#chlprm

Steve misses swimming. He misses the familiarity, the ease… something about the mindless laps is comforting. It made it easy to stop thinking, to stop worrying, just for a moment.

He can barely bring himself to look at his pool after Barb, nevermind get inside.

He originally started avoiding the public pool to avoid Hargrove, but after that summer and Max… he avoids the pool, avoids reminders, avoids the guilt that always follows the relief he feels when he remembers that he’s gone.

And, now, he can’t go to Lovers Lake.

Robin refuses to accept that.

“This is a bad idea,” Steve repeats.

She ignores him, hand tight on his wrist as she drags him through the trees.

When they reach the clearing, the edge of the lake, she lets go. She doesn’t drag him closer, continuing to walk the last steps by herself.

“It doesn’t look so scary in the daylight,” she observes.

Which is when Steve notices the tremble in her balled up fists. He’s not sure why he hadn’t thought that the lake might be just as traumatizing for Robin- and he knows, from the times she’d drag him back to the remains of the mall, just how much exposure helps her.

He steps forward, stands beside her, taking her hand.

“It’s just a lake,” he says. Although, he’s not sure if he’s reminding himself or her. “The gate is closed. There’s no monsters. It’s just water.”

“Exactly,” she agrees, nodding. “Just water. It can’t hurt you.”

Oh, Steve thinks. Something in his chest breaks with the realization.

“Exactly,” Steve echoes.

Squaring his shoulder, he kicks off his shoes and tries to let go of her hand so he can strip down to his swim shorts.

Robin won’t let go, holding onto him tighter.

“Bobbie, you gotta let go,” he nudges her. “Right? We’re going swimming.”

“No, it- you were right, this is a bad idea, it’s-”

“Hey, hey, look at me.” He squeezes her hand. Her eyes are a little wide when she turns to look at him. “Do you trust me?”

“Of course.”

“Let go of my hand.”

It takes her a moment, but Steve is patient. He stays where he is for a second, making sure she’s still ok.

Then, taking a deep breath and reminding himself that it’s for Robin, it’s safe, it’s for her- he sprints into the lake, diving in headfirst once the water is deep enough.

He only plans to stay under long enough to look around, to see that it’s safe. But, almost as soon as he’s under, hands are grabbing at him and pulling him back to the surface.

“What the hell!” Robin yells.

She’s laughing though- a little hysterical, hands still gripping him bruisingly tight, but she’s laughing.

“What?” He yells back, splashing her. “It’s just water!”

“You’re an asshole!”

When he splashes her again, she grabs the top of his head and shoves him back under the water.

It’s hard to remember why he was so terrified to go into the lake when he’s playing with Robin, when they’re laughing so hard that they can’t stay in the water too long, when they’re so happy with aching sides and sore muscles.

They sit at the edge of the water, legs submerged, talking and gossiping for an hour.

The water is cool, comforting…

“Thanks,” he finally says, as they start heading back to his car. “And I’m sorry for doubting you.”

Steve lays on his bedroom floor, limps splayed out like a starfish, staring at his ceiling in hopes that he might find answers there.

"It's not bad," Robin continues, shifting so she can peer down at him from where she's perched on his bed. Her face is upside down from his perspective. "A lot of people fall in love slowly."

"Yeah? You met any that take as long as me?"

"Uh... no... but they have to be out there! There's nothing wrong with you, so there can't be anything wrong with how you feel!"

"If there's something wrong with how I feel then that's something wrong with me."

"Oh my god," Robin groans, rolling her eyes, falling back, out of sight. "This is ridiculous!"

"You're telling me."

He's not sure how they ended up like they are. The conversation had started so simple- fun, even. They'd been joking about his miserable attempts at romance, which somehow twisted into Robin pausing and starting to question him.

When she'd asked him why he didn't love any of the girls, even after dating them longer than he had Nancy... he didn't have an answer.

But, worse, he had dated his last girlfriend for almost two years.

