Ronance Oneshots! (And other ST oneshots!)

Oneshot 5- Dealing with grief is hard to do alone // Steve and Robin friendship

Summary: Nancy is killed by a demogorgon right before Vecna is finally destroyed. This fic is based 5 weeks after that. Robin and Steve took it badly. Steve put on a persona it was okay until he broke and wouldn't leave his room, and the same happened with Robin. This is based on their thoughts and feelings and dealing with feeling depressed and in mourning, as three of the kids get them to help each other again as they'd shut everyone off separately. This is a bad description oop. I dunno if it's angst or hurt/comfort or both? Also didn't know if I had to tag it as major character death or not but was warned to do so just in case cause it's based on thoughts after that haha.
Warnings: Spoilers for Vol.2, Talk of death, Talk of depressive thoughts, talk of not not caring for themselves properly. (If any other warnings apply please let me know to add them!), no ronance lmao sadly, besides talk of it

Word Count: 6,187

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Steve has always tried to be as best a friend as he could be. Always. He's always tried to be a good friend to Dustin and the kids. Anyone else he's known. Most importantly, he's always tried to be the best best friend he could possibly be to Robin. That's why he tries, he really does, to comfort her. He's done it before, comforting people after the death of someone. He honestly had tried when Nancy lost Barb, when Max lost Billy. When everyone thought Max was lost but she eventually woke up. When they all lost Eddie though it had been Dustin he'd had to comfort the most.

He really does try. Even if it means pushing aside his own feelings for a bit. Truthfully, nothing that has happened has hurt him strongly enough for it to be a problem. He's always been able to focus on the others, focus on helping those most damaged and in grief and push aside his own feelings. He does focus on himself when he gets the chance, but putting the others before himself is what he's good at.

That's why when it comes to caring for his best friend whom he cares about more than anyone else, is a struggle. He's lost. What is he supposed to do when he's just as broken? Just as damaged? He loves Robin so much, platonically of course, he's never had a friend he's cared about so much and he would do anything for her, but... if Steve can't even get himself to get out of bed to meet with the group, what does he do?

It had been a freak accident. It was never supposed to happen. Vecna we defeated, they were sure of it. Everyone had regrouped, sworn he was dead. But right before everything was over, a lone demogorgon got out. Just one. One was all it took. All it took was her being alone, with no help, everyone scattered around Hawkins, for... for it to happen. It was pitiful and sad. Nancy's always been strong, one of the strongest in their entire party of damaged teens, kids, and adults even. He almost wishes sometimes that at least it could have been a more important moment, in a blaze of glory perhaps, instead of alone for everyone to find out hours later, but stops himself. He shouldn't think anything like that. He should think about how she shouldn't have fucking died in the first place.

Mike was affected the most out of the group, perhaps more so was his mom. But they were a family and so Steve had let them grieve together, some of the other kids spending time with them too, to be together. Jonathan was too as he'd loved her, Steve knew that, but he also had his family to help, and the Byer's and Wheeler's spent a lot of time together after it, all comforting each other. Really, everyone that seemed to be affected the most gathered together in a massive group to help each other. Deciding it was for the best, Steve had let that happen. But with everyone focused on that group, he was left alone. And so was Robin.

Robin, who despite insisting she was fine for days Steve knew wasn't and still isn't, has this whole time perhaps been hit and torn by Nancy's death more than anyone else, maybe only third to Mike and Karen Wheeler. Robin, who Steve hasn't heard speak more than a few forced sentences in days, when she must make herself come to work as he forces himself too as well. To pretend everything is okay.