I meant. I mean, I do, but I didn’t mean to- I just mean you’re amazing and incredible and everything about you is beautiful and if someone doesn’t see that they don’t deserve anything from you,” you rambled, wishing a Demogorgon would pop out and whisk you off to the Upside Down. Anything would be better than Robin staring at you like you had three heads. “You’re like…sunshine,” you muttered lamely, unable to stop the word vomit.
Robin propped herself up on her elbow, face inches from yours. “You love me?” she asked, and all you could do was nod your head. Robin reached out with her arm that wasn’t supporting herself, cupped your cheek, and pulled your face to hers, capturing your lips in a soft kiss. You reached out and wrapped your arms around her middle, one on her hip and the other snaked around her back. You kissed her back, matching her intensity before deepening it, mouths molding together. Her breath hitched as your tongue played with hers and your head was spinning.
Eventually Robin pulled back slightly and you rested your forehead to hers, both catching your breaths. “God, I’ve wanted to do that for so long,” Robin admitted softly and your heart leapt with joy. You hummed in agreement. Robin pressed her lips to yours again lazily. “I love you, too,” she said finally. “Just wanted to throw that out there.” You grinned and kissed her, hungrier than before. Suzie had nothing on Robin Buckley.
Summary: You’re hurt and end up confessing your feelings to her.
more robin imagines
more stranger things imagines
You watched Robin and Steve through the service window of the ice cream shop as they giggled at each other, the sight making your chest ache. It wasn’t fair for you to be so upset, but you couldn’t help the hurt and anger that rose up. You’d been secretly in love with Robin for a while, and you’d let yourself think she could feel the same. But watching how her and Steve got along so well and so easily, it was clear that they were a way better match.
“I can’t do this anymore,” you said to yourself as tears began to well in your eyes, but you made sure none fell. Your vision blurred but you blinked back the tears as you slung your backpack over your shoulder and pushed through the back door of the ice cream shop.
You started down the quiet hallway immediately, needing to get out of the mall as soon as possible. At least you were finally away from those two. You hated how much you let it affect you, but you’d spent too much of your life pining after girls who pined after boys, and you decided the universe needed to write some new fucking material.
You were embarrassed. You convinced yourself that all the subtle glances and smiles and hand brushing had been something more. You’d been naïve. Probably just stupid. It wasn’t like Robin had led you on- you’d fabricated the whole thing in your head. She was completely unaware you’d been anything but friendly, and now here you were running away like an idiot just because she liked Steve. Yup, very stupid, indeed. You made a mental note to apologize to them both later.
“Y/N!” You heard your name echo through the hall and you looked over your shoulder to see Robin running the short distance to you. Your heart ached and you just wanted to be alone so you could cry but you stood still and tried to muster up the courage to stay. You turned to face her as she stopped a couple feet away. “What the hell?” she asked, face showing concern though her tone sounded hurt. “You’re just, what, leaving?” her blue eyes bore into yours. “What happened?”
“I’m sorry,” you said softly, barely making a sound.
“What are you-” she began, but you kept going, needing to speak while the feelings were fresh or you may not say it all. You were terrified to tell her the truth, but maybe you could reveal it all while you were still hurting. What was a little extra humiliation? You were feeling bold.
“I’m sorry,” you said again, louder this time and you couldn’t stop the words from flowing from your lips. “I’m so fucking sorry, Robin. I don’t want you to be mad at me, or hate me, but- fuck, you have to know that I’m in love you.”
You took a deep breath as your words hung in the air and you watched Robin’s face carefully, ready for her to let you down. You just hoped she wouldn’t be grossed out. You didn’t think you’d be able to face that reaction.
Robin was frozen for a beat before her brows knit together and she blinked, seemingly taken aback as her lips parted. She didn’t say anything, didn’t even seem to be breathing as she stared at you.
