"wouldn't you like to know her?" | ronance !

2.

robin stretched, rolling out her shoulders as she thoroughly examined their new workspace.

"it feels just like when we worked at scoops," steve breathed out.

"yeah, 'cept the ladies aren't all over you. they loved that hat, man."

"shut up!" he hissed, "it wasn't.. it wasn't that bad."

robin snickered, "so like... do we just..."

"i mean, keith isnt here. we could do whatever we want," steve pointed out.

"i dont know how you manage to keep your job."

they both broke out into a fit of giggles. something was nagging at robin, though.

she didn't quite understand it, but it was nancy. nancy's harsh gaze and curt attitude towards robin over the past semester has been getting under her skin, threatening to bubble to the surface. 

robin held herself together, though.

just as robin relaxed, trying to focus on herself and whatever the hell was bothering her so much; nancy wheeler burst through the doors. her younger brother, mike, in tow.

"mike!" robin squealed, waving frantically. nancy shot her a typical disdainful look. the fuck?

"how many children are you friends with?" steve mimicked robin. she whipped around, punching his shoulder. with that, he smirked, turning to wave at nancy and mike.

"hey, mike wants to rent the goonies. do you have it?" something about the way nancy gazed at steve and mike made robin pissed off. why did nancy have to be so okay with them but not robin?

robin had zoned out. now nancy was whisking mike out of family video; whispering hushed demands to the young boy.

"she's firm," robin commented, coming back to reality. she fiddled with her rings.

"she's protective, doesn't want mike getting hurt again," steve corrected, his brows pinching together. a small line appeared between his eyebrows.

"yeah? she didn't seem all that protective last summer," robin snapped, her jaw twitched after the wordvomit spilt out. "i'm sorry. i didn't mean that. i get nervous and i say things i dont mean. you know me. i'm..." the emotion in her eyes shifted from irritation to regret.

"it's okay, robin." steve reassured,

"why do you have to be such a good person?" robin whined, placing her face between her palms. "i really don't know what came over me, i'm sorry. please dont tell nancy,"

"why does it matter?"

"why does what matter?"

"um, like, nancy knowing about what you just said. i mean, i wasn't planning to tell her, but i think she knows."

"knows... what?" her stomach flipped uncomfortably. robin didn't have a clue as to what steve was talking about.

"anytime you are in a twenty foot radius of nancy wheeler, you look at her like the way you looked at dan."

"dude, bringing up my old crushes' boyfriend is not going to help my mood," robin prodded at steves hips.

"old crush? you have a new crush?"

steve paused, robin paused. they just sort of stared at eachother for a heartbeat before robin opened her mouth to speak, no words came out. that was abnormal. weird. strange if you will.

"do you like nancy? is that why you act like you hate her?" he eventually asked, breaking the tense silence that had settled over the store.

"OH i know you are lying right now," robin hissed, whipping around. "nancy? she's such a priss. she actually hates my guts. atleast vickie pretended to care about me. this bitch? she looks at me like she'd enjoy watching me get fed to sharks. why the hell would i like her?" steve chuckled, "whatever, i'm not going to ask any more questions about this but you know i'm here if you want to talk about anything."

"'kay, steve, what'd i say about your pep talks?"

they both laughed, robin held her stomach. unfortunately, a pit had formed. why did the thought of liking nancy make her feel so uncomfortable? there was no dishonesty in her words when she spoke of vickie, though. after last years disaster, she had deserted the crush. liking a girl who has been in a relationship with some asshole since freshman year had some not so great affects on robin, that and... the.. y'know. last summer. "the hawkins mall fire." that didnt really help repair robins wellbeing.

(8PM)

"alright, birdie. time to close up shop."

robin exhaled, "okay. you are on shift tomorrow morning, right?"

"yes. and, do you need a ride?"

"i do."

steves expression deepened into a frown. "shit, robin i... um," he bounced between his toes, "sorry, not to be an ass but i have plans after work. i'm babysitting the kids. at the wheelers... you can come if you want."

robin felt her body burn up. "i'll tag along if everyone is okay with it," she paused, walking home alone in the dark sounds terrifying. bats and shit are out at night. "why are you babysitting freshman, though, are they not sufficient?"

steve let out a quiet laugh, "last time dustin, mike, max, eleven, lucas and will hung out home alone they set the kitchen on fire. i dont think karen will ever let them be together without some sort of guardian. also, dustin has great taste in movies."

karen. karen wheeler, right. that was joyces friend.

"oookay, reasonable. so its a movie night?"

"basically. usually we have fun. you'll have fun, robin. it'll be like old days."

"old days as in when we all nearly died? movie nights and fighting the fucking russians is different, dimwit."

"okay. shit. that wasn't a great way to explain it. just trust me, okay?"

"whatever, sure, i trust you."