Chapter Text
Eventually, they all filed back into the living room. Steve settled beside Robin on the couch, their shoulders lightly touching. Neither of them said it out loud, but it was obvious—they were going to need each other to get through whatever this tape decided to show them.
“We ready?” Jim asked, glancing around the room.
Dustin, whose hand was buried almost to the wrist in a bag of popcorn, nodded eagerly. “Yep!”
Lucas wrinkled his nose in disgust. “Seriously?”
“What?” Dustin asked through a mouthful of popcorn. “It’s a movie.”
“It’s really not,” Steve muttered.
Dustin shrugged. “It’s on the TV.” He said simply, like that explained everything.
Robin snorted softly beside Steve. “He’s got you there.”
Steve didn’t answer. His eyes were already fixed on the screen, jaw tight.
Joyce noticed.
She leaned forward slightly in her chair, hands clasped together. “You okay, honey?”
Steve forced a small shrug. “Yeah. Just… weird.”
Max crossed her legs on the floor. “Weird doesn’t even begin to cover this.”
Mike leaned forward, elbows on his knees. “Okay but like—seriously—how does this even exist?”
Eleven tilted her head thoughtfully at the TV. “Maybe the tape is… remembering.”
Everyone looked at her.
Dustin blinked. “That’s somehow more terrifying.”
Jonathan rubbed a hand across the back of his neck. “Well… guess we’re about to find out.”
Dustin grabbed the remote again.
“Round two,” he announced.
Then he pressed play.
A PROJECTOR hums softly. A diagram of the Earth’s layers fills the screen.
- HOPKINS
The inner core is solid. The outer core is molten.
Max groaned loudly from the floor. “Seriously? School? We’re watching school?”
“Hey!” Lucas protested. “This is cool stuff.”
Max rolled her eyes. “It’s rocks.”
“It’s geology,” Lucas corrected.
“Same thing.”
Mike leaned forward, pointing at the screen like he was personally offended. “Science is interesting. If you don’t agree you can—”
Max turned toward him slowly. “Finish that sentence.”
Mike hesitated.
“…politely reconsider your opinion.”
Dustin snorted into his popcorn.
Robin leaned back on the couch. “Bold recovery.”
Steve didn’t react. His eyes were fixed on the screen, watching his younger self sit in that classroom.
“Enough.” Hopper said sharply.
Finney sits at his desk, half listening.
- HOPKINS
The next level, called the mantle, is mostly solid.
Under the desk, Finney holds a small model rocket in his hand.
“Jesus, you really loved that thing,” Eddie commented from his spot on the floor. “Don’t worry, Stevie, I get it. I used to fall asleep with a stuffed bear too.”
Steve glanced down at him. “You still sleep with a stuffed bear.”
Eddie scoffed. “His name is Sir Reginald and he provides emotional support.” God knows he needed that now more than ever.
Robin snorted.
Dustin looked intrigued. “You have a teddy bear?”
“It’s not a teddy bear,” Eddie shot back defensively. “It’s vintage.”
Max smirked. “So yes.”
Steve shook his head slightly, but there was the faintest hint of a smile as he turned his attention back to the screen.
- HOPKINS
However, the thin outer zone of the mantle is partly molten.
Finney presses a tiny button on the rocket.
A faint flashlight beam shines from its base.
He lifts his notebook slightly, letting the light glow against the paper.
- HOPKINS
Next slide.
Finney glances to the side.
A GIRL across the classroom looks up.
Their eyes meet.
She holds the look a second too long.
Finney blushes.
“Oh, shit!” Dustin laughed. “We’re watching Steve fall in love for the first time ever.”
Steve scoffed. “Oh, shut up.” He reached over and shoved the back of Dustin’s head.
Dustin just grinned wider, wiggling his eyebrows obnoxiously.
“Who is she?” Eleven asked curiously.
Steve glanced over at her. “Her name’s Donna,” he said. “She was a friend of mine.”
“Was?” Robin repeated.
Steve shrugged slightly, already turning his attention back to the screen.
