Dumpster Fire

CHAPTER 12

"Wow." Robin draped over the chiller handle, watching Steve stack another tub of 'cool mint' in the middle of the walk-in. "And so…"

Her hesitation made him want to rip his hair out.

"You guys are a thing?"

Steve grunted, lugging out more bubblegum blast from the back of the shelf, fingers pink and aching. "Subtle."

"Always." She chirped, far too cheerfully. "Don't avoid the question."

"I-" Steve hauled the tub awkwardly on his hip, avoiding Robin's curious gaze as he moved to the dining area, ripping the top off with a satisfying 'pop pop pop'. "I'm not sure what we are."

"Mmhmm " Robin held open the display case as Steve stocked the flavor. "That's a shame, cuz he's walking in now."

Steve felt his stomach flutter, fingers losing their grip as the ice cream dropped into place with unusual noise. Steve winced, pulling himself out of the frozen display, Robin dropping the case door.

Part of him didn't want to look up, nervous. Scared. He could hear Billy before seeing him; gait just off-beat, footfalls heavy, confident. Then the smell; earthy, sweaty. After being surrounded by the nauseating sweet scent of ice cream and waffle cones all day it was a welcome break.

"You gunna say hi, Princess?"

Steve clenched his fists before looking up from the display case. "Hargrove." A smirk stretched across Billy's face.

"Is that any kind of greeting for your chauffeur?"

"Oh barf." Robin pulled in the 'wet floor' sign, "do you guys really have to do this every time?"

Steve felt nerves race up his spine, anxious and embarrassed. Were they really that obvious?

"It's tradition." Billy announced, unphased as he leaned back, watching Steve's fingers flick through the cash in the till, stacking the change and writing the numbers down. "Here." He snagged the gate key, moved back across the dining area and pulled it down, padlocking it in place from the inside, handing Robin the key.

"Thanks, Tough Guy."

"I'm nearly an employee here at this point." Billy joked, nudging her with an elbow.

Steve slammed the safe door too hard. Not jealous, but maybe a little. "We done?"

Robin frowned a little, flicking the sign off. "Now we are." She sighed heavily, leaning on the wall as they trekked towards the back door. "My feet are killing me."

Steve snorted, "With how often you're leaning across the counter I never would have guessed."

A quick punch to his arm, an instinctive 'ow' as he rubbed his bicep.

"I," Robin pressed her fingertips to her chest, head held high as Billy held open the back door, night air hitting them in a gust of refreshingly cleaning oxygen. "Am a luxury model. I am not made for these grueling toils."

"Uh huh." Steve moved beside Billy, hands burying themselves into the pockets of his jeans jacket as the refreshing breeze quickly turned chilly.

"Oh!" Lights flashed over them, horn honked. "My ride." Robin all but skipped towards the clanking Ford. "See ya!"

Steve waved in unison with Billy before turning to the Camero, palms sweating, body heating up.

He knew what was next. He wanted what was next. Fingers pulled the cold metal of the door handle, the heavy door swinging open as the car rocked under the weight of Billy climbing into the driver's seat.