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Robin Buckley would like it on the record that she is a good friend.
If she wasn’t, she would not have spent the last half hour squeezing Steve into pink leather pants that are now essentially painted onto his body. Picture Ross in that one episode of friends where he had to do the same, but with a little less powder and lotion turned paste. Steve had not been amused when Robin had suggested they try that. Robin on the other hand thought she was pretty damn hilarious. She may be a good friend, she never said she’s a nice friend. And really, Robin feels she deserved to do what she could to make light of the situation seeing as she was the one suffering because Steve insisted a thong was the only underwear he could wear with these particular pants. So, Robin was forced to spend the 30 min more intimately acquainted with Steve’s dick and his hairy thighs than she ever needed to be. Ergo, Robin is a good friend.
With Steve finally in his pants, Robin leaves him to go get dressed in her own outfit, which is significantly easier to put together. Or at least to put on , the process of creating the black jean jacket had been a tad more complicated, she relents. Though the fact that it had been complicated had not been her fault. In fact, it has been Steve’s. He had insisted that it would be no problem for him to paint snakes on it but when the time came, he only managed to produce a bunch of worm-like squiggles. Erica had not been happy when they had showed up at her dorm two nights ago pleading for her to fix it, but she’d let them in when Steve offered her an entire bag of Ben and Jerry pints.
“I’ll do it for the Phish Food.” Erica had glared at them as she took the proffered bag and ushered them inside. Two hours and a lot of bickering later, Robin’s jacket had been perfect and Erica’s roommate had been thoroughly confused about their dynamic. Which? Fair.
So yes, the production process had been a bit complicated, but the jacket, now adorned with actual snakes, is easy to slip on over a black tank top and she’s able to don it, lace up her combat boots, slick back her hair, and get started on her makeup all before Steve joins her in the bathroom.
Now that he’s all squeezed in there like Baymax in his armor, they stand side by side, working in wordless tandem as they finish getting ready. When Robin catches sight of them in the mirror she can’t help but smile at the stark difference in their appearances. Steve in his pink leather pants and flowery top, Robin in all black and heavy make up. They remind her of a meme she once saw portraying a pink and purple beach house next to an all black one. She wrinkles her nose when she realizes she’s the Thor: The Dark World of that equation and Steve gets to be Thor: Ragnarok .
Alas, a sacrifice that must be made if she’s to dress in Taylor Swift’s Reputation era. It’s not her fault that’s her favorite album and Steve’s is Lover. That does not make her the Thor: The Dark World of their friendship. Absolutely not.
“So what do you think?” Robin asks, turning to Steve with a flourish when she finishes the last touch of her makeup. Steve glances away from where he’s still futzing with his hair and hums.
“You look hot.” He says and Robin’s nose wrinkles again.
“Ew.”
“Would you prefer I said you look ugly?”
“Well no,” Robin shakes her head. “You just had a whole world of compliments at your disposal and you went with hot. Way to objectify me, Harrington.”
“Well it’s true!” Robin will give him that, but it doesn’t mean she wants to hear it from Steve . He finishes up his own look and does a twirl. “And how do I look? Hot, right?”
Robin has to admit that his outfit is pretty spot on for Antoni’s in the You Need to Calm Down music video. However, she’s still a little salty about being put in the middle of the war between his thighs and his pants so she doesn’t tell him that.
“You look like you’re going to be trapped in those pants forever.” She deadpans instead, and Steve gives her an unimpressed look. Not a nice friend, remember? “And by the way, I will not be helping you out of those.”
Steve just wiggles his eyebrows. “Then I guess I’ll just have to find someone else to.”
Oh gross. Robin absolutely did not need that image.
“Come on Stevie, let’s go do some shots so maybe I can forget about this,” she waves a hand at his pants, “experience.”
“Oh stop being such a baby about it.” Steve rolls his eyes. “It’s not even like you saw my dick or anything.”
