Chapter Text
'Do you have any idea how bad this is?! Eddie and Nancy are both coming here, full of new experiences, enjoying their cool new life in the city, and I am still a loser! I have accomplished nothing!'
Robin was watching Steve's breakdown with surprised awe. Usually, she'd be the one laying on her bed spiraling, with Steve watching her like that. It was refreshing to change up that dynamic, she had to admit.
'I bet Nance is bringing some cool hot nerdy boyfriend, and Eddie's like, super successful with his work now, and they'll have all those cool stories about clubs and college and living on their own – and what do I have? Nothing! I'm still stuck at Family Video, I still live in my parents' house, I have had nothing but failed dates, for fuck's sake!'
'Why do you even care?' Robin asked. 'They don't need you to achieve anything, they love you.'
'It's not that simple!' Steve groaned. 'I'm a failure, Robin! And it's gonna be Christmas and it'll be like some family reunion where you feel like you gotta impress your aunts and uncles because God knows they'll be comparing you to other people and judging you. I hate it. I hate it so much. Do you think I should keep dating Rebecca for a few more weeks, just so I can bring her as a date? She's hot, right? And kind of cute? Then at least I'll have achieved something .'
Robin wrinkled her nose. 'You know I don't like Rebecca,' she answered. 'She is hot, though. But I hardly think she'll impress Nancy, she's not smart enough.'
'It's not about impressing Nancy!' Steve defended himself.
But Robin knew better. There was only one possible explanation for Steve's sudden obsession with seeming like he “achieved things in life” and that was that he still wasn't over Nancy Wheeler. She would've thought it was pathetic if she hadn't understood it so well. Because let's be honest, Nancy Wheeler just had that effect on people. Robin knew that like no one else. She hadn't even told Steve about it; she felt too ashamed. Why did she have to fall in love with Steve's ex that he couldn't get over, of all people? Speaking of pathetic...
'Hey Steve,' Robin said, while dropping down on the bed next to him. He lifted his head to drop it in her lap and she started playing with his hair. 'I have an idea.'
'Hm?'
She had been a good amount of worried about this little reunion as well. Not for the same reasons as Steve, obviously – she was pretty happy with where she was in life right now, going to college in Indianapolis and feeling right at home there, with lots of new friends and interesting courses. The only thing she was worried about, was people getting suspicious of the one thing she still hadn't found in college: a boyfriend. What if people would be onto her? What if someone would ask one question too many, after she would have had one drink too many, and her secret would be forced out of her, and Nancy, or any of the kids, would suddenly look at her differently – or worse, hate her for what she was?
'What if I became your date, instead of Rebecca?'
Steve looked up at her, a confused look in his eyes.
'You're a lesbian, Robin.'
Robin rolled her eyes. 'Yeah, I know that, trust me, you don't need to remind me,' she said. 'But if we go as a couple, I wouldn't have to dodge questions about boyfriends and stuff, you know? And you would be able to flaunt the fact that you have an awesome girlfriend and Nancy would probably get all jealous.'
'Again, it's not about Nancy,' Steve repeated.
'Sure it's not.' Robin grinned at him.
He sighed and moved his head out of Robin's lap to sit upright.
'Are you serious about this?' he asked.
Robin nodded.
'Don't you think it's gonna be way too complicated? How long would we have to pretend? Like, we'd have to tell the kids we're together, to make it convincing, and then we'd have to fake-break-up at some point, and they'll be very sad about it...'
Robin shrugged. 'We can keep pretending until you actually get a girlfriend at some point. Make our whole lives easier until that happens. We'd never have to answer shitty nosy questions about our love lives anymore.'
Steve considered it for a second.
'You know what, that actually doesn't sound too bad,' he finally said.
Robin smiled. 'So are you in?'
'I think so...' He still sounded a little bit hesitant.
Robin jumped up from the bed and dropped down on one knee in front of it. She wriggled one of her rings off her finger and held it out to her friend.
'Steve Harrington, will you be my fake boyfriend, for the duration of the Christmas holidays of 1986, with possible contract extension until further notice?'
Steve grinned widely as he held out his hand to let her slide the ring around his finger.
'Robin Buckley, I hereby promise to shower you with the utmost love and affection until the contract is dissolved,' he answered. 'No, wait, fuck, your ring is stuck!'