Chapter Text
One night after hanging out with the party, Robin realizes how much of a front Nancy puts up.
It was Friday night, the usual hang-out night for the party, which they spent at Steve’s, playing games, and watching movies, overall, just goofing off.
Robin never noticed anything off with her girl. Nancy was quiet, but she was usually always quiet in big groups. She would only speak when spoken to or would simply sit with Robin and Max, sometimes El too, and would talk to them. This was just how she was.
Tonight, was a bit louder than usual, though. Jonathan brought his loud friend Argyle, who Nancy and Robin were familiar with, but didn’t really know that well. Argyle got along great with the kids, getting really into the games they were playing.
When they finally got back from Steve’s, Robin took one look at her girl and saw how exhausted she was. Nancy looked physically drained from hanging out with their friends, which happens sometimes, but never to this level.
“Are you alright, Nance?” She asks.
Nancy, in what could almost be called a daze, looks up at Robin briefly, before quickly looking away.
“Hmm?” Nancy replies, distracted, not entirely there.
She’s rocking back and forth on her heels, eyes looking everywhere and nowhere at the same time.
Not really knowing what this is, Robin decides to act as she would if Nancy was having a panic attack because for all Robin knew, she could be.
“Come here, darling. I think you need to sit down. Can I touch you?” She asks, holding her hands out for Nancy to see.
Nancy nods slightly, holding her hand out, allowing Robin to take it. Once that physical contact is made, Nancy immediately grips Robin’s waist. Robin flinches slightly at the sudden movement but relaxes. Robin isn’t too big a fan of sudden touch, but Nancy needs comfort, and Robin is willing to give it. Robin leads them over to their couch, grateful that they have their own place.
“What do you need, Nance? Do you want me to just hold you for a little bit?” She asks.
Nancy nods, unable to get the words out. She needs more but isn’t able to say it, so she squeezes Robin tighter, hoping she gets the memo.
“Tighter? How’s this? Okay?”
Nancy nods again, letting out a sigh. She can feel her nervous system come back to life. This feels good. Robin wasn’t really sure what to do next, this hasn’t ever happened to this level before. She ends up sitting them both down on the couch, Nancy resting her head on Robin’s chest, and starts running her fingers through Nancy’s hair. She didn’t realize it, but at some point, she started humming some Madonna song that Nancy had played her the other day.
Nancy stayed put, eyes screwed shut as she tried to recenter herself. Robin didn’t mind, though. Nancy was always there for her when she was going through something, so she would be here for as long as it takes for her girl to be okay.
After around thirty more minutes of Robin humming to her, Nancy was able to open her eyes. She looked around the room, slowly this time, testing how her awareness was. She was usually able to test if a meltdown was over by now, she’s been going through this ever since she was a kid.
She moves to sit up slowly, catching Robin off guard. Robin watches her girl slowly sit up and look around some more, before making the equivalent of eye contact with Robin.
“Sorry.” Nancy mumbles, biting her lip.
“It’s alright darling. Is it over?” Robin replies.
Nancy nods.
“Never that bad.” She reveals.
Robin shrugs.
“Well, we had a new addition tonight. And he was the equivalent to like three new additions. I get it.” She explains.
Nancy nods again.
“It was hard to mask tonight. Had to work extra hard. I think that’s what caused it.” She explains.
Robin reaches her hand back into Nancy’s hair, running her hand through it. Nancy’s eyes close again and she lets out a breath she didn’t know she was holding.
“Can you try to tell me the next time you feel the need to mask?” She asks. Robin knows about masking all too well. She feels comfortable enough with the party to keep her mask down, so she usually does. Nancy on the other hand only feels comfortable keeping her mask down with a handful of the party. When the group is bigger, like when Argyle or Eddie join them, Nancy tries to keep with the people she is comfortable with, but even then she sometimes feels the need to mask.
Nancy nods in response.
“I’m sorry.”
Robin shakes her head.
“I’m not mad at you. You did nothing wrong.” She explains.
“It feels like I did.”
“Well, you didn’t. I promise.”
This happens a lot when Nancy has a meltdown. She grew up being constantly told to shove her feeling down and whenever they got out, she would get in trouble. Her parents wanted her to be normal and having meltdowns about ‘little things’ wasn’t normal.
Nancy places her finger on her lips, silently asking for a kiss.
Robin smiles in response.
“A kiss? Yes ma’am.” She replies, leaning in a kissing her girl. When they pull apart, Nancy rests her head on Robin’s shoulder. Whenever either of them has a meltdown, they’re usually exhausted after.
“You wanna move to bed?” Robin asks.
Nancy nods and forces herself to stand. She takes Robin’s hand and leads them into the bedroom. She walks over to the dresser and takes out one of Robin’s shirts, changing into it and a pair of shorts. The shirt is a size too big on Robin, so it was like a dress on Nancy. Robin loves when Nancy wears her clothes because she looks adorable.
Robin changes as well and the two get into bed.
“How are you doing?” She asks Nancy as her girl rests her head on Robin’s chest again.
Nancy takes a deep breath, letting it out with ease.
“Safe.” She replies.
Robin smiles in response.
“Me too, darling. Me too.”