Unexpectedly Enough

Two

Steve was tired when he walked into work the next morning, the heat of Hawkins beating down on him as he trudged through the parking lot of Starcourt Mall. He couldn't wait for tomorrow when he had a day off, even if he had to take the kids to the pool. It wouldn't be all bad, he thought. Visions of Billy in his lifeguard trunks entered his mind as he walked towards Scoops Ahoy, and he only shook them from his mind and wondered what the hell he was doing thinking about Billy shirtless, when Robin called out to him.

"Morning dingus!", she hollered.

Steve groaned. "I wanna sleep."

"No time for sleeping, Stevie! Only ice cream and scooping for the next few hours. Maybe today you'll even get a tally that doesn't go under the 'you suck' side."

Steve genuinely laughed at this.

"Right, as if you would let that happen."

"I have no control over it, only you do dingus. It's not my fault you're terrible with the ladies", Robin countered, sliding across the floor and behind the counter.

Steve opened his mouth in shock.

"I am not terrible with the ladies!" He protested.

"That's your opinion."

"I-"

Steve was cut off by the sounds of noisy customers swarming into the ice cream shop, so he just walked through the swinging door into the back, and hung up his bag.

The day droned on, and at times Steve found himself having trouble keeping his eyes open due the lack of sleep. He was up all night thinking about what Robin had said. "You have a crush on him" kept replaying over and over in his mind. But no, Steve thought, he's not like that. Is he? Even if Steve was, he was almost completely sure Billy wasn't.

The kids all had plans today so there were no consistent stop ins, or annoying ringing of the bell from the Wheeler boy, just Steve and Robin, and the customers who came in. At least that's what Steve thought, until an hour before his shift ended.

"Hey Dingus! Henderson is here!", Robin called to him through the window before shutting it. Steve lit up at this. If anyone could make his day of endless customers seem better, it would be Dustin. So Steve put his sailor cap back on from where it was sitting on the counter and slid dramatically through the door.

"Henderson!" He shouted.

But boy, did he regret that when reality smacked him dead in the face and the familiar blush ran over his cheeks and down the back of his neck because it wasn't Dustin who was standing there, even if this boy did have curls. It was Billy.

Steve was baffled, but ultimately knew it was Robin's plan all along and made a mental note to get back at her for it later. But, he shuffled over towards Robin as she smiled at him. "Can you cover this custom for me please? I've got to let the delivery men in", Robin lied.

"Sure thing", Steve said, glaring at her as she slipped back through the swinging door.

Steve turned to face Billy, who was surprisingly closer to him then he had remembered.
"Hey pretty boy, fancy seeing you here. I must be dreaming", Billy says.

Steve shakes his head as he adjusts the napkin holder on the counter so he doesn't have to look Billy in the eye.

"I work here, don't cream your pants."

Billy chuckled, "a bit tense today, aren't we?"

"It's been a long day and I'm tired." Steve inhales deeply, trying to calm himself down. "So, what'll it be?"
"I think I'll just take the vanilla", Billy smirks.

"Really? You come all the way to the mall and Scoops Ahoy on your break just for vanilla?", Steve asks, before cursing at himself underneath his breath and mentally smacking himself that he let it slip he knew Billy's work schedule.
"Yeah, just the vanilla." Billy doesn't even question Steve about it. So he just scoops up the vanilla, remembering the time Dustin kicked it a few weeks back and shook his head, before handing it over to Billy.

"There you go, enjoy", Steve says after Billy pays him. Billy winks at him as he turns to go.
"See you around, pretty boy."

Steve lets out a big breath once Billy has left the shop before marching into the back where Robin sits at one of the tables. He throws his hat down in front of her.
"Are you trying to annoy me?" Steve protests.

"What's the matter king Steve? Pretty lifeguard got your tongue?"

"I'm gonna get you back I hope you know. Maybe I should give Tammy Thompson a call."

"Steve you wouldn't."

"Oh I wouldn't?" He smirks.

"I'm just trying to help you two love birds out", Robin says, smiling sweetly at him.

"We aren't love birds, Robin. We're barely even acquaintances. The only reason we keep talking is because of you and the fact that he comes to pick up Max."

"Right, so then why does he call you pretty boy again?"

"I don't know, why don't you ask him? Maybe it's the same reason you call me dingus?"

"I call you dingus because you are one. Maybe he thinks you're pretty, Stevie."

Steve shakes his head, biting down on his lower lip, each of his hands on his hips, looking down at his feet.

"Even if we were anything more than two people who knew each other Robin, it can't happen ok? It just can't, and you know that", Steve says, looking at her with a hint of sadness in his eyes.

He picks up his hat and heads for the door again, when Robin speaks.

"But why couldn't it, Steve?"

Steve pauses, wanting to scream out everything he feels about Billy, and everything that makes him mad about how they can't be together because they are both boys and this is Hawkins, and it would never be ok. But he doesn't, he just blinks his tears away.

"I have to get back to work", is all he says before he walks back through the swinging door, leaving Robin to wish she could guarantee they could.