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Voices rose up into the night sky, shouts echoing through the forest around Steve’s house as the countdown to the new year began. Steve was yelling right along with them, one hand clutching a drink that sloshed and ran down the sides slightly, the other arm around Robin’s shoulders. Their faces showed twin smiles as the clock struck midnight, and Steve took one last long sip from his plastic cup, tossing it to the side and pulling Robin in. Most people found it weird that they kissed sometimes, automatically assuming a relationship, but to them it didn’t matter. The kids knew, and they knew, and that’s all they needed. He and Robin were bonded in a way not widely understood, soulmates, they liked to say, but strictly platonic.
Fireworks lit up the sky as they kissed, smiling into it. They pulled away after a second, Robin playfully swatting Steve’s arm.
“Happy new year, dingus.” She said, picking up a shot from the table next to her and downing it in one gulp.
Steve took a shot too, grinning. “Happy new year, Rob.”
Her smile quirked up to one corner, eyes darting to the side. No one else could understand, but to him it was easy. He responded with a raised eyebrow, and Robin took off, running through the crowd, bumping into a few people as she ran toward the pool in his yard. He followed close behind, jumping straight in after her, clothes and everything.
Under the water, he could still see colors flashing across the sky, warped by the water above his head. The loud booms were muffled too, like if you were wearing headphones in a different room. Steve pushed off against the bottom, bursting out of the water. Robin followed a second later, and he was pretty sure she did that just to show how she could stay under longer. They were laughing, Steve shaking his wet hair onto her face. Someone jumped in behind them, and Steve recognized them as Max, soon followed by three more shapes who he assumed were Will, Mike, and Eleven.
He and Robin drifted to the side of the pool, avoiding the chaos and splash-fights of the kids.
“You wanna head up soon?” He asked her, gesturing back at his house. “I can call Hop to scare everyone off.”
Robin rolled her eyes. “We’re at least letting the kids stay. I promised them they’d get a sleepover all together.”
“Yeah, yeah. You know they would know what was happening if Hop showed up anyway. We won’t be able to get rid of them even if we try. I can pull out the couch for them.”
Robin nodded once, turning back to look at the sky, satisfied with his response. They stood there, in Steve’s pool in their soaking clothes for who knows how long before the kids started to climb out and find towels. He and Robin followed them quietly, drying off and heading back inside. Many of the party goers had left, so Steve just told anyone left that he passed to head out. The kids already had a mountain of blankets and pillows set out next to the couch, and they covered the pull out bed with them after Steve got it out. He rolled his eyes at them as they talked lazily, words sometimes interrupted by a yawn. Robin tugged on his arm, pulling him away from his children and up the stairs to their (yes it was theirs now. Robin stayed here more often than not and half of his closet was filled with her clothes at this point) bedroom.
“Have fun tonight?” He asked, pulling his still soaked shirt off and chucking it into the hamper across the room.
Robin yawned. “Yeah, dingus. Best new years yet.”
Steve chucked one of his T-shirts at her along with a pair of shorts, turning around to let her change. Their routine was almost muscle memory at this point, chatting while getting ready for bed. They brushed their teeth and took turns with the bathroom, finally heading back to their room exhausted.
“I left some Eggos out on the counter.”
“What?” Robin jumped onto the bed.
“I’m not waking up early enough to make breakfast for a gaggle of hangry teens. Eggos are easy enough and El likes them.”
Robin snorted. “How very thoughtful and not lazy of you, Stevie.”
Steve smacked her, plopping down on his side of the bed. “I just want some sleep for once, can you blame me?”
“Yes.”
He shoved her, pulling her back before she fell off the bed. That earned him a swat to the face this time. “Night, Birdie.”
Robin scrunched her nose at him. “Night, dingus.”