Winter, and Christmas especially, has always been Robins favorite time of year.

Or, more accurately, it used to be.

With the heavy snow, December of '85 is starting to become the worst month of Robins year. She can't even bring herself to enjoy the snow. Nothing her parents usually do to cheer her up works either.

"Until the roads are cleared, I've got to walk," Steve repeats. "I'm sorry, Robs. Maybe the snow will clear tomorrow."

"Maybe," she reluctantly agrees, ignoring the fact that he'd said the same thing yesterday... and the day before that... and the day before that. "At least we're on shift tonight, right?"

"Oh..."

Steve's tone only fills her with more dread.

"What?"

"Keith called me before you," Steve says. "Family Video is closed for the day. Something about the snow being too much and no one shopping in this weather anyway."

"So, hey, maybe school will be cancelled too," Robin tries, though they both know school won't cancel.

"I'll walk you home from school," Steve offers. "Or we can go back to my house. I still have that cake we made."

"Yeah, alright, whatever. I'll call you at lunch, yeah?"

"Ok. Missing you already, Robs."

"Love you too, Dingus."

Hanging up, she drops her head against the wall with a soft 'thud', grumbling complaints under her breath.

"No Steve today?" Her mother asks.

Robin turns, glaring when she sees the teasing smirk. "No, no Steve today. By the time he clears his driveway, I could have already walked to school and waiting... whatever. It's not a big deal."

"Mhm," her mom hums, chuckling. "Sure it isn't, sweetie."

"It isn't! It's not like we need to be together all the time. We can go one day."

"Your uncle and I used to use those same excuses, you know. We weren't any more convincing than you two. Now, come on, get ready. You'll be late if you don't leave soon."

Reluctant, and groaning, Robin takes the coat her mom holds out for her. She picks her bag up, sat by the door, and sitting on the stairs so she can pull on her boots.

"Don't rush, there's a lot of ice," her mom warns. "And keep your coat zipped up. And-"

"I know, I know. I love you, too. I'll see you later!"

"Bye sweetheart! Be careful!"

Sat in Max's hospital room, listening to Lucas reading books aloud for her, felt like the only place that Erica could find any safety in the aftermath of Vecnas victory.

Even when Max woke, blind and confused, Lucas kept reading to her. The stories offered an escape, and Lucas' voice helped keep her grounded. Helped her keep positive.

Lucas is ok, and that was the thing Erica cared about most in those moments.

It wasn't until the next year that they would finally defeat Vecna, until they finally started the slow and arduous task of rebuilding Hawkins from the ground up.

Almost everything had been destroyed in the fighting.

Including the library.

Laura Cunningham and Alice Harrington were friends, long before either took their husbands surnames. In the early years of their marriages, they would leave their kids together for a play date whilst they spent the evenings together, gossiping.

Chrissy said her first word to Steve, who gave her the exact excited reaction she had been waiting for. His first steps were heading towards her, too excited to sit and wait for her to be brought to him.

Despite their parents arguments, slowly growing to resent the other for what they have or represent, Chrissy and Steve stay friends. At first, they would sneak away to hang out. When they were six and seven, they built a tree house in the woods between their homes. They’d spend most of their days there, finding safety and reassurance with each other.

Tommy Hagan is the spark that almost burns everything they built together to the ground.

Steve tried to tell her that it was his father insisting he make connections, that the Hagans were close with both his parents and Steve had to play nice. She knows how important it is to keep their parents happy, knows how careful they have to be to stay in their good graces.

But Tommy is not nice- not to her, especially. She makes it clear that, while she understands, she won’t be by his side if she has to share that space with Tommy. But she does also promise to wait for him, that she’ll be there, no matter how long it takes (“best friends forever, remember?”).

She’s the first person he goes to, after the Upside Down mess and signing NDAs.

“Did Hagan do this?” She asks, keeping a small distance between them. Her arms are crossed, frowning at him with concern.

