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Nancy’s room was full of so many things. It was one thing being in her house, but being in her room, there was so much to look at. Nancy was clearly trying to discuss something with Steve, but Robin just wanted to look at all her stuff.
She opened a box on her dresser to reveal it was actually a music box with a ballerina inside. A ballerina music box. In Nancy Wheeler’s bedroom.
“She’s giving you an academic scholar vibe?” Steve said, and Robin snapped back to their conversation. Right. Pennhurst Asylum.
“No, but she will,” Nancy said, and Robin realized that the frilly pink shirt Nancy was holding up was meant for her.
“Oh, please tell me you’re joking,” she said. It was like she could already feel her skin crawling just looking at it.
“Absolutely not. Steve, get out.”
He glanced at Robin and started to say, “Are you sure about-”
“Out!” Nancy snapped.
Robin’s eyes went wide with either realization or horror, she wasn’t sure which.
“Fine, fine,” Steve threw up his hands and started backing out of the room, looking over at Robin as he did.
She pleaded silently for him to stay to not leave her alone with Nancy Wheeler in her bedroom of all places. “Steve,” she mouthed before Nancy shut the door on him.
“Here, take this,” Nancy said, smile on her face as she shoved the shirt into Robin’s hands. She started moving around the room with the same enthusiasm Robin had had only a minute ago. Robin took the shirt but stood there, realization slowly sinking in. They were going to have to change in front of each other. She wasn’t just alone with Nancy. This was far worse. Suddenly, the texture of the blouse in her hands was the least of her worries.
“…so much quieter without Steve in here, makes it easier to find things, you know?” Nancy had been talking and she wasn’t even paying attention.
“Yeah, sure.” However happy Nancy was that Steve wasn’t here, Robin was desperately wishing he’d come back in. Distract Nancy. Anything to avoid this.
“Hold that up for a second, let me see,” Nancy said.
She was so panicked that Nancy had to show her how to hold up a shirt. It’s okay. It’s fine. Robin wasn’t a girly girl like Nancy was. That’s all she’d think. It was all going to be just fine.
Then Nancy started grabbing skirts from her closet and holding them up to Robin. She really wasn’t sure what was worse, the idea of wearing a skirt, the idea of wearing Nancy’s skirt, or the way Nancy kept getting so close to her. It was almost-
“Perfect!” Nancy said, holding up one final skirt, and her hand brushed against Robin’s waist. The touch startled her, but at least Nancy was so focused, rambling about matching sweaters and finding an outfit for herself, that she didn’t notice.
Maybe there was still a chance they’d change separately. She could just go down the hall to the bathroom, change there, and everything would be just fine. Robin looked up from the outfit Nancy had shoved in her hands, about to say something, when she saw Nancy already pulling her clothes off, like it was no big deal. All she could think about was the way Nancy’s fingers moved over the buttons on her shirt as she undid them.
“Get dressed, we don’t have all day,” Nancy said, and Robin suddenly snapped back to reality. Right. Time sensitive task. More important things than Nancy’s…no, Robin. Focus.
She tried to ignore the fact that Nancy was taking her clothes off just across the room from her as she undid her pants and pulled them off. This was fine. This was normal. Girls do this all the time, right? Probably, if Nancy was so cool with it, acting like it was nothing.
Robin looked up as she was putting on the skirt, barely having a chance to notice that Nancy had taken her shirt off before they locked eyes and Nancy looked away. Shit! What if she thinks I was staring at her? She’s going to find out why Steve and I aren’t dating, and she’s going to hate me, and we won’t get to talk to Victor Creel, and Max is going to die, and-
Robin realized she was being a little overdramatic. She looked back up at Nancy and saw how flustered she looked, shaky and blushing, as she was reaching for the shirt she was going to change into. Oh, God, she probably hates me, Robin thought, then remembered, Oh, right. I have a different shirt to put on, too.
She pulled hers off, and grabbed the one Nancy had picked out for her, choosing to focus on the horrible color and texture of it rather than partially-undressed Nancy Wheeler just across the room. Robin was pulling it over her head, successfully ignoring Nancy, when she suddenly heard, “Robin, wait.”