“People move,” he muttered.
Dustin leaned forward again, whispering loudly, “He was in love.”
Steve grabbed a handful of Dustin’s popcorn and threw it at him without looking.
They both quickly look away.
The SCHOOL BELL RINGS.
Students rise, grabbing books and bags.
The classroom door opens into a crowded hallway.
Finney slips out quickly, scanning the students around him.
Then—
MATTY (O.S.)
Hey, Finney.
Finney keeps walking.
“That’s rude, Steve,” Nancy said gently. “He was talking to you.”
She frowned at the screen, clearly bothered by it. She’d dealt with mean girls before, sure—but not like this. Not the kind of bullying that followed someone down a hallway.
Jonathan shifted slightly in his seat, eyes dropping for a moment. The energy coming off those boys felt painfully familiar.
He’d known people like them.
Three of them, actually.
One of them sitting on the couch right now.
“They were definitely talking at me,” Steve said quietly. “To me? Not so much.”
He gave a small shake of his head, glancing briefly at the kids gathered around the room.
They’d always known him as King Steve.
Not this version.
Not Finney, the quiet kid who couldn’t hurt a fly—let alone fight back.
Mike tilted his head, studying Steve carefully now.
Something about this didn’t add up.
Matty and two boys trail after him.
Finney pushes through the crowd and ducks into the BOYS’ BATHROOM.
Inside, he rushes to a stall.
The door CLICKS shut.
Jim cringed, he’d been in his fair share of similar situations, although he was usually the one on the other side of the door.
“Oh poor boy..” Joyce fretted.
He places his bag on the tank and pulls his feet up onto the toilet seat.
Trying to stay hidden.
The door opens again.
Footsteps enter.
MATTY (O.S.)
Hey, Finney.
Outside the stall, MATTY and two boys linger.
MATTY
Come on out, dickweed.
KID #2
Not fooling anyone, Noid.
Inside the stall, Finney’s breathing quickens.
The boys step closer.
Finney slowly unlocks the stall.
The door creaks open.
He steps out.
MATTY
What you doing in our bathroom, huh?
BUZZ
See the sign? It says “Boys.”
“Observent,” Eddie snorted. “Fuckin’ idiots.”
“Mouthbreathers.” Eleven cursed gently.
KID #2
Yeah. Boys. Not fags.
Robin flinched.
Across the couch, Will did too.
Steve’s hand closed tightly around Robin’s without thinking. On the other side of the room, Jonathan rested a quiet, steady hand on Will’s shoulder.
“Really?” Dustin scoffed. “Why is that the go-to insult everywhere?”
He shook his head.
“Oh, you can’t fight? Must like boys!” he mocked sarcastically. “Fucking stupid.”
Max nodded in agreement. “Seriously.”
Lucas crossed his arms. “Bullies aren’t exactly known for their creativity.”
“You got that right,” Jonathan mumbled, glancing at Steve.
Steve felt the gaze on him as short as it was, and he didn’t have to guess who it was. He knew.
The bathroom door opens again.
All four boys turn.
ROBIN ARELLANO walks in.
Annoyance written across his face.
ROBIN
Dipshits. Move.
The bullies step aside.
Max snorted. “They look like they’re shitting themselves.”
“Shit,” Eddie said with an impressed shake of his head. “We could use that guy in Hawkins.”
Steve tensed.
I could too, he thought bitterly.
His grip loosened around Robin’s hand.
If the Grabber had never existed… Robin would still be here. Vance too. Bruce. Griffin. Billy. All of them.
They’d all still be here.
Steve turned slowly to look at Robin Buckley beside him.
But would she be?
And if getting his Robin back meant she wasn’t—
Would he even care?
Robin walks to the sink, nodding to Finney as he passes.
ROBIN
Hey, Finn.
He turns on the faucet, watching Finney through the mirror.
ROBIN
What’s happening?
Steve shut his eyes tightly, thinking back to his last ever conversation with Robin. This was the last call, Finn. The memory had been burned in his head for years, like a tape that kept repeating on loop.