“No, but it is my fault,” he gestures to the bruises. “We’re not friends anymore. You were right.”

“I usually am.”

“So…” He clears his throat, surprised at how awkward it is. “Cheerleading…”

“Mom pushed me into it. It’s fun, though. The girls are nice to me.”

“Good, that’s good. I mean, the girls being nice, not-”

“I had a crush on you.” She slaps a hand to her mouth, but soon removes it so she can keep talking- she’s never been one to shy away from what she wants to say, when she means it. “I mean, I still do. I think that’s what’s making this, um… weird? It feels weird, right?”

“It feels different,” Steve corrects. “Weird makes it sound like that’s a bad thing.”

“Is it not?”

“Chris, I don’t think I’ve ever seriously considered a future with any other girl since I was five and you ate that worm.”

“That was a dare! And you said you’d forgotten about that!”

“You sure? Cause I don’t remember saying that. I do remember you saying that the worm tasted surprisingly-”

“Steve!” She gasps, taking a couple strides forward so she can gently smack his arm.

He catches her hand before she can pull away, gently cradling it in both of his. It gives her pause long enough to realize how close their stood together, how much taller he’s gotten since they last had an actual conversation.

“Does this really feel too weird? Or… bad?”

“I don’t know. I thought you and Nancy-”

“No! No, that, uh,” he clears his throat. “No. We did try but… no. We’re just friends.”

“Oh.”

“Is that alright?”

“Yeah, that’s great. I mean- if we don’t work out, we’ll still be friends too, right?”

“Of course. I’ve already made the mistake of losing your friendship once before, I’m not doing it again. I… I’ve missed you.”

“I missed you too. And you can’t do that again. If I tell you someone's an asshole-”

“It won’t happen again. I promise, Chris. I’m not going anywhere. No matter what.”

“I’m holding you to that.”

Before he can reply, she curls her fingers around the buttons at the collar of his polo and drags him down. She still has to go on her tiptoes, other hand jumping to his shoulder for balance- but he quickly gets with the program.

It’s not a perfect kiss by any stretch of the imagination. She stumbles a little, causing him to laugh. But it’s happy. It feels right.

Steve isn’t sure what he was expecting the end of the world to look like, but it wasn’t… this.

The high school gym looks painfully normal. The streamers hung up are the ones that the school has always used for the spring fling- Steve can remember having his first real kiss with Laurie under them.

The differences are painfully obvious though; the lights inside are dim, making the blaring lights outside more obvious, there’s nowhere near as many kids, and the small group of young adults inside are all armed.

It’s oddly comforting though. Whenever he glances to the main doors, paranoia keeping him on edge, he sees Hopper guarding the room with Nancys sawed-off shotgun. It almost makes him relax.

“Steve, my guy!” Argyle greets, patting his shoulder before leaning against the wall beside him. He’s the only one who isn’t visibly armed, keeping his pistol tucked away. “I am loving this whole vibe.”

“It’s alright.”

He can’t help but keep comparing it to his own spring fling- he’d only gone to one, in his freshman year, and it had been amazing. It was so fun, bright and lively. He had barely been able to think over the laughter and music that filled the room.

All he was worried about, back then, was impressing the girl and making sure his hair still looked good.

“Alright? Nah, man, this is radical,” Argyle insists, flinging his arm around Steves shoulders, pulling him closer. “Everything’s always, like, happening. It’s nice to have something calm. The kids are all so relaxed! No stressing about monsters, or that Vespa guy. It’s amazing!”

“Huh,” Steve mumbles, looking around the room. “Yeah… I guess you’re right.”

"It was your idea, wasn't it?"

"Not really. Joyce was the one who wanted them to have a night for the kids or whatever. Spring fling was, like, the obvious choice."

"No one else thought of it."

"I guess."

They're only quiet for a moment, before Argyle snorts and points to Robin and Nancy. They're dancing- or, more accurately, they're trying to dance. They're both trying to lead and Robin keeps moving her hands, looking a little panicked when Nancy finally grabs them and places them on her waist.