“I’m sorry,” you said again, needing to fill the silence because you’d been prepared for her to say something, anything. You hated that you couldn’t tell how she felt and hoped that maybe if you just kept explaining yourself that Robin would jump in eventually. “I don’t want to make you uncomfortable or anything, I know you like Steve, but I just-”
“What?” Robin snorted and closed her eyes as she shook her head, finally thawed, but you continued.
“It’s okay, I’ve seen how he looks at you. He likes you, too-”
“What? N-no,” she said, shaking her head again.
“You guys have become my best friends, and I’m happy you’re happy. But I can’t pretend like my feelings for you don’t exist.” You’d spent way too long trying to do that and it hurt too much. It would hurt to see her with Steve, but you would get over it. You just needed to free the weight off your shoulders. Every damn ounce. “I don’t want you to think my friendship has been ingenuine, but I don’t think I’ve exactly kept it a secret from you that I like you.”
“You said love,” Robin corrected, and though her brow was still slightly furrowed, the corners of her mouth started to curl into a soft smile. You still couldn’t tell what she was thinking or feeling, but she was smiling as she talked about love and your heart hounded in your chest.
“Yeah, I did.” You took a shaky breath and kept your eyes trained on hers. “I love you, Robin B-”
You didn’t get to finish before her mouth crashed against yours, her hands around your neck and tugging on your hair in an instant. Now it was your turn to freeze, but only for a beat before your hands went to her hips. You pulled her body closer as Robin deepened the kiss, lips parting as her tongue licked into your mouth and sent a twinge of pleasure through your body. You explored each other’s mouths for a moment, losing yourselves in each other until finally Robin had the sensibility to pull back slightly.
“What about Steve?” you asked, dazed from still being able to taste her on your tongue, but still confused about where you stood.
“He’s a dingus, and I’m a lesbian,” she said matter-of-factly with a wide smile, lips red and kiss swollen.
“Well, you don’t say,” you breathed. Robin laughed, her smile lighting up her face and you didn’t know what was funny, but you smiled as well.
“I can’t believe you thought I like Steve,” she said.
“Oh, please, you know you two flirt,” you mused and Robin rolled her eyes.
“I just call him an idiot all the time. You’re the one I’m actually trying to flirt with.” Robin’s cheeks reddened. “Apparently not very well.” Now it was your turn to laugh.
“I mean, I hoped,” you began, feeling like you were in a dream. You were holding the girl you loved and she was holding you back, staring at you with hearts in her eyes and it was everything you’d ever wanted. Robin leaned in and pressed her lips gently to yours in a soft peck.
“Come back inside?” she asked, lips hovering over yours and you nodded minutely. Robin pulled back a little and looked at you with a slightly dazed expression. “God, you’re beautiful.” Your heart swelled and stuttered in your chest.
“You’re going to be the death of me,” you replied. Robin grinned and ran her hands down your arms before capturing your hands in hers and lacing your fingers together.
“Not before our date tonight.”
“Oh? Where are you taking me?” you asked, not really caring what the answer was. Robin was gay and liked you back and wanted to go out with you. She could’ve really been planning to murder you and you still would’ve been over the moon.
“You’ll see,” she answered before placing a quick kiss on your cheek. She dropped one of your hands and pulled you along with the other, back down the hall toward the ice cream shop.
xxx
a/n: also posting on my ao3 [scoopydoo]. happy stranger things day! let me know if you have any prompts/requests! also, let me know if you want to be tagged when i post!
Summary: since your first shift at hotdog on a stick starts soon, you drive dustin to the mall so he can see steve. while your killing time you flirt with robin.
-more robin readers-
-st readers-
“Stop running so fast! I swear that security guard has been watching us since the parking lot.” You were chasing after your little brother, Dustin, as he sped-walked ahead of you through the halls of Starcourt, his sneakers squeaking loudly on the linoleum causing the large man in a blue uniform to follow you two on the other side of the walkway. “Why are you in such a hurry, anyway?”