Finney keeps his eyes on the boys near the door.
But he looks a little steadier now.
FINNEY
You know. Just keeping on keeping on.
Robin glances at the bullies.
Then back to his hands.
ROBIN
Uh-huh. Moose got some damn sharp teeth.
Close on Robin’s bloody knuckles as he rinses them under the water.
“He’s playing it off,” Nancy observed. “Trying to freak them out.”
“He did that a lot,” Steve said quietly.
Eddie leaned forward, impressed. “Damn. Kid’s got a presence.”
Lucas nodded in awe. “He knows exactly what he’s doing.”
Robin watched the screen, arms folded. “Confidence really does half the work.”
Steve didn’t answer. He just kept watching the other Robin clean the blood from his hands.
The boys exchange uneasy looks.
ROBIN
Knuckles bled all first period.
The boys start edging toward the door.
Robin reaches for paper towels.
ROBIN
Wait.
They stop.
Robin stares at himself in the mirror.
ROBIN
Fuck with Finn again…
He turns toward them.
ROBIN
I fuck with you.
The bullies avoid eye contact.
Robin gestures toward the door.
ROBIN
You can leave now.
They quickly exit.
Silence fills the room.
Finney shuffles his feet, hands in his pockets.
Steve let out a quiet huff. He looked so damn awkward.
God, he hated this.
Dustin tilted his head, watching the screen carefully. “You looked like you were about to apologize for existing.”
“Yeah,” Steve muttered, eyes still glued to the TV. “That tracks.”
Robin glanced over at him. “You were kind of adorable.”
Steve shot her a look.
“Don’t start.”
FINNEY
Thank you.
Robin wraps a paper towel around his knuckles.
ROBIN
You’re gonna have to stand up for yourself one of these days.
Finney looks at him, embarrassed.
FINNEY
Yeah. I know.
A beat.
FINNEY
Hey… why’d you fight Moose?
Robin smirks.
ROBIN
He was talking shit. Thought he’d back down.
He shakes his head.
ROBIN
Nope.
They both laugh.
ROBIN
I was honestly surprised when he swung.
“Honestly, me too at first,” Steve said. “Moose was all bark, no bite—usually. Unless he had to defend his honor.”
“His honor?” Max repeated skeptically.
Steve shrugged. “That’s what he called it.”
Lucas snorted. “Getting mad because someone insulted you isn’t honor.”
“It was middle school,” Steve said. “The bar was low.”
“Trust me, I know.” Dustin mumbled, thinking about Troy.
FINNEY
Did you have to hit him that hard?
Finney turns toward him.
FINNEY
Looked like you really hurt him.
Robin scoffs, leaning against the stall.
ROBIN
I was just gonna knock his ass down.
He lifts his fist.
ROBIN
Whale on him a bit.
A shrug.
ROBIN
But that wouldn’t draw blood.
He nods toward the door.
ROBIN
In a situation like that, the more blood the better.
Eleven nodded thoughtfully, absorbing every word. “More blood is better?” she repeated.
“No,” Hopper said immediately. “No it is not.”
“Yeah, don’t listen to him,” Dustin added quickly. “That’s terrible advice.”
“Disgusting,” Nancy added.
Robin smirked. “Depends who you’re fighting.”
“Robin,” Steve warned.
She lifted her hands innocently. “What? I’m just saying.”
ROBIN
For the crowd, you know?
He lifts his fist again.
ROBIN
Makes a stronger point.
“He has a point,” Joyce mumbled, then louder–towards the kids “That does not mean I condone it! If any of you fight for the blood, you’re grounded until…you’re fourty!”
The mood lightens.
Robin changes the subject.
ROBIN
Hey. I saw Texas Chainsaw Massacre Friday night.
“What’s that?” Eleven asked curiously.
“Uh, only the best movie ever,” Max said immediately. She’d always had a soft spot for it—something about it had helped her process everything that happened at Camp Nightwing.
“If you want nightmares for life,” Lucas muttered.
Max smacked his shoulder.