Robin lowered the shirt and looked up to see Nancy right in front of her, reaching to touch her arm, and suddenly she felt Nancy’s hand pressed against her skin. Robin froze, startled by the gentleness of Nancy’s touch and the fact that she was suddenly inches away for no reason Robin could figure out. Nancy was standing still, not moving, hand still on her arm, until she finally dropped it as she said, “Um, sorry. I just can’t let you wear that bra with that shirt. It’ll show right through.”
She was looking at my bra?
“Oh,” Robin said softly. She was surprised she was able to get the word out at all. She wasn’t even sure she had taken a breath since Nancy said her name. Breathe, Robin. Act normal.
“A highly professional academic like Rose would never make such a mistake,” Nancy said, and Robin could tell she was trying to ease the tension. She let out a small laugh and saw Nancy start to relax, but couldn’t come up with anything to say in return. Her mind was working overtime just to keep her composure. Robin set the shirt down, but before she could feel uncomfortable about standing here in just her bra, Nancy turned around to look through one of her dresser drawers.
She had been pointedly avoiding looking anywhere other than Nancy’s face this entire time, but now she was wondering if that was more suspicious. Straight girls probably didn’t completely avoid looking at other girls bodies, right? Okay, if I look at her now, then at least if I have a chance to pull myself together before she turns back around.
Robin looked up and instantly had butterflies in her stomach at the sight of Nancy. She wasn’t even sure where to look - at the slope of her shoulders, the curve of her waist, the smooth, softness of her skin…at the back of the pink, lacy bra she was wearing. Maybe pink and frilly doesn’t have to always be so terrible.
She took a deep breath and reminded herself to focus, instead watching Nancy sort through the drawer looking for just the right bra. Nancy’s bra. For her to wear. Shit! She suddenly remembered she also was in just a bra and shiver ran down her spine. Robin quickly searched around the room for something else, anything else to focus on.
“This should work, well enough, at least,” Nancy said, turning around with a bra in her hands. Robin was so grateful that at least Nancy hadn’t turned around while she was staring at her.
“Are you sure?”
Nancy smiled, “Yes, you definitely can’t wear that one and this should be fine.”
Robin groaned. It looked just as pink and frilly and annoying as the one Nancy was wearing. She hadn’t even put it on yet and was already thinking about how she was dying to take it off. Her mind suddenly filled with the thought of undoing the hooks on Nancy’s bra-
“It’s just for a few hours.” Nancy’s voice snapped her back to reality. “Then we can take it off and be back to normal.” Robin’s heart raced. Did I say something out loud? Does she know that I-
“Sorry!” Nancy’s face turned pink and she couldn’t meet Robin’s eyes as she rambled, “You can take it off, sorry. I was just thinking you’d be giving it back to me after, sorry. Here, try it on.”
Nancy shoved it into her hands and turned away without making eye contact. Robin stood there, stunned by what just happened. Then she realized Nancy would expect her to be putting it on, and what if she turned around too soon? I can handle a lot of things, but I cannot handle Nancy seeing me completely topless. She turned away slightly, so she wasn’t facing directly toward Nancy, but could still keep an eye out in case Nancy turned around.
Robin unhooked her black bra, laid it on Nancy’s bed, noticed the stark contrast to the light colors of her bedspread, let her mind wander for a moment, reminded herself to focus, and then put on the one Nancy gave her. Everything about it felt…wrong. And she wasn’t sure if that was because of the material, the way it fit, or the fact that she couldn’t stop thinking about how Nancy’s boobs had been in this same bra that hers were in now. She turned back and saw Nancy slipping her arms into the sleeves of the shirt she had picked out for herself. At least one of us has a top on now.
“Nance?” she said, trying to not express any of her panic outwardly.
“Yeah?” Nancy’s head snapped up so fast it almost looked painful to Robin.
“I don’t know if this is right. Can you help me?”
Nancy pressed her lips together and nodded before walking over to Robin. She lifted her hands, but paused before reaching over to ask, “Can I?”