“That’s Phil. He’s had it out for me ever since he caught Mike, Will, Lucas, and I sitting in Nightmare on Elm Street without tickets.” You rolled your eyes as Dustin slowed his pace ever so slightly. “And I need to tell Henderson what I figured out last night.”
“Oh, right. The ‘Russian spy code’ thing,” you said in a mocking tone, using air quotes until Dustin spun on his heel and frantically grabbed your hands and shushed you loudly.
“Are you literally insane?!” He cried in a voice barely above a whisper. “Oh, my God, don't talk about it out loud,” he hissed before turning around as he muttered about letting the Russians get you and you quietly snorted in amusement. Dustin had burst into your room last night animatedly talking about how he’d intercepted a Russian transmission of a secret spy code. Although it sounded intriguing, you were only going to be home for about another month before you were leaving to start your first semester of college. You were pretty sure it wasn’t actually a spy message, but even so, you didn’t want to get murdered by Soviets before you left Hawkins. Unfortunately, being eighteen meant driver’s license and that meant driving your little brother around town.
“I still can’t believe you’re friends with Steve. Such a trip,” you muttered. You went Hawkins High School with Steve and the two of you were in the same grade, but you were never friends. In fact, you could probably count all the conversations you’d ever had with him on one hand. You had no clue why or how he’d become so close to Dustin. You tried to pry once but the boy never really told you much. Hell, the only reason you knew about the transmission was because none of Dustin’s friends were around to answer the phone. Needless to say you came from a very private family.
Dustin skipped ahead as you two reached the food court and you trailed behind him. You glanced up at the large clock on the wall and took note of the time. 3:20. Your mom made you get a summer job to save up some extra cash before leaving town and your very first shift at HotDog on a Stick was at four. You signed and continued after Dustin, reaching Scoops Ahoy just in time to see him bound around the front counter and to a back door labeled ‘Employees Only.’
“Hey, slow down, I just mopped!” A brown haired girl in a sailor costume chastised from behind the counter. “There’s a sign; you can’t sue if you trip.” You laughed a little and she turned forward, seeing you for the first time. Her blue eyes seemed to sparkle even under the shitty florescent lights and you felt your cheeks blush when she smiled. You knew Robin from school, too, and admittedly better than Steve, but not by much. The two of you had a few class projects together over the years, but nothing too substantial. Probably nothing close to warrant how big of a crush you’d developed on her. God, why did she have to look at you like that? You felt like a puddle already. “Hey, Y/N,” she said coolly, though her voice was slightly higher than usual as if she was surprised to see you. “How’s you summer going?”
“Just, you know, trying to get my life in order,” you shrugged. “I actually got a part-time job here.” Robin’s head cocked to the side slightly. “Not, like, here here,” you gestured to the ice cream shop. “But, like, in the…food court,” you finished lamely. Robin’s brow furrowed a little, confusion spreading over her features. You always liked how expressive she was. You absently wondered if she even knew she did it.
“I thought you were going to IUB?” You could feel your face heating up a little. You didn’t know how she’d heard about that- maybe Dustin mentioned it in passing, but the fact that she remembered made your stomach do flips. You cleared your throat a little, suddenly feeling very dry under Robin’s gaze.
“I, uh- I’m heading out mid-August, so my mom practically went handing out flyers to everyone she knows with a business.” You placed your elbows on the counter and leaned in a little closer to Robin. “I’ll have you know, you’re actually talking to the newest employee of HotDog on a Stick,” you said, shrugging like it was a big deal. Robin laughed and bit her lip.
“Oh, wow,” she said, feigning to be oh-so-impressed. “Lucky me.” Your eyes darted to her lips before you could stop yourself and you saw a little smirk dancing there. You caught yourself leaning in the tiniest bit of a fraction and you let your head fall a little as you let out a shaky laugh, trying to hide the blush that was spreading across your face. This was bad. You had it really bad and Robin didn’t even know what she was doing to you. You were in a crowded food court for fuck’s sake. Not to mention the fact that you didn’t even know if she liked girls. Which, knowing your luck was probably a ‘no.’ You let out a steadying breath before looking back up, feeling more composed after breaking eye-contact for a moment. You decided you were allowed to flirt a little, just to test the waters.