“Ow!” Lucas yelped, rubbing the spot. “What was that for?”
“Disrespect,” Max replied simply.
“It’s some stupid horror movie,” Mike told Eleven dismissively. “Boring.”
“It wasn’t that bad,” Robin said after thinking about it for a second.
Dustin gasped. “Excuse you, it’s a classic.”
Steve glanced over at him. “You weren’t even alive when it came out.”
“Uh, yes I was,” Dustin said confidently.
Steve blinked. “Whatever.” He waved him off.
ROBIN
You seen it?
Finney shakes his head.
FINNEY
That movie’s rated R. My dad would never take me.
Robin shrugs.
ROBIN
My uncle takes me to the drive-in.
ROBIN
We see everything.
He grins.
ROBIN
But man… that movie?
He shakes his head in amazement.
ROBIN
Best one ever.
Finney raises an eyebrow.
FINNEY
Better than Enter the Dragon?
“God, that movie sucked,” Max said, scrunching her nose.
It had been Tommy Slater’s favorite movie. At one point, hers too. But after everything that happened, she couldn’t stand anything Tommy liked.
“Excuse me?!” Dustin blurted, immediately throwing a handful of popcorn at her. “That movie is legendary!”
Max brushed popcorn off her shoulder. “It’s two hours of dudes punching each other.”
“That’s the point!” Dustin argued.
Lucas shrugged. “I thought it was cool.”
Mike rolled his eyes. “You think everything with punching is cool.”
Robin glanced between them. “I feel like we’re missing the real question here.”
Steve looked over. “Which is?”
“Why is that the debate happening while we’re literally watching your childhood trauma on VHS?”
Steve snorted. “Fair point,” he noted.
Robin bursts out laughing.
Finney laughs too.
ROBIN
Okay, okay.
ROBIN
Maybe second best.
They calm down.
FINNEY
You know… I want to see a Bruce Lee movie one day.
Eddie shook his head slowly. “Oh, you sad, sad child.”
Steve groaned quietly.
“No wonder you work at a video store and still host movie nights,” Eddie added with a grin.
Steve rolled his eyes. “You come to the movie nights.”
“Yeah,” Eddie said proudly. “Because someone has to provide culture.”
Robin snorted. “Your idea of culture is heavy metal and horror movies.”
“Correct,” Eddie said. “The two pillars of society.”
“You’re no longer invited to the movie nights,” Steve said.
“I never was to begin with, your majesty.” Eddie pointed out.
Steve groaned, “Whatever.”
FINNEY
Maybe if it comes on TV or something.
Robin nods.
ROBIN
Yeah.
ROBIN
You will.
Robin pushes off the stall.
Steps closer.
ROBIN
Hey… you got time to stop by my place after school?
FINNEY
Is it math again?
Dustin suddenly coughed, choking on popcorn. “Math?!” he wheezed.
Steve nodded calmly. “Math.”
“But—you suck at math!” Mike blurted.
“Yeah, now,” Steve said. “I was good at it in Denver. I just… stopped caring.”
Lucas frowned. “Why?”
Steve shrugged slightly, eyes drifting back to the screen.
Joyce watched him from her chair, her brow knitting together.
What could have happened to make a kid stop caring about school so completely—so fast—that he nearly failed out of high school?
ROBIN
Yeah. Mr. Johnson talks too fast.
ROBIN
Doesn’t explain it right. Not like you.
A small smile.
ROBIN
Can you walk me through it?
ROBIN
If I get another F, I’m suspended.
Finney nods.
FINNEY
Yeah.
FINNEY
Sure.
Dustin shook his head in disbelief. “I’m sorry, I still can’t get over the fact that he went to you for math tutoring.”
Steve huffed. “Oh, shut up.”
Robin smirked. “Honestly, I’m impressed.”
Lucas crossed his arms. “I’m just trying to picture Steve doing homework.”
Mike snorted. “Yeah, that image doesn’t compute.”
Steve leaned back into the couch with an exaggerated sigh. “You’re all very funny.”