𝐅𝐋𝐎𝐖𝐄𝐑𝐒 • Steve Harrington

𝗲𝗽𝗶𝗹𝗼𝗴𝘂𝗲

THREE WEEKS LATER
( Sunday, June 16th 1985 )

STEVE was fighting a losing battle with Robin Buckley in the same way he did most days at work.

He got the job at the ice cream parlour Scoops Ahoy, which meant he was burdened with a mostly blue sailor's uniform that had minor white and red accents and a white sailor's hat elaborately reading 'AHOY' in bold and blue embroidery. Julie's favourite part of the uniform was the red scooper pouch at his side that she stuck her fingers in any moment she could. It took her a few days to get out of the habit of it.

Currently, Steve, hatless and stressed, was trying to recalibrate his agreement with Robin surrounding their breaks whilst she was out back and he was on serving duty. But in the end, she only dragged the sliding window closed.

He huffed, pushing his tongue against the inside of his cheek.

"Can I get two scoops of something with chocolate in it?"

Steve's face relaxed with a warm smile. He turned around, coming face to face with his girlfriend dressed in a yellow ringer tee and flared jeans and her dark waves decorating her shoulders.

Steve pressed his fists into the counter. "Is that a real order or are you just here to make my day?"

"When you say it like that it makes me feel so charitable," she smiled, too, and rested her hands, prettied with understated rings and clutching a small bag, on the counter. "I would kiss you, but I don't want to scare away any children."

There was no one else there.

"This uniform's terrifying enough, so I think they can handle it," Steve remarked, making Julie frown.

"You actually need to stop riffing on it so much. It's really not that bad."

Steve quirked an eyebrow. "Coming from the one that can't stop calling it a costume."

"It's a slip of the tongue and I always apologise."

He edged forward slightly across the counter, "Well, do you want to maybe slip your tongue-"

Suddenly, Robin pulled opened the window. "Please do not finish that sentence for the sake of me and the children."

Julie peeked her head out from behind Steve, who clenched his jaw and blinked down hard. She smiled sweetly. "Hi, Robin."

Robin was sat across the counter out back, one foot pressed down flat and bending her leg that had an open book leant against it.

Before she started working with Steve, they knew each other well from the girls' soccer team. In spite of the other players Julie was close-knit with and spent the majority of her time around, she was always willing to give Robin a chance. She seemed to be one of the very few people that ever did.

Robin smiled back. "Cheerio, Julie. Don't you work Saturdays?"

"Unfortunately."

"Unfortunately?" Steve's eyebrows drew together. "What do you mean unfortunately? Is Hargrove still giving you shit? Because you know I'll set him straight."

"Oh really?" Robin asked sceptically. "And how do you intend to do that, dingus?"

Steve didn't turn around to acknowledge her but still responded, his eyes glued to Julie all the while, who only stared back blankly. "Well, I'd, you know," Steve shrugged, "rough him up. Roundhouse him so he's out for the count if I have to."