“Yeah, stick with me, baby, and you’ll never want for lemonade again.” You needed to keep it together but you could swear you saw a glimpse of something in Robin’s eye when you called her ‘baby,’ even if you were just joking around. You mentally composed yourself, not wanting to come on too strong and freak Robin out. You hadn’t even started your job yet that would mortifying. “Seriously, I can already tell my love for lemonade is going to go straight to shit.”
“Yeah,” she agreed with a nod, her smirk turning into a smile. “And hotdogs, fries, literally anything fried, probably.” You smiled and nudged her arm playfully. “At least you get one of those cute bucket hats,” she added slyly, bursting out laughing when you gave her a glare that only lasted a second because you couldn’t even fake being miserable with a literal angel laughing.
“Oh, come on. At least it’s not a sailor outfit,” she tried with a little curtsey, but you rolled your eyes.
“Please, at least you and Steve still manage to look hot in your uniforms. I’m going to be an ugly, striped cylinder. They literally make their employees look like rainbow-striped hotdogs. Like, what is that?” You spoke quickly, going on a short tangent without realizing you’d called Robin hot until after you’d finished. You hoped she didn’t notice, but you weren’t so lucky. She stood there very still, eyes slightly wider than before and lips parted softly, the ghost of her smile still evident. She blinked and shook her head slightly, furrowing her brow and biting the inside of her cheek. She opened her mouth, and then closed it, seemingly deciding whether or not to say something when the voices from the back-of-house started to grow. You saw Steve’s hair flop out from the doorway and Dustin was a few steps behind him. When he saw you Steve’s brows practically soared to his hairline.
“Y/N?”
“Hey, Steve,” you said, grateful for a distraction from the embarrassment of Robin still staring at you. She looked away then, and out of the corner of her eye you caught her tuck her hair behind her ear as her face grew red.
“How’s it going?” He made his way over to the center of the counter next to Robin. You shrugged, sneaking a glance to the girl whose eyes were trained on the register before turning your attention back to Steve.
“Not bad, just waiting for my shift to start. Dustin wouldn’t stop bugging me about coming here all morning so I had to leave a bit earlier than I planned.”
“I forget that you guys are related,” Steve said with a laugh and Dustin huffed next to him, hand already digging a testing spoon into a tub of ice cream.
“I wish I could forget,” he muttered. You scoffed.
“Shut up, you love me.” Dustin made a noise of disgust and you couldn’t help but smile. The two of you didn’t share your personal lives with each other very often, but you and Dustin had your own sibling adventures over the years. From days at the arcade, to driving across Indiana to see a Star Wars trilogy marathon in Bloomington, you knew the kid really did care a lot about you.
“Shift where?” Steve asked as he swatted Dustin’s hand away from the toppings. You jabbed a thumb behind you to where the bright neon sign stood behind you across the sea of messy tables and people eating greasy pizza. Steve caught where you were gesturing and grinned. “Ah, I see. Going to be one of those cute HotDog on a Stick girls, huh?” You felt your face heat up immediately.
Steve Harrington had never flirted with you before. If it had been a few years ago, you would’ve died completely. Having Steve ‘The Hair’ Harrington talk to you like that would’ve melted you like butter, even when he was a total douchebag. You knew Steve wasn’t the same guy he was sophomore year, if his being so close to your brother was any indication, but you’d changed a lot over the years, too. There was no denying that Steve was incredibly gorgeous, but that crush had long since fizzled. You’d had your eye on someone else for a while. Someone who also happened to be standing right in front of you.
