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“You know,” Robin says, getting an idea as she looks at Vicky’s peanut butter disaster, “I think I’ve got a way you can fix that leaning tower of PB.”
Vickie laughs at the joke, which cracks open any protective coating Robin’s applied to her heart and rocks through her like an earthquake. “I’m not sure it can be saved.”
“Trust me, I’m an expert on disasters,” Robin says.
Just look at my love life.
“I don’t think there’s a way to salvage that much peanut butter.”
“Watch and learn.” Robin’s hands are shaking as she picks up another piece of white bread, slathering the jelly on one side and plopping it jelly side-down on one of Vickie’s pieces. Then, holding it in place, she spreads jelly on the other side and adds the other slice of bread on top.
“Less leaning tower of PB, more double decker bus,” she says, absentmindedly licking grape jelly from her thumb.
She doesn’t miss how Vickie’s eyes fixate on her thumb.
“God, you’re a lifesaver.”
“Not really, I mean… who’s going to want to eat all this? It would’ve been smarter to just put jam on two pieces of bread and then-”
“No, it’s really smart of you,” Vickie says hurriedly. “And besides, if nobody else wants it, we can always split it after our shift.”
“Yeah. For sure.” Robin’s cheeks are burning, the two of them grinning at each other as they go back to making sandwiches.
“Although I wish there was something more we could do,” Vickie sighs. “I feel so useless. I mean what’s peanut butter and jelly going to do to help anything?”
“I don’t know,” Robin admits. “But it is comfort food, and people have to eat.”
“I guess it is, isn’t it?”
“I mean, who’s going to turn down a good old-fashioned PB&J? It’s a quintessential, all-American food.”
“A perfect pairing.”
“Right! Like uh… Bert and Ernie.”
"Starsky and Hutch."
"Thelma and Louise."
"Stacey and Linda," Vickie says, laughing to herself, and when she sees Robin isn't laughing, she adds, "from Fast Times?"
"You know, I haven't actually seen Fast Times," Robin admits, thinking about her conversation with Steve - hearing "Vickie likes boobies!" echoing in her brain is possibly enough to make her swear off sex forever - "But I've heard it's good."
"It's great," Vickie says, enthusiastically. "Phoebe Cates is so pretty."
"Well maybe you'll have to show me," Robin says before she can stop herself.
Vickie grins. "Maybe I will. When things are normal again. Or at least-"
"Normal for Hawkins, yeah," Robin laughs. "It's a date."
She regrets it as soon as she says it, watching Vickie fumble with her knife.
"I mean not- not a date date just-"
“No, no, I know,” Vickie says hurriedly. “I just… yeah. That would be cool.”
“Cool.”
Vickie grins. “Cool.”
Robin’s face still feels like it has to be the same colour as a stop sign, her hands shaking as she grabs another piece of bread. “Did uh… did you all get through the earthquake alright?”
“Yeah… we were nowhere near it, thank God. We were driving my brother back to Indianapolis.”
“Right, yeah. End of spring break.”
“What about you?”
“Oh yeah,” Robin lies. “We were fine. I mean, we were pretty close to the epicenter, but… we were okay.”
Somehow she doesn’t think ‘we were in a secret monster dimension and also maybe were the cause of all this’ is the right answer.
“God, that sounds scary,” Vickie says with a shudder. “I can’t even watch horror movies – I think if I'd been here, I’d have just died of fright.”
“I know,” Robin confides. “You know Night of the Living Dead? I almost peed myself watching that one… but Steve’s kids…”
Vickie raises an eyebrow.
“I mean, the kids he babysits, you know… they really liked it but not me. I’m a scaredy cat too. It’s why I always make him recommend good horror movies.”
“… You work at Family Video together, right?"
“Yeah. Since last summer.”
“So uh… the two of you, you’re dating, right?”
“Oh no. No no no. We’re just friends. Platonic with a capital P. He’s my best friend, but he’s… not my type.”
“Somehow I didn’t think so,” Vickie laughs, and is Robin imagining it, or does she seem relieved? “So what is your type?”
You, Robin thinks, but before she has the chance to give an equally stupid answer, they're joined by one of the older volunteers.
"How are you girls doing?"
"Just peachy," Vickie says with a smile, gesturing to the pile of sandwiches they've accumulated while they've been talking.
"You girls make quite the team."
"Oh yeah," Vickie says brightly. "We go together like PB&J."
"Laverne and Shirley."
"Mac and cheese."
"Stacy and Linda," Robin offers.
"Well you'll have to be Linda," Vickie says, laughing.
"Why?"
"I can't swim."
Robin is sure she flushes bright red all over, and to top it off, she drops her knife on the floor. "Shit."
"You okay?" Vickie asks, the two of them nearly knocking heads when they both kneel down, reaching for the knife, Robin feeling a zing of connection when their fingers touch.
"Just fine," Robin squeaks out. "Just uh. I don't think I should be Linda. Even if I can swim."
"Why not?"
"Because you're the one who's prettier than Phoebe Cates," Robin blurts out. "I mean objectively speaking and uh-"
"I thought you hadn't seen Fast Times."
"I haven't but it's uh... it's one of Steve's favourite movies.”
Vickie grins. “See, that makes more sense.”
“Hey don’t judge him by his cover, he’s… got some hidden qualities.”
“I wouldn’t think about setting me up with him,” Vickie says. “I am swearing off boys at the moment.”
This is music to Robin’s ears, her own siren song. She thinks Vickie’s voice could possibly save her from Vecna – and oh God, she’s been staring at her, the two of them kneeling half-under the table like kids under a fort.
“Come on,” Vickie says, helping Robin back to her feet. “Is Fast Times really one of his favourite movies?”
“Oh yeah. But I mean, he’s a guy – he likes boobies.”
Vickie starts giggling, clearly surprised, and Robin cringes. "Oh my God."
"I'm sorry," Robin says helplessly. "Shit, I don't know why I said that."
"I'm glad you did," Vickie says, still laughing. "I think I needed that. So thanks."
"You're uh... you're welcome."
They grin shyly at each other for a second before someone yells, "Hey! It's snowing out!"
They exchange a more skeptical look, watching as everyone rushes outside to watch the flakes falling.
But Robin meets Steve's gaze and is rewarded with a tiny shake of his head, and just like that, she feels stupid for getting caught up in her love life when the world as they all know it is almost over.
Then Vickie murmurs, "That's weird, right?"
Robin can only nod. "Yeah. Weird."
As they walk over to join the others at the window, their hands brush, and Robin feels... almost hopeful – because hey, not getting a date doesn’t mean much when it’s the end of the world as they know it.
Even as the ash and particles fall outside the window.