“That little number you’ve got on under there did not leave much room for imagination!” Robin protests and Steve rolls his eyes again. Robin knows she’s playing it up a bit, all in all she mostly found the situation hilarious, but she can’t help any opportunity to give Steve shit. “Anyway, I wasn’t joking about the shots. I need to be a little tipsy to willingly be around that many people and the drinks at the stadium are going to be totally overpriced.”
“None for me.” Steve shakes his head and Robin is surprised but also not. She hasn’t seen Steve drink anything in months and wonders if that’s something she should bring up. “Not drinking tonight, but you go ahead. Just not too many that I’m playing babysitter all night, okay Buckley? If you’re puking in the bathroom, I will be listening to the concert and not holding back your hair.”
Well two it is because Robin is a lightweight. Anymore than that, in addition to the overpriced Lavender Haze drink that she does plan to shell out for, and she’s heading towards dangerous territory. After the first one though, Robin thinks maybe she should quit while she’s ahead.
“Ugh.” She scrunches up her nose as the tequila slides down her throat. “Remind me why we used to do this for fun?”
“Because we were broke college students who wanted to get drunk quickly.” Steve replies, smugly taking a sip of a glass of water.
“Maybe I should’ve smoked instead.” Robin glares at the tequila as she slides it back into the cabinet. They’d only bought it because Steve had seen some cocktail on Tik Tok and wanted to try his hand at bartending for Robin’s 25th birthday three months ago. It has sat untouched in their cabinets ever since then, and now, Robin decides, shall continue to.
“And be asleep 20 minutes into the concert?” Steve snorts. “Please Robbie. I’ve seen you high and that would’ve been a terrible idea.”
“Fine. Guess I’ll just have to be an upstanding sober citizen.” Robin grumbles and Steve laughs. She pauses for a second before deciding to bite the bullet and asking him more seriously, “Hey uh, why haven’t you been drinking lately?”
“I dunno.” Steve shrugs, but doesn’t quite meet her eyes, his demeanor changing instantaneously. “I guess I only ever did it because I felt like it made me more fun to be around, but I realized maybe that was unhealthy? I mean, I hate the way it makes me feel, ever since um, well you know,” and Robin does know. Steve had gotten drugged once at a party Robin’s senior year, and Robin doesn’t even want to think about how his night would’ve ended up if Robin hadn’t spotted him acting weird from across the bar and decided to take him home, “but I was doing it anyway so people would like me more? So I thought I’d try being sober for a change.”
“Well shit Steve.” Robin says. “That therapy is really working for you, huh?”
Steve barks out a laugh. “Yeah I guess.”
“Also, I always think you’re fun.” Robin says a bit more sincerely. “I on the other hand? Definitely more fun with some alcohol.”
Steve chuckles as she grabs a White Claw from the fridge.
“I always think you’re fun too.” He says.
“That’s sweet Steve-o but a bald faced lie.” Robin laughs and takes a big swig of her drink. “Okay, I’m ready to face the masses.”
“Aw fuck me, I should’ve gotten drunk .” Steve stops dead in his tracks two hours later as they make their way to their seats, merch bag, blue crew neck nestled safely inside, in hand. Robin, distracted by all of the fabulous outfits around them, runs straight into his back.
“What the hell dingus?” She asks, offended, but Steve is hardly paying her any attention, his gaze focused on something just ahead of them.
“What row are we in again?” He asks, still rooted to the spot, and Robin gives his back a little shove, grateful that no one is trying to climb up the stairs behind them.
She consults the tickets on her phone, “Eight.”
“Yeah, nope.” Steve starts to twist around. “We’re leaving.”
“What the hell are you talking about?” Robin stands her ground, stopping him from continuing any further. “You’ve been talking about nothing but this concert for months and now you want to leave?”
“Yes.” He answers immediately without any hesitation.
“Not without a good reason.” Robin blocks him again as he tries to move past her.
“Remember my highschool girlfriend? The one that tore my heart out and then stomped on it?”
“Yeah, Nancy.” Robin nods, confused for only a second before she puts together what must be happening here and her eyes widen. “Holy shit.” Robin goes to tiptoes and tries to peek over his shoulder. “She’s not sitting up there is she?”
