Chapter Text
Steve threw a good punch normally, but in his drunken state, he was struggling.
He hadn’t expected to have to defend anyone tonight; this party was supposed to be a laid back, good time. But this dude wouldn’t leave Robin alone, and he’d grabbed Robin by the arm. As Robin told the stranger off, Steve pulled him off of her and threw the first punch. Unfortunately for Steve, this dude was much bigger and seemingly much more sober than he was. Robin was protesting off to the side, but ending this fight prematurely didn’t seem like an option now. The guy was after Steve.
Steve tried to dodge his fist, but succeeded only in stumbling and falling to the ground. The guy wasn’t satisfied to call it quits there. He leaned down, grabbed Steve’s shirt with one hand, and hit him across the face with the other. And again, and again. Steve was vaguely aware of the crowd forming around them now, but was more acutely aware of the pain in his face. The dude laid one final blow across Steve’s jaw with a sickening crack, and Steve rolled over in pain. Either someone pulled the guy away or he decided that the fight was won and over, Steve wasn’t sure which. Robin rushed to his side, gently brushing his hair away from his face.
“You idiot,” she scolded softly. “Are you okay?”
Steve grabbed his face and let out a muffled scream.
“Shit,” Robin said. “Can you get up? We should go.”
Steve rolled further into the dirt, trying to breath through the agony. Eventually, when he felt like he could think again, he slowly rolled onto his back and sat up. He parted his lips and blood dripped out. His teeth must have torn up his inner cheek.
“Oh, Steve… C’mon, let’s get you up.” Robin gave him a hand and hoisted him upright. She put an arm around his middle and led him in the direction of his car. “I’ll drive,” she said.
As they made their way, the party got louder and louder. Apparently a shouting match was breaking out now. Robin opened the passenger side door and deposited Steve, then held her hands out for the keys. Steve looked at her pleadingly.
“You’re drunk,” Robin said.
He furrowed his brow and pointed at her.
She continued, “I’m fine. I had one drink. That was stupid, you know. I can defend myself.”
He looked to the side, brows still furrowed. Suddenly, his eyes widened, and he looked at her desperately.
“What? Steve, say something.”
He opened his mouth and spat out two teeth into his hand. More blood flowed from his mouth to his palm and down his shirt.
“Jesus,” Robin said.
“Fuck,” he groaned.
“You need a hospital, or at least an emergency dentist.”
“I fucking hate hospitals.”
“I know, bud.”
He reached into his pocket and produced his keys, which he handed to her with a sigh. Robin got into the driver’s side of the car and started it up. “If you have another concussion, Dustin will be pissed.”
“If I have another concussion, I’ll be pissed. Fuck.” He leaned forward in his seat and cradled his jaw.
“You okay?”
Steve didn’t answer, which worried Robin. He would usually at least lie and say he was fine.
“Please don’t spit out any more teeth.”
“Feels wrong.”
“What feels wrong?” she asked, starting the drive to the hospital.
“My mouth.” He tried to open his mouth, and let out a cry of pain. “Can’t open it all the way.”
“Okay, um…” Robin tried to think. “Do you think it’s broken?”
Steve looked at her, then sighed deeply.
“I’ll take that as a maybe?”
“I don’t know. Talking hurts.”
“Okay, don’t talk then.” She turned up the radio, which was set to Steve’s favorite channel. Normally she’d debate his taste in music, but she let it go.
They arrived at the hospital about twenty minutes later and had to wait a full hour before Steve was taken back. There, they did x-rays and confirmed that his jaw was broken. Robin looked at Steve, concerned, as the doctor delivered this news. The poor guy just couldn’t catch a break.
“We’ll have to wire your jaw shut,” the doctor said, “for six to eight weeks.”
Steve’s brows shot up. “Seriously?”
The doctor nodded. “We can do the surgery tomorrow morning.” Once you’re sober, was left unsaid.
“Surgery?” Robin asked.
The doctor nodded again. “We’ll do surgery to insert some metal plates and attach the wires—I can have one of our surgeons walk you through the process. You’ll have to be on a liquid diet until it’s all removed, and I’ll give you a set of pliers to carry with you. In case you vomit, it’s important to remove the wiring quickly so you don’t choke.”
Robin could see Steve was starting to freak out, and she didn’t blame him. She was trying her best to keep calm for him.
The doctor’s pager went off, and he said, “I’ll have a nurse come in and get you set up with pain medicine,” and left.
“Should I call your parents?” Robin asked.
“I wish Mrs. Byers was here.”
“Yeah, or Hopper.”
“Yeah. Call my parents, I guess. I should give them a heads up that I’ll be…” He trailed off.
Robin gently bumped him with her shoulder. “You’re going to be fine.”
“Yeah, yeah. I just won’t be able to talk or eat for two months, but I’ll be fine.”
“That’s the spirit.”
“Will you be here tomorrow?”
“Sure. I wouldn’t pass on the chance to see you all hopped up on pain meds.”
Steve rolled his eyes, but he was smiling. “Thanks.”
“No problem. I’ll go call your parents.”
“Let me give you the number.”
“I know your house number, dingus.”
She left the room, and Steve was alone. Shit, he really needed to stop ending up here. Ever since that fight with Jonathan, it seemed like he dealt with this kind of thing nonstop. Was he going to be able to work? On one hand, he hated his job, on the other hand, he needed the money and he hated just sitting around his empty house. He guessed he’d be silently serving customers for a few weeks.
Robin came back a few minutes later. “Your parents are on their way.”
“Can you call Dustin too?”
“He’s probably asleep.”
“Nah, it’s a Dungeons and Dragons night. He’ll still be up.”
“At Mike’s then?”
“Yeah.”
“I’ll call him in a minute.” She sat next to him.
Steve asked, “Are you sad that you won’t hear me talk for two months?”
“Absolutely devastated, but I think somehow I’ll manage. We’ll get you a little notebook and crayon.” She shook her head at him. “You really didn’t have to take that guy.”
“Well, if I’d known he was going to break my face, I wouldn’t have.” Steve smirked. “Kidding. Of course I had to.”
“You’re a doofus, you know that?”
“But I’m your doofus.”
She ruffled his hair. “Yeah, you are.”