“Yeah,” Robin said, and despite all her efforts, she couldn’t hide the tension in her voice. It hadn’t crossed her mind when she asked for help adjusting the bra that Nancy would be touching her. The fact that Nancy didn’t react set her mind at ease for the half second before Nancy’s fingers, the same long, delicate fingers that had undone the buttons of her shirt earlier, were now slipped underneath the straps of her bra, running along her skin. She gasped at the shock of it, unable to have stopped herself even if she had tried.
“Sorry! I know my hands are usually really cold, sorry, I should’ve warned you,” Nancy shook her head nervously, and Robin, hyperaware of Nancy’s fingers against her, could almost feel a tremble. Or maybe that was just her.
“No, that’s okay.” She couldn’t let Nancy think any of this was her fault. And she couldn’t say it out loud, but the cool of her fingers felt so relieving against the flush of heat spreading across her face and chest. Did Nancy have to be so close? It seemed like she was mostly adjusting things on the back, instead of just standing behind her, Nancy was in front of her, leaning behind her to adjust and then check the front, then adjust again. Each time Nancy’s hair came close to brushing her skin, but never quite did. “I’ve just never had anyone adjust a bra on me before, it probably shows.”
Nancy seemed to be content with how she had adjusted it, and it no longer felt like it was cutting into her shoulders. Nancy smiled up at her and said, “Don’t worry about it, there’s a first time for everything.”
That’s an understatement, Robin thought, unable to keep herself from bursting out into laughter. Nancy started laughing too, only now realizing what she had said as a blush tinged her cheeks. “I don’t know if I’m going to apologize for that one, now you’re the one making it weird.” The look in her eyes took Robin’s breath away, more than Nancy’s bra was. “Turn around,” Nancy said, keeping eye contact with Robin until she spun around as instructed.
She had steeled herself in preparation for Nancy’s hands to be touching her skin again, but she wasn’t expecting to feel Nancy unhook the bra completely. Robin let out a deep breath at the sensation of it all, the relief of the bra coming undone and the flush of heat she felt knowing that Nancy had done it.
“Better?” Nancy asked, rehooking it properly on her back.
You have no idea. “Much,” she breathed, still trying to catch her breath.
“Turn back around and let me make sure it fits okay,” Nancy said.
Oh God, oh God, oh God. Robin couldn’t even pretend she was keeping it cool anymore and spun around instantly, startling Nancy so much she took a step back. Instead of taking advantage of the moment to calm down, she immediately started nervously apologizing in an attempt to make Nancy feel better. “Oh, sorry I know that my coordination isn’t the best but usually no one’s close enough for it to be an issue, other than in marching band, which I’m surprisingly good at all things considered, and I have a couple theories on why that would be, and,” she realized Nancy was giggling behind her hand. “I’m sorry, are you laughing at me?”
Nancy dropped her hand and smiled, “No, you’re just rambling again.” Oh, no. “You got really quiet for a bit there and had me worried,” she said with such concern and gentleness that Robin absolutely melted inside. Then Nancy was in front of her again, and without warning was tugging at the cups of the bra. Robin’s knees went weak at the feeling of Nancy’s hands on her breasts, even through the material of the bra, the lace on the edge of the bra tickling gently against her skin as Nancy tried to adjust everything to be just right.
Her head was spinning, and she saw how intensely Nancy was focusing on her chest, then looking down past her face where Nancy’s shirt hung unbuttoned, at the gentle swell of her breasts against the lace of the bra and the tiny pink bow in the middle. She felt shivers run down her spine as Nancy’s fingers touched her bare skin for the first time, and noticed this time Nancy wasn’t apologizing.
Hell, Nancy almost wasn’t breathing. Robin only noticed because every time Nancy did, it sent goosebumps across her skin. She slipped her fingers beneath the center of the bra, the same place that tiny pink bow was that Robin couldn’t stop staring at, and Robin became aware of how hard her heart was pounding. Sure enough, Nancy looked up at her, and they both froze, staring at each other, until Nancy slipped her fingers out from under the band, cleared her throat, and said, “Should be good now.”
Say something, say anything.“Um, thanks.”
