Fireworks || HARRINGROVE ||

Coming Out

January 13, 1984

The next day Robin was working the night shift with Steve. When she walked in, Robin saw Steve bouncing both of his legs timorously as he stuffed Neapolitan ice cream in his face.

"Jesus, Harrington," Robin said, trying desperately not to laugh. "Why are you binge eating? Is it your time of the month?"

Steve took another hunking bite and stared over at her, shame and confusion written all over his face.

Robin furrowed her eyebrows. "What the hell happened?" Robin asked, hanging her winter coat on its peg. "You look like someone whose been abducted by aliens and probed in the ass."

"Worse," Steve mumbled through the freezing cold ice cream in his mouth. He shoved another bite in his face and said, "Way worse," while spitting ice cream out of his mouth.

Robin sat down on the table and looked down at Steve. "What could have possibly happened to you that is worse than being probed?"

Steve broke eye contact and swirled the melted ice cream in the bottom of the large bowl with his plastic spoon.

Robin's face mellowed with disquiet. "Shit, what happened, Steve?"

Steve let go of the spoon handle and sighed, rubbing his forehead. "I don't fucking know. It was... bizarre."

"Did your children do something idiotic and dangerous again?"

Steve huffed our a strained laugh, still not making eye contact. "I wish. It'd be better than..."

He trailed off, leaving Robin to stare at the top of his hair. Typically, Steve would spat out he wasn't a mother and he didn't have children, that he was just an overqualified babysitter, but Robin found it disconcerting that he did none of those things.

"Steve, whatever happened, I'm here to listen. No jokes. I promise," Robin said with a reassuring smile.

Steve glanced up and felt comforted by her smile. After a beat, he said, "It's about something that happened when I saw someone."

"Wow, that's vague," Robin quipped. "What sort of something do you mean?"

Steve's cheeks flushed pink in embarrassment and he hid his face in his hands. Robin's eyes widened and with a delighted smile she exclaimed, "No!"

Steve whipped his head up to look at his friend. "What are you thinking?" He asked, worried.

"You found someone attractive and popped a boner in front of them! That's the only reason you would be so embarrassed," she said, hitting the nail on the head.

Steve was stricken by the truth. He froze up for a long while. He then let out a long sigh. "For fucks sake, why do you know me so well?" Steve grumbled.

Robin grinned and shrugged her shoulders. "It's because you have no shame. If you're embarrassed over something, it has to be something as awkward as popping a boner in an unexpected and inappropriate moment."

Steve laughed. "That's true. Damn."

Robin and Steve laughed together and quickly it faded out to silence.

"So who was it?" Robin asked.

Steve, feigning ignorance, asked, "Who was what?"

Robin rolled her eyes. "The girl you popped a boner for."

"Oh, um, well," Steve stumbled over his words. "It-it wasn't anybody. Just a vexatious moment."

"Bullshit," Robin said boldly. "Besides, I'm surprised you even know what vexatious means."