“Row 8.” Steve says defeated. “Curly brown hair, red skirt, black and white top.”
Robin spots her immediately, chatting with a man with long brown curls of his own, dressed in black jeans and a soft looking flannel. “Oh she’s cute Steve.”
“As a mountain lion.” Steve huffs.
“Shouldn’t you be over this?” Robin raises an eyebrow. “It’s been like nearly 10 years and you’re literally not even into girls.”
“I know. I obviously don’t want to get back together with or anything, we just didn’t leave on good terms and it’s going to be awkward and-”
“And we spent way too much on these tickets.” Robin finishes for him, grabbing his hand and moving herself in front of him. “We’re going.”
He follows her up the rest of the stairs, albeit reluctantly, and Robin discovers not only are they in the same row as high school girlfriend, but they’re sitting literally right next to her. What are the fucking odds? Steve seems to be doing his best to hide behind Robin, despite being several inches taller, and Nancy spots him right away.
“ Steve?” Robin can’t get a read on the other girl’s disbelief? She almost seems excited to see him? But Robin’s not the best at reading facial expressions so maybe she’s just as horrified as Steve.
“Uh hi Nance.” Steve gives a pathetic little wave, still mostly hidden behind Robin like a shy toddler being forced to say hi to his Mom’s friend at the supermarket. “Long time, no see, huh?”
“Holy shit!” Nancy blinks a few times and then her shock makes way for a huge grin. Excitement it is. “It’s so good to see you, how are you?”
“Uh good?” Steve says in confusion, as she springs forward and wraps his arms around him in a tight hug. He looks completely bewildered but he hugs back. “How are you?”
“I’m good.” Nancy pulls back and looks him up and down. “This is crazy! Gosh, I almost didn’t recognize you. You look so different.”
Robin, who has seen pictures of high school Steve, and still remembers the college sophomore she first met, has to agree. Before he’d been the picture of a straight preppy jock, polo shirts and pressed jeans, perfectly coiffed hair and loafers. She imagines that the pink leather pants, mesh flower top, and face full of glitter and make up, are a bit of surprise.
Steve seems uncomfortable under her stare, shifting from foot to foot, but he plasters on his patented Harrington smirk and says, “Good different, I hope?”
“Yeah.” Nancy’s grin hasn’t left her face. “You look happy.”
Steve spares a glance at Robin before he gives Nancy a genuine smile and says, “I am.” And while that sentiment warms Robin’s cold, dead heart, it also draws Nancy eyes to her. She looks at Robin and then back at Steve, eyes calculating. Robin knows her next question before it’s out of her mouth.
“Is this your girlfriend?”
“Definitely not.” Robin snorts and Steve grasps dramatically at his chest, mouthing ‘ouch’, unable to contain the smile on his face. “Just his best friend. I’m Robin and you must be Nancy Wheeler.”
“You’ve heard about me?” Nancy asks as Robin studiously ignores Steve’s glare.
“Yup.” Robin pops the ‘p’ and doesn’t elaborate, rocking back and forth on her heels as an awkward silence settles over the group.
“And um I’m Eddie?” The curly haired man says a bit unsure, giving an awkward wave of his own.
“Boyfriend?” Robin asks, and Eddie’s nose scrunches up.
“Definitely not.” He mimics her words with a small smile and slings an arm around Nancy’s shoulders. “Best friends.”
“And roommates.” Nancy adds.
“Hey, us too!” Robin smiles, gesturing between her and Steve. “Nice to meet another pair of platonic opposite gender roommates in the wild. Thought we might be the only ones.”
She knows the joke is lame, but Nancy and Eddie let out polite chuckles anyway. Steve clears his throat.
“How long have you been living in Chicago?”
“Oh we’re not.” Nancy shakes her head. “We live in Indianapolis. We just came up for the concert. I know Cincinnati is closer but we thought we might make a weekend out of it.”
“You gonna see your brother?” Steve asks and at Nancy look of confusion, adds hesitantly, “He’s at Northwestern?”