“Yeah, sure thing. Um, finish getting dressed and then I can do your hair and makeup,” Nancy said. Neither of them had broken their eye contact, even as Nancy backed over to where her clothes were, until she finally turned away to button her shirt.
Robin finally let herself take a normal breath and try to relax as she pulled the shirt on and looked in the mirror. Nancy was right, her other bra would have shown right through. She continued studying her appearance, ignoring the red flush on her face, and then asked, “Is…is there something wrong with my hair and makeup?” She knew she had to ask because Nancy had already said she was going to fix it, but she couldn’t stand the thought of Nancy thinking there was something wrong with her.
“No, of course not,” Nancy said. Robin turned to look at her, and saw Nancy was changing skirts. “I think it’s cute, but I’m not the one we’re trying to impress here,” she smiled.
She thinks it’s cute! Robin was so excited and nervous she looked away, then remembered she was still talking to Nancy.
“It just needs to be a bit more professional and boring,” she said, grabbing a clip and then brushing and adjusting Robin’s hair until she deemed it professional enough. Robin was so glad she had been sitting as she felt Nancy brushing and running her fingers through her hair. She had to remind herself to breathe.
Nancy sat down on the edge of the bed across from her, and Robin knew she was telling her what she was going to fix, but her brain felt too scrambled to process any of it.
“Yeah, sure. I guess,” she said back. “I’m not really a makeover with her friends kind of girl. Not that we’re friends. Or not friends. We don’t have to be either, I’ve just never had someone do my makeup before, or my hair, or pick out clothes for me, or let me borrow clothes.” Oh, no, I’m talking too much again.
Nancy smiled and it instantly put her at ease. “There’s nothing wrong with that.”
Then she was touching her face, running the tips of her finger beneath her eyes, adding blush on and making sure it matched on both sides, touching her cheek gently to turn her face side to side.
“Maybe it’s not such a bad thing to be a priss,” Robin said, trying to bring up something to focus on other than Nancy touching her face, Nancy’s face so close to her face, the way Nancy was looking at her, and the way she couldn’t stop looking at Nancy.
“Are you calling me a priss?” Nancy asked, pretending to be shocked. Robin could have sighed with relief at the way the tension between them relieved.
“I did once, to Steve,” she shrugged.
“Oh?” Nancy asked, and suddenly there was something hanging in the air. Right. She had dated Steve. Maybe she still had feelings for him.
“Yeah, he told me I was wrong, and for once in his life, Steve Harrington was right.” Nancy smiled. “But you are still incredibly skilled in the makeover department. Even if this outfit is my worst nightmare.”
“It’ll be over soon enough, don’t worry,” Nancy said, and Robin realized that now, that’s what she was afraid of. Nancy put her hand under Robin’s chin to steady them both as she applied lipstick. All Robin could think about was Nancy’s hand under her chin, how focused Nancy was on her lips, how focused she was on Nancy’s lips, and wouldn’t it just be a shame if her lipstick got messed up by-
A sudden knock on the door startled them both, and Robin’s lipstick was now messed up as Steve shouted through the door, “Nancy! Robin!”
“Hold on!” she shouted at him, and then turned back to Robin, gently wiping away the lipstick. Robin was staring right at her, not wanting this moment to end.
“Okay, come in!” Nancy shouted at Steve, and he opened the door.
“Oh, hello ladies. Looking preppy,” he said, leaning against the door frame and looking at their outfits.
“What do you want, Steve?” Nancy asked, looking away from him and back at Robin, which gave her both butterflies and a smug sense of satisfaction as Nancy checked her over from head to toe to make sure she looked perfect. She felt Nancy’s gaze linger over her chest, and her mind filled with thoughts of Nancy’s hands against the bare skin of her chest and back. Steve said something and then Nancy was jumping up off the bed, shoving a sweater in her hands, grabbing things, and running downstairs.
Steve watched her leave, and Robin stood up from the bed, still dazed and almost stumbling.
“Is it just me or was she staring at your boobies?”
And at the sound of Steve’s voice saying boobies, she was suddenly snapped back to reality. “Ew! Gross, Steve! Please, never say boobies ever again.”