𝚂𝚘𝚖𝚎𝚘𝚗𝚎 𝙶𝚎𝚝𝚜 𝙷𝚞𝚛𝚝

𝟶𝟺𝟷

After the situation in the Creel house, everyone decided to go to the Wheelers. Well, almost everyone. Stephanie insisted she wanted to spend the night in her room, and Dustin agreed. The two stated they were about to punch someone if they stayed another night in the basement. Nancy argued, but after Robin said she would go with her, Nancy agreed, knowing Robin would keep an eye on the blonde.

"Home sweet home," Stephanie chuckled, throwing her bag by the door and kicking off her shoes. Dustin booked it to his room, shut the door, and left the two girls alone.

"Your house is so cute," Robin commented, taking a minute to admire everything in the house.

"Thanks. And thanks for offering to stay with me." Stephanie didn't want to be watched over like a child, but she knew it was better for her safety.

"It's no biggie. Better me than Steve, right?" Robin laughed but stopped when she didn't see the blonde laughing along. "Wait, am I missing something here?" Robin stepped closer, watching as Stephanie avoided eye contact. "Oh, my god, I am. What happened? Did you make out or something?"

"God, Robin, gross." Stephanie threw her hands up over her ears, turning away from her.

"Oh, come on, you can't tell me that's gross after what you used to tell me when you were together." Robin defended herself, cringing at the memories of learning things about her best friends she wished she didn't.

"La la la la la la la," Stephanie walked away, Robin close on her trail. The two girls walked into Stephanie's room. Robin looked around in awe, just as she did in Nancy's room. Stephanie made a beeline for her collection of vinyl and cassettes, where she pulled out a specific cassette and popped it into its place, setting it up for when she needed it.

"I thought you already had a song?" Robin wondered, sitting on Stephanie's bed.

"Nope," Stephanie popped the p. "First off, I can't think of a favorite song. Second, that was one of Nancy's random mixtapes, and this is from Steve, so," Stephanie sighed, sitting next to Robin. "More sentimental value and shit."

"Sentiment? Steph, come on, you guys are so oblivious it hurts." Robin whined, lying back on the blonde's bed.

"I'm sorry, am I supposed to act like nothing is going on between you and Nancy?" Robin spun around, her eyes wide, and her mouth hung open.

"What are you talking about?" Robin laughed like it was going to make her lie any more believable.

"Don't play dumb, Rob. I don't care. I would just be careful, that's all." Stephanie sat up again, putting her hand on Robin's shoulder.

"Am I that obvious?" Robin's voice got quiet, trying to hide her embarrassment.

"Not really. I can just read the two of you like a book." The two girls laughed. It felt good to have a normal conversation. To hang out like they weren't fighting to save the world. In the past four years, that moment was one of the calmest that Stephanie could remember, despite what was to come.

❀❀❀❀❀

"Not to be a wimp, but can I stay in the car for this visit? Cause this is going to totally and royally suck." Robin whined in the passenger seat next to Nancy.

"It'll be fine." Nancy comforted the anxious teen, keeping her eyes on the road.

"I just can't stand to see those doe eyes of Eddie's break again. I really, really can't."

"At least he can drink himself into feeling better," Steve commented from the trunk, holding up the six-pack he had bought for the boy.

"That's what my mom does," Max whispered, realizing that wasn't something she thought internally when Stephanie slapped the girl's shoulder slightly.