“Hold up.” Robin interrupts, before Nancy, who looks just as shocked as Robin, can speak. “Mike is Nancy’s brother ?”
“You know Mike?” Nancy asks, turning to her in surprise.
“Yes, I know Mike. We literally just saw him for dinner like two days ago before going to Erica’s to get my jacket fixed after Steve painted Trolli Worms on it.”
“Erica?” Nancy’s eyebrows pinch together. “Erica Sinclair?”
“Yeah.”
“What? You still talk to the kids?” Nancy turns to Steve this time, expression bewildered.
“Um yeah.” Steve nods, looking a bit sheepish. “Mike didn’t tell you?”
“No.” Nancy shakes her head.
“I mean well it was mostly just Dustin at first.” Steve starts, seeming embarrassed. “But occasionally the other shitheads would be there and then-”
“Then Steve found himself a single mother of 7.” Robin finishes. “He tried to force me into a father role but I am staying firmly in cool Aunt Robin territory.”
“I can’t believe you still talk to all the kids.” Nancy’s voice is still disbelieving but there’s a fond smile on her face. “I had no idea.”
“Sorry. I thought you knew.” Steve explains. He swallows hard. “Is that weird?”
“No,” Nancy shakes her head. “It’s cool Steve. I just didn’t know.”
Eddie coughs when a silence falls over the group. “So you guys live in Chicago?”
“Yeah. Came for college, never left.” Steve explains, seeming grateful for the change in subject. “That’s where I met Robin.”
“Us gay kids from small town Indiana have to stick together.” Robin says, looping an arm through Steve’s. Nancy practically chokes in front of her.
“You’re gay ?” She asks, the question directed at Steve and not Robin.
“Uh yeah.” Steve’s face flames and he rubs nervously at the back of his neck. Shit. Robin is so used to how open they are now, she didn’t even think of how that information might be a shock to Steve’s ex- girlfriend. “Hadn’t really put that one together yet when we were dating. Lots of repression.” He lets out an awkward chuckle.
There’s a moment of silence, Nancy looking at him with bug eyes, Eddie watching on with amusement - easing some of Robin’s worries because surely he knows best how Nancy would react - and then she bursts out laughing.
Steve looks a little confused, and then a little offended the longer the laughter goes on.
“Sorry, I’m sorry.” Nancy says finally between laughter. Tears are pooling in the corners of her eyes. “I’m not laughing at you, I swear. It’s just, I’m a lesbian.”
“Oh.” Steve's eyes widen fractionally. “No wonder we didn’t work out.”
“Yeah.” Nancy sobers suddenly. “I still um, I should apologize for how things ended.”
“Hey um, Robin, right?” Eddie says suddenly. “I was just thinking I might go get a drink. Want to come with and leave these two crazy kids to talk?”
Robin hesitates, sparing a glance at Steve. He’d been so scared to be even near Nancy before but now he looks relaxed. He gives her a small smile and a shrug which she reads as ‘go, I’ll be fine.’ So Robin sets down their merch bag and heads down the row, Eddie following behind.
“So,” Eddie begins casually as they exit their section, “does Steve talk about Nancy as much as Nancy talks about Steve?”
“A fair bit, yeah.” Robin nods with a small chuckle. “He nearly turned right around and left when he saw her sitting in our row.”
“Yeah, Nancy mentioned that they didn’t exactly split on friendly terms. She feels pretty guilty about it.”
“She should.” Robin says and realizes her tone was a bit harsher than intended when Eddie frowns. “Sorry. That’s not fair, I don’t even know Nancy. I only know Steve’s side of the story.”
“From the way Nancy tells it, they may both have some things to apologize for.” Eddie says diplomatically. “But let’s leave that to them, yeah? In the meantime, I’m about to ruin every bit of street cred I have and suggest we go get one of those lavender drinks.”
“Didn’t you already lose that when you agreed to go to a Taylor Swift concert?”
“I’m here for Nancy!” Eddie protests but he’s grinning. “She practically begged me.”
“Sure.” Robin nods. “And I bet she forced you into that Evermore inspired outfit too.”