“I don’t know about that,” you said, trying to regain some composure. It was getting very hot despite you being so close to an actual icebox and you could feel your palms getting sweaty. You were desperate to get the attention off yourself. “Dusty,” you called quickly, trying to change the subject, “did you tell him about the transmission?” Steve blinked as Dustin began to excited regale his findings, watching you curiously for a moment before turning his attention to the kid.
You sighed internally once the spotlight was turned on someone else and chanced a glance at Robin. She looked distracted, blue eyes flitting back and forth like she was thinking deeply about something. You turned to check the clock again and your first shift started in fifteen minutes. You decided you might as well run away now and try to distract yourself with the assumingly terrible job training you were about to endure. You pushed off the counter, gaining some attention from both Robin and Steve. “I’m going to head over. Don’t want to be late,” you said, looking at Dustin and Steve and trying very hard to not stare at Robin.
“Oh, okay. Bye, Y/N,” Steve said, sounding a little disappointed you were leaving so soon. Dustin muttered a quick ‘buh-bye’ before going back to his conversation with Steve. You finally looked over at Robin and you hated that it was one of the few times you couldn’t read her face at all. You would’ve given anything to read her mind.
“I’ll see you later?” you offered, and Robin smiled softly.
“Yeah,” she said quietly with a nod, as if confirming it. You had no idea what the damage would be from that conversation but you tried to brush it off as you turned around and made your way upstream to HotDog on a Stick. You met your manager and trainer for the day before getting started on the basics. After about an hour you heard a familiar voice talking to one of your coworkers. Your head shot up to see Robin, changed out of her uniform and into her regular shorts and shirt, chatting easily with your manager. You tried to focus on the task you were learning- how to smash the lemons, while straining to hear what they were talking about.
“-but I’m finally off so I don’t have to deal with that anymore,” Robin finished. You wondered what she was talking about as your manager laughed. She wouldn’t talk about you- you knew that. But that didn’t mean your subconscious was reasonable. Your stomach twisted as you started to grow anxious. “Actually, do you mind if I steal one of your employees for literally a minute?” Robin asked shyly and you felt like you might pass out.
“We’re supposed to carpool for church tomorrow and I wanted to make sure she knows where to meet.” You couldn’t help but snort at her quick excuse to talk to you. You tried to cover it with the sound of your smashing, but it didn’t work out too well. You just turned all your attention on the bucket of lemons in front of you.
“Y/N,” Robin called, this time a lot closer, and you looked up to see her leaning on the doorway beside you, nodding quickly toward the main food court. You nodded and held out the handle of the stomper to your coworker before rubbing your hands on your apron and following her out and a few tables down. She turned around and smiled at you, grin growing as she looked up at the hat. You instantly blushed.
“Don’t,” you warned. She smiled widely, full teeth, and you couldn’t help but crack a smile as well. “What do you want?” you asked, pretending to be harsh though it had no bearings considering how much you were grinning now too. Now it was Robin’s turn to blush.
“I-um…what are you doing tonight?” The question took you by surprise as your heart began to hurt in anticipation. You were pretty damn sure where this was going and your head was spinning with disbelief and excitement.
“I-I have work until 8,” you stuttered, a little frozen just thinking about Robin literally asking you out. Robin laughed a little, and you could tell you sounded a little Steve-ish but sometimes talking to Robin made your brain fry. How were you supposed to act normal anyway with her staring at you like that with her amused grin? You wished she would just put you out of your misery already.
“And after?”
“Whatever you’re doing,” you said with a shrug, snapping out of your stupor enough to regain control of the situation. Robin bit her lip, trying to hide her big grin as she tucked her hair behind her ear.
“Cool,” she said, though her eyes told you everything she didn’t dare say out loud. Things you’d both reveal later behind closed doors and out of reach from unwanted ears. “So, 8:30?” she asked and you nodded. She glanced back up at the hat before gazing into your eyes again. “You really do look cute in that hat.”