"About time, huh?"

"Damn right," Steve agrees. He throws a thumbs up when Robin looks to him. She replies with her middle finger.

"The perfect time for it too."

"Yeah, guess so."

When the song tapers off, switching to a slower song, the whole room seems to shift with it.

Argyle steps forward, clearing his throat, and finally drawing Steves attention back to him. He raises an eyebrow.

"What?"

Argyle holds out a hand. "Dance with me."

"Oh, no, I'm helping guard-"

"Stevie, man, come on! It's a night where we get to be normal and shit, no monster stress! Dance with me!"

"I don't... no, no, I shouldn't."

"You sure?"

Argyle holds a hand out, palm up. He raises an eyebrow, corner of his lips twitching up when he sees the temptation bleed into Steves face.

"Let loose a little," he wiggles his fingers.

Steve sighs, loud and dramatic, before taking Argyles hand. "Yeah, alright, what's the worst that could happen?"

"Maybe you'll have fun," Argyle taunts, leading him towards the center of the hall.

"Ha ha," Steve deadpans.

Argyle tugs his hand as he turns, so that Steve ends up stood close, almost chest to chest. He rests his hands on Steves hips when he tries to step back, stepping with him. He grins a little when Steve flushes.

"This alright?" Argyle asks.

Steves arms hover awkwardly for a moment, before he finally curls them around Argyles neck.

"Yep," Steve says, voice cracking. He ducks his head, clearing his throat. "I mean, yeah, this is- this is alright. This is fine- good. It's good."

"Good."

They start swaying to the music, a little tense and a little awkward. Especially with all the kids surrounding them, something Steve is painfully aware of.

But, after a long, painful moment, Steve finally looks up, making eye contact with Argyle. The tension is broken almost immediately, both unable to hold in their giggles.

Steve turns his head, trying to stifle his laughter in his arm.

Argyle takes the opportunity to step that last inch closer, leaning down so he can talk low into Steves ear; "don't, it sounds nice."

"What? My laugh?"

"Yeah." Argyle pulls back a little so he can see him, smiling softly.

Steve searches his face, expecting it to be a joke, only to find complete sincerity.

They're hovering so close, standing still- forgetting about the music, the dance, and everyone else in the room. Steves focus narrows down to the hands on his hips and the the realization of how close they are- he can feel Argyles breath on his lips.

His breath hitches when Argyle leans that last bit closer, pressing their foreheads together. One hand comes down, cupping Argyles cheek, eyes closing.

When he leans forward, capturing Argyles lips, he's expecting fireworks. Instead, it feels like something in his chest settles. It feels like... comfort.

They flinch apart when the room suddenly starts whooping. Nancy is standing on a little platform set up, holding some cards, and everyone is looking at her.

"Alright?" Argyle asks. He looks a little nervous.

Steve smiles, big and bright. "Yeah. Yeah, great."

When he turns back to the platform, to Nancy, Argyle leans in and pecks him on the cheek. He's already looking to Nancy when Steve looks to him, with a satisfied grin.

To no ones surprise, El is crowned Spring Fling Queen, and when Dustin is named Spring Fling King, Steve is cheering the loudest.

"You want a drink?" Argyle offers as they move out of the way for El and Dustins solo dance.

"Yeah, thanks!"

He looks around, soon finding Robin- who is looking around, for him. She jogs over to him, grabbing his arms and bouncing in excitement.

"Nancy kissed me!"

"What? That's great! Congratulations!"

"Yeah!" She grins, eyes going distant for a moment before she shakes herself out of her little daydream. "What about you?"

"Yeah," he looks to the punch bowl. Argyle looks over a moment later, waving when he finds Steve. He waves back, knowing that the grin on his face is goofy enough for Robin to understand.

"Hell yeah!" She cheers. "This could be the best night of our lives!"

"How about the start of a series of best nights?"