“I’m just being a good friend.” He grumbles as they join the queue at the bar.
“Not as good as me.” Robin counters. “Do you know how long it took me to get Steve into those pants? Literally the most horrifying experience of my life.”
“They did look pretty tight.” Eddie muses, a slight flush spreading across his cheeks.
“Oh my god. You think they’re hot, don’t you?”
“Maybe just a little.” Eddie pinches his thumb and pointer finger together. “I am but a weak gay man who hasn’t gotten laid in months. Forgive me?”
“Yeah yeah.” Robin rolls her eyes. Of course Eddie is gay. She supposes that makes their platonic roommates situations not so special after all. “You could always do me a solid and help him get them off, I hear he’s taking applications.”
“Are you trying to set me with Steve?”
“Depends. He got a shot?”
“Oh yeah.” Eddie nods with a grin. “Unfortunately, despite my cool image, preps and normies are exactly my type.”
“Well Steve’s type is nerds with curly brown hair. You a nerd Eddie?”
Eddie shrugs. “Does playing Dungeons and Dragons count?”
“Yes that counts!” Robin laughs. “Does playing the nerdiest game ever count, he asks. Jesus Christ. But yeah, you’re golden then. He’s got a whole bunch of kids he looks after who play that dorky game. Even plays sometimes.”
“Gosh, a man after my own heart.” Eddie swoons and Robin chuckles. “Thanks for the heads up Buckley.”
“Yeah no problem. Just trying to maintain my title as best friend ever. Though my motives are a bit selfish because Steve gets annoying when he hasn’t been laid in awhile.” Robin explains and Eddie laughs. “Will Nancy care?”
“Nah.” Eddie waves her off. “She probably won’t be surprised. She knows my type.”
“Cool.” Robin nods and taps her fingers along the rope they’ve used to make a queue. Not meeting Eddie’s eyes she asks, “And what’s Nancy’s type?”
“Why? Know someone who might be interested?”
“No.” Robin blushes and shakes her head. “I was just asking.”
“Sure you were.” Eddie smirks. “Nancy has a girlfriend.”
Oh. Well damn. That sucks. She tries to school her expression but Eddie must see right through it because he barks out a laugh.
“You should see your face Buckley! You’re totally into her.” He exclaims, a bit too loud considering they’re in public. “She doesn’t have a girlfriend. I was just messing with you.”
“Oh screw you.” Robin shoves at his shoulder, surprised at how easy it is to talk to him. She only met the man a few minutes ago but she already feels like they’re friends. “That was mean.”
“Sorry.” Eddie doesn’t look sorry one bit. “She’d probably be interested.”
“ Probably ?”
“Nancy isn’t always into the whole one night stand thing.” Eddie offers. “And well, we don’t live in the same city.”
“Right.” Robin frowns. She doesn’t know why that disappoints her so much seeing as she doesn’t really know Nancy. I mean sure, she’s hot, and she seems nice, but the only other thing she knows about her is that she broke Steve’s heart and that Mike, the most annoying of all the dipshits, is apparently her brother. “I’m not really either to be honest.”
“And Steve?”
“I mean, he wants a relationship, marriage, kids, the whole shebang, but he’s not against sleeping around until he finds what he’s looking for.”
“Works for me.” Eddie grins and then it’s their turn to get their drinks.
When they return back to their seats, Nancy and Steve are laughing like old friends, any animosity from the past seemingly gone. Steve is telling some story about the twerps, and Nancy’s eyes sparkle as she listens intensely. God, her eyes sparkle ? Get a grip, Robin.
Eddie takes it upon himself to plop into the empty seat beside Steve, which was supposed to be Robin’s, leaving her to climb awkwardly over everyone and sit in Eddie’s seat beside Nancy. Steve finishes his story and Eddie immediately grabs his attention.
Nancy turns to Robin and raises an eyebrow at her in surprise.
“Eddie wants to hook up with Steve.” Robin explains, taking a sip of her drink, and god it’s terrible.
“Of course he does.” Nancy rolls her eyes. “I swear he better not bring him back to our hotel. We did not spring for two rooms.”
