There's No Place Like Hawkins//Stranger Things. SH

FORTY SIX

"It'll be okay." She whispered, kissing El's forehead gently. "Boys are the worst."

"Even Steve?" El asked, curious if the older girl ever had any problems with her boyfriend.

"Sometimes. Although, most of our problems happened before we started dating." Cat sighed. "Boys at this age are dumb, and they'll probably be like this for a while."

***

"Hi." Dustin greeted Robin at the ice-cream counter.

"Hi." Robin greeted back. She was bored out of her mind.

"I'm Dustin."

"I'm Robin."

"Pleasure to meet you. Uh, is- is he here?"

"Is who here?"

On hearing the familiar voice, Steve burst through the door that separated the back of the shop from the ice-cream parlour. "Henderson." He threw his hands up in the air as Dustin laughed. "Henderson!" Steve repeated, jumping up and down as he made his way round the counter. "He's back! He's back!"

"I'm back!" Dustin cried in excitement. "You got the job!"

"I got the job!" Steve yelled, imitating a trumpet as Robin watched the two in utter confusion. She was wishing that Catherine was there to help explain to her what the hell was going on. "Hey! Oh!" Dustin and Steve went on to do their weird handshake, which included a pretend lightsabre fight.

"How many children are you and Cathy friends with?" Robin asked in disbelief, leaning on the counter. Steve sighed and just gestured to Robin as if to say, 'see what I have to work with?'

***

"No, no. No way." Steve and Dustin were sat in one of the booths, Dustin digging into a Banana Boat. "Hotter than Phoebe Cates? No."

Dustin nodded. "Brilliant, too. And she doesn't even care that my real pearls are still coming in. She says kissing is better without teeth."

Steve wasn't sure what to say. "Wow. Yeah, that's great. Proud of you, man. That's ro- That's kinda romantic. That's like... Wow." He stuttered out.

Dustin nodded. "Hm. So do you really just get to eat as much of this as you want?" He gestured to the ice-cream.

"Yeah. I mean, sure. It's not really a good idea for me, though. I gotta keep in shape for the ladies..."

"I thought you and my sister were dating?"

"We are. We just have a bet going on. She thinks that now we're together, I've lost my ability to charm other women. So far, she's winning the bet." Steve explained. "So, where are the other knuckleheads?"

"They ditched me yesterday. And Kit's probably hanging out with El today. Her calendar said something about a girls day."

Steve nodded, the information about Cat wasn't new to him as they had talked about it over the phone when she rang him early that morning. "No." He said in disbelief about the others ditching Dustin.

"My first day back. Can you believe that shit?"

"Whoa. Seriously? Did Cat ditch you too?"

Dustin shook his head. "No. Although she did complain about sacrificing her date night with you."

Steve nodded. "Sounds like Catherine. Always being dramatic." He smiled and laughed a little. Cat's tendency to be a little dramatic over everything was one of the things he loved most about her. That, and her smile. Especially when it made her eyes light up.