Stare. [Steve Harrington x Reader]

Chapter Two: True American Heroes

Sunday, June 30, 1985

It was earlier in the day as Steve and I sat in the break room. It seemed like all we really did here was occasionally sling ice cream and mostly sit in the back doing nothing until our shifts ended.

Steve and I were in our own worlds, sitting in the comfortable silence of the break room, before we both heard a voice coming from someone that Robin was serving.

"Uh, are they here?"

"Is who here?" That voice sounded...oddly familiar.

Steve got up from the table swiftly and ran to the door, opening it. "Henderson." I heard him exclaim.

I got up and stood next to Steve in the doorway. It was Dustin, who had been away at some science camp during the first half of summer.

"Henderson! He's back! He's back!" Steve yelled in glee, looking over at me.

"I'm back! You guys got the job!"

"We got the job!" Steve said before walking over to Dustin to do their handshake, the one they had practiced for God knows how many long until it was perfect. I watched them, smiling as I came to stand beside Robin behind the counter.

"How many children are you guys friends with?" Robin asked us, looking between Steve and I. I cleared my throat as the smile slipped from my face at her question, because yeah...why were we friends with so many children?

Steve, Dustin, and I all sat in one of the booths in Scoops Ahoy catching up. Dustin sat in front of Steve and I, eating a banana split, telling us about his new "girlfriend" he met.

"No, no. No way. Hotter than Phoebe Cates?" Steve said to Dustin, shocked.

"Mm-hmm." He replied. "Brilliant, too. And she doesn't even care that my real pearls are still coming in. She says kissing is better without teeth." Dustin said to us. I raised my eyebrows and looked over at Steve.

Steve looked back at me, bewildered, and I looked back at Dustin.

"Wow. Yeah, that's great. Proud of you, man. That's ro- That's kinda romantic. That's like...wow." Steve nodded.

I nodded my head at Steve's...choice of words. "Yeah, good for you, man." I said, nudging Dustin in the arm, trying to be a little more enthusiastic for Dustin.

"Hm. So do you really just get to eat as much of this as you want?" Dustin asked as he looked down at his banana boat that he was eating.

"Yeah. I mean, sure. It's not really a good idea for me, though. You know, I gotta keep in shape for the ladies." I rolled my eyes at Steve. Right, like they even cared...I cared, but whatever...

"Yeah, and how's that working out for you?" Robin asked, who was clearing a table. I looked over at her and she smiled. Thank God she had my back.

"Ignore her." Steve said, dismissing Robin.

"She seems cool." Dustin stated, nodding his head.

"She's not." Steve disagreed as he shook his head.

I rolled my eyes. "She is..." I whispered to Dustin before asking, "So, where are the other knuckleheads?"

"They ditched me yesterday." Dustin answered flatly.

"No." Steve said with furrowed eyebrows.

"My first day back. Can you believe that shit?"

I furrowed my eyebrows. How could they? "Seriously?" I asked, confused.

He ate another spoonful of his banana boat. "I swear to God. Mm. They're gonna regret it, though, big time, when they don't get to share in my glory." Dustin said.