“Well if he does, you’re welcome to crash at our place.” Robin offers. “I’d rather Steve not bring him back to ours anyway, the walls are like really thin.”
“What part of town do you live in?”
“Northalsted.” Robin answers. “We decided coming from small town Indiana to just move to like the gayest neighborhood in the midwest. It’s pretty awesome. The only downside is it means Steve drags me to Cubs games like all the time to the point that I could probably name the whole roster.”
“Sports aren’t your thing?” Nancy asks with a chuckle.
“I like sports just fine.” Robin shrugs. “I mean, I met Steve because we joined the same intramural soccer team. I just prefer women’s sports. I love a good WNBA or NWSL game.”
“Fair enough.”
“But anyway, even if you don’t need somewhere to escape to tonight, you and Eddie should definitely come by tomorrow if you don’t have plans. There’s this all vegan diner down the right for our apartment and Steve and I usually get breakfast there on Saturdays.”
“We were gonna see Mike.” Nancy answers, but she frowns, like she’s disappointed that she can’t accept Robin’s offer.
“Oh, well he can come if you want. He joins us sometimes, Will and Erica too.”
“It is so weird to me that you know my brother.” Nancy laughs.
“I just feel like an idiot for never putting together that you were his sister.” Robin adds and Nancy laughs at that as well. “In my defense, you don’t really look a lot alike.”
“I suppose not.” Nancy smiles. “You should see our sister Holly. She’s like white blonde, blue eyes. Sometimes we joke that we all have different fathers.”
“Oh I’ve met Holly.” Robin nods.
“You’ve met Holly ?”
“Yeah. She came up with your Mom to visit Mike once I think? He invited us to lunch with them.”
“Okay so my whole family was just like chilling with Steve and failing to mention it to me.” Nancy muses, but she doesn’t seem angry about it. “Cool.”
“If it helps, I’ve never met your dad.”
Nancy dissolves into giggles at that, and soon they’re both laughing, earning the attention of the boys. The four of them fall into easy conversation, as if they’ve always been friends. Nancy explains Robin’s breakfast proposal, which Eddie accepts, so she shoots off a text to Mike. Steve sends one to Erica as well and they get affirmatives back from both kids. Erica of course demands they pay for her meal if she makes the trek, and Steve eventually relents that he’ll buy her a milkshake. She accepts his offer.
The openers come on after that, and after the first performance, Nancy follows Robin back out into the concourse for another round of drinks. It was shitty, yeah, but also Robin is still far too sober for this affair. When they return, Eddie and Steve take off, claiming to be in search of food, and while they do return with food, they also return with mussed hair and swollen lips. So Robin just goes ahead and proposes that they take the hotel room and Nancy will come back with Robin to the apartment.
Eddie and Steve both raise eyebrows at this and Robin flushes. Nancy either hasn’t picked up on how her words sounded or wasn’t bothered by it because she doesn’t say anything. The boys accept the proposal and then it’s time for the concert to start.
Robin had mostly come for Steve, he’s a much bigger fan than she is. But she finds herself enjoying every bit of it, glad that she and Steve had spent the last few months making sure they knew every word to every song on the setlist. Nancy does too, and with two Lavender Haze drinks and that one horrible shot of tequila, Robin is tipsy enough to dance around and sing with her through most of the show.
Eddie, who must’ve been lying about being here solely for Nancy, knows every word as well, but mostly seems content to just watch as Steve sings the loudest out of any of them.
When the concert ends, they stick together to walk to an L train station a bit further from Soldier Field, hoping to get away from some of the crowds. Robin spots Eddie and Steve holding hands as they weave through the crowd and leans in close to Nancy to whisper her findings.
“Did you have fun?” Nancy asks, after they’ve poked fun at the boys for a little.
“Yeah.” Robin says, a bit breathless. It’s late and her feet hurt but she doesn’t even care. “Easily the best concert I’ve ever been to. Totally worth the mental scarring I expereinced in order to get us here.”
