Work Text:
It was a normal day in Hawkins, Indiana. The sun was beaming, the public pool was splashing, and the new Starcourt Mall was busy with people.
The mall had been a hit the second construction stopped. Why wouldn't it be? It was full of stores that a town like Hawkins had never seen. There were new restaurants, new clothes, and new music open to the small town. It was a wonderful place to have fun and hang out with your friends.
That is, if you weren't one of the poor shmucks who had to work there.
So, of course, Steve Harrington was one of them.
His dad decided to give him a big 'ol middle finger and told him that he needed to work "like a real man" instead of being handed a job on a silver platter. Steve decidedly didn't mention the fact that his grandfather was the one who gave his father a job. Instead, he shut his mouth and got a job at Scoops Ahoy.
The work was fine. He deals with dumb customers and slings ice cream all day with band nerd Robin Buckley. Honestly... he doesn't hate it Not that he'd ever admit that to her face. If she ever found out, she'd never let him live it down. She;s annoying like that. But, somehow, Steve can't find himself wanting anyone else to serve frozen treats with.
It's a weird relationship.
Especially since she keeps track of all his romantic failures. Every. Single. Day. And today was no different.
"Aaaaand there's another." She tallied another mark on her whiteboard underneath the "YOU SUCK" column.
"Yeah, yeah. No need to rub it in." Steve leaned against the counter with a sigh while his attempt at flirting walked away behind him.
He doesn't know what's wrong. Well, besides the fact that he went from being the King of Hawkins High to wearing a sailor outfit on a daily basis. Just yesterday, he was complaining to his coworker that it was this stupid uniform that ruined his charm. So, he threw the dumb hat off and continued to fumble yet again.
It wasn't his proudest moment.
"Ya know I'm only here to rub it in, right? Like, that's what they pay me to do." She leaned in the open window, fixing him with a serious look.
Steve just rolled his eyes and turned back around. His eyebrows scrunch together in confusion as a familiar boy approached the counter.
"How much is a small vanilla cup?" Will Byers quietly asked as he began searching his pockets.
"What are you doing here?" Steve ignored his question.
"Getting... ice cream...?" He responded with a raised eyebrow.
"Yeah but like--" The older man motioned at the empty space around him. "You guys usually run in packs."
Steve would've thought he'd be with the boys as usual. Or at least with El and Max seeing how they were in this exact spot just a few minutes beforehand. The small boy sighed, looking anywhere but at Steve before he finally answered.
"They ditched me."
What?
"They what?"
"I-I mean, I don't even care anyways!" Steve began fixing the boy his vanilla cup (in a medium rather than small; it seemed like he needed it) as he started talking louder.
"I have better things to do than follow them around while Mike mopes about his girlfriend- no, ex-girlfriend! It's not my fault he's terrible at relationships and not lying to the person he's supposed to trust!" Steve silently handed over the ice cream cup while Will continued to talk. He doesn't know if he's heard this much come out of the boy. "I could've spent today writing a super cool adventure for them, but nooooo! We had to waste the day searching for something that Mike could use as an apology! Something that he didn't even find, mind you!"
"Waitwaitwait." Steve put his hands up, stopping the boy. He took the opportunity to stick a spoonful of ice cream in his mouth.
"So, Mike lied to El and then didn't even apologize before looking for a present?"
Will shook his head.
"Lucas said that he needed to buy something that said 'I'm sorry.'"
"And no one even thought of flowers?"
He shook his head again.
Steve pinched the bridge of his nose. Seriously, do none of them know anything? Why did they listen to Lucas instead of coming to Steve, the notorious lady's man (ignoring the whiteboard in the breakroom) in the first place?
He takes a breath before motioning for the boy to continue.
"Ok, what happened next?"
"Well, we were about to leave when we ran into Max and El." Will continued with a mouth full of ice cream. "And El got pissed, rightfully so, and she- oh she was mad because Mike had lied to her saying he couldn't hang out 'cause his Nana was sick, but in reality it was because Hopper scared him into seeing her less."
The Chief definitely sounds like he'd be a protective dad. Especially against a little shit like Mike Wheeler.
"Anyways, she dumped him and got on a bus with Max. Mike was heartbroken and went back home, Lucas going with him. And all I wanted to do was play D&D." Will crossed his arms on the counter and laid his chin on top of them. He mumbled the next part like Steve wasn't supposed to hear, but, miraculously, he did. "Then again, I doubt they even noticed that I'm not there."
"I'll play." Steve blurted out.
"What?" He perked up a little.
"Your little nerd game. I'll play with you."
"It's uh..." Will stared at him, almost in awe. He rocked back and forth a bit before clearing his throat. "Do you even know how to play?"
"I'm sure you can teach me." Steve shrugged. Anything to make the kid feel better.
"W-well, it's not really a two player game..."
"Robin will join us."
So, maybe Steve has a problem with blurting things out without thinking. It hasn't effected him so far in his life. Though this time? This time, it might get him killed.
"I'll do what now?" Steve turned to see her sticking her head out the doorway leading to the backroom.
"Play a game. It's nerd stuff; I'm sure you'll love it."
"Is that your idea of an insult?"
"Really, it's ok, Steve. You don't have to." Will said, interrupting their inevitable argument. But that wouldn't fly.
"Hey, no. Your jerk of friends ditched you just because of a couple girls. I'm playing." He crossed his arms, making it final.
It's basic friendship rules that your friendship comes first. Why should Will suffer for Mike's incompetence? That's just not fair.
"What game is this exactly?" Robin asked, moving next to Steve and leaning on the counter. She does it so much, Steve swore she was born like that.
"Dungeons and Dragons...?" Will's voice was small and unsure.
And this is when Steve's fate is decided. He can't imagine Robin hasn't heard of the game. The most annoying guy at their school is the leader for a club. (Seriously, there is 0 chance she doesn't know the guy jumping on lunch tables 24/7). That plus all the magazines saying that it's about the devil or some shit. All Steve knows is that it involves math and the shits that bully him for free theater entrance like it.
And honestly? That's kinda all he needs to know.
"I'm in." She said after a moment, and Steve is safe for today. "It's pretty boring around here anyway."
"Have you ever played before?"
"Not at all." She responded with a grin.
"All you gotta do is teach a couple of idiots." Steve said, earning a shove from Robin. "How hard could it be?"
Will snorted.