[ 𝙿𝚎𝚝𝚊𝚕𝚜 & 𝚃𝚑𝚘𝚛𝚗𝚜 ] ~ 𝚂𝚝𝚎𝚟𝚎 𝙷𝚊𝚛𝚛𝚒𝚗𝚐𝚝𝚘𝚗 𝚡 𝙾𝙲

X - Summertime

Russell grinned, running across Starcourt to find Steve. She was on break from running the concessions at the cinema and wanted to surprise her boyfriend at work. She slowed to a walk as she made her way into the store, grinning at Robin behind the counter. "Isn't it time for you to switch? You look like you've been out here for a while."

"Oh you have no idea." The brunette nodded, making her way into the back. After a minute or so of arguing, Steve made his way out of the back doors stumbling backwards and fumbling to get his hat on. 

"Ahoy, welcome to Scoops Ahoy. Would you like to set sail on this ocean of flavor-" Steve finally looked up, meeting the freckled face of Audrey Russell Hargrove. His face turned a bright shade of red.

"Robin! Add one to the board!" Russell called back. The wavy haired girl grinned, bringing a whiteboard over and a dry erase marker. 

"Another one? Wow Harrington, you've gotta step up your game." 

The board read on one side "Russell Rules" and the other "Steve Successes". The game was that every time Russell made Steve blush, she got a point and every time Steve made Russell blush, he got a point. Right now, with Russell's new point included, she was at a whopping total of fifteen and he was at two. 

"Hello sir, could I get chocolate and strawberry in a waffle cone?" She grinned, rocking on her feet. She played the stranger role, finding it funny the way Steve's face scrunched.

"Of course." He nodded with a tight laugh, going to serve the girl her ice cream. "That'll be on the house." 

"On the house? For little ol' me?" She asked, watching as he shook his head with a shit eating grin.

"Only for the pretty girls." Steve winked.

"Girls plural? So there's more than just me?" Russell's face fell into an act of annoyance, a brow raised and her mouth downturned.

"N- No! Of course not! I wouldn't- I would never- I would- Just you, bun! I promise! You- You're the only one- The only pretty girl!" He stuttered out, trying to defend himself and utterly failing.

"Calm down, pretty boy. I'm just messing with you." She smiled, holding up a finger to Robin in the back who drew another tally down on Russell's side.

"What're you doing after work? Think I can steal you away for a bit? I miss you." Russell pouted, looking up at him through lidded eyes.

"Fuck." Steve huffed under his breath. "Y- Yeah. What'd you want to do?"

Russell bit her lip with a smirk. "Dinner and a movie?" 

"Dinner and a movie?" Steve quirked a brow. "Can you get anymore cliche?"

"I mean, I could like. . .call you my knight in shining armor. That'd be pretty cliche." She grinned.

"I wouldn't be opposed to that." 

"Ughhh!" Robin groaned from the back. "Stop flirting, it's gross!" 

"You rather me flirt with you, beautiful?" Russell blinked with a soft smile.

"Uh- I mean, if you-" Robin held a wide eyed expression with a deep shade of pink on her face.

"S- Sorry- Did I make you uncomfortable? I'm so sorry-" Russell's stance flooded with worry, anxious that she might have actually made Robin upset. She started biting at the skin on her lips, pulling it off and into her mouth. "I'm so sorr-"

"N- No. You're fine." Robin shook her head, turning around and going further into the back room. 

"I'm sorry, Steve. I didn't mean to." Russell frowned. 

"She said it was fine, Ru. She would've told you if it weren't." He assured, walking around the counter and wrapping his arms around his girlfriend. One of his hands was carefully against the back of her head, holding her into his chest, while the other rested nicely on the small of her back. 

"If you're sure."

"I am." He smiled, placing a gentle kiss to the top of her hairline. She nodded against his chest, letting out a sigh.

"I've gotta get back to work." Russell sighed.

Steve groaned, "No."

Russell giggled. "No?"

"No." Steve agreed.

"Steve, let me go." Russell groaned, pushing against the boy's chest.

"Mmm. . .for a kiss?" He gave her puppy-dog eyes and jut his bottom lip out. She grinned, biting her lip before standing up on her toes and placing a soft kiss to his lips. He smiled into the kiss, putting his hands on either side of her face and letting his eyes flutter shut.

"Buh bye, Steve." Russell waved as she ran out, not even giving him a moment to process the delicate affection before she was gone.

"You're like. . .actually in love with her." Robin scoffed a laugh from behind the counter.

"Yeah, I am." Steve smiled, watching his girlfriend make her way through the crowded mall toward the Cinema. 

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Word Count - 813

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Published - August 20, 2023

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