Nancy quirks an eyebrow at this and so Robin tells the story of Steve and his pants with a bit more dramatics than necessary. Nancy laughs the whole the way through and Robin’s stomach flutters. Earlier, when she’d been talking to Eddie, she’d just thought Nancy was a cute girl and hoped that maybe something could happen. But now? After 3 hours and singing her heart out with the other girl, Robin would say it’s developed into a full on crush. And judging by the lovesick puppy expression that Steve has been looking at Eddie with for the last few hours, he’s going to have a hard time keeping this at just a one night stand.
“You and Eddie come to Chicago often?” Robin asks as they board the train.
“Sometimes.” Nancy shrugs. “To visit Mike or if Eddie has a concert he really wants to go too. So maybe like once or twice a year.”
“Oh.”
“Do you go to Indianapolis often?” Nancy asks, clearly picking up on why Robin might have asked.
“Not really.” Robin says, which, even that is an exaggeration. Robin doesn’t think she’s ever been to Indianapolis outside of a field trip in the 8th grade.
“Bummer.” Nancy seems just as disappointed as Robin. “It’s been really fun hanging out with you.”
“Yeah.” Robin agrees quickly. “You too.”
“Well it’s only three hours. I’m sure we could plan some visits.” Nancy offers, taking her by surprise. It seems like the other girl genuinely wants to keep up a friendship between, after just one night of hanging out. “Got to get to know this girl who apparently spends all this time with my brother.”
“Oh shut up.” Robin laughs, shoving at her shoulder.
“But seriously,” Nancy's smile turns a bit more soft, a bit more flirty, “I really like you.”
“I really like you too.” Robin says and holy shit, Nancy starts to lean in. But instead of just kissing her back like a normal human being, Robin blurts. “I don’t really do one night stands.”
“Yeah me neither.” Nancy huffs. And right, duh. Eddie had said that. “But I could be persuaded to do long distance. You?”
“Yeah.” Robin breathes out. “I could be persuaded. Come on Wheeler, persuade me.”
And that may be the stupidest thing Robin has ever said but Nancy just huffs out a laugh and closes the distance between them. Robin barely has a chance to kiss back when Eddie wolf whistles beside them. Robin had nearly forgotten they were there. She meets Steve’s eye, shooting him a guilty look. She was just macking on his ex-girlfriend after all. He doesn’t look mad or upset though, in fact, he looks happy. He smiles at her, his hand still laced with Eddie’s.
“See you guys at breakfast tomorrow?” Is all he says and Robin realizes the train has come to the stop for their hotel. “10 am right?”
“We’ll be there.” Nancy confirms.
“You two kids be safe!” Robin tells them. “Don’t need anyone getting pregnant.”
Eddie laughs and Steve just rolls his eyes, ducking down to give Robin a hug.
“I’m happy for you.” He whispers.
“You too.” She returns, feeling like it was fate that they all got seated together tonight. He presses a kiss to the top of her head and follows Eddie off the train. Nancy grabs Robin’s hand and laces their fingers together.
“Where were we?”
“Right about here.” And Robin kisses her.
Breakfast the next morning reveals that it was not fate but Mike Wheeler who they had to thank.
“You did what?” Nancy splutters, nearly choking on her coffee.
“Well when you both asked me to buy your tickets while you were at work, I saw an opportunity and ran with it.” Mike explains nonchalantly. “Mostly did it to mess with you but hey, this works too!”
He gestures happily to Robin’s fingers tangled with Nancy’s and the visible hickey on Steve’s collarbone.
“Can I just say,” Will interjects, “I only went along with it because I thought Steve and Nancy could benefit from some closure.”
Erica is cackling, delightedly sending live updates to a group chat with Dustin and Max.
“Are you mad?” Mike winces.
“Not mad.” Nancy assures him. “Thanks Mike.”
“Oh.” Mike seems surprised but pleased. “You’re welcome. Just remember this when you’re picking best man at your wedding.”
Steve would obviously be Robin’s best man if she ever did get married, but maybe she can adjust Mike’s title of most annoying dipshit just a little.