there's a shrill ring of a bell that prompts the sliding windows to the backroom of scoops ahoy to open and steve rests his arm against the counter

"is she here?"

"no dingus. now can you get out here, help me scoop some ice cream and, y'know, actually do your job for once?"

"okay okay just give me a minute" he's been fixing his hair for 45 minutes in the reflection of the refrigerator mumbling "stupid fucking hat" under his breath.

he had miraculously scored a date with you through robin after winning a bet against her. and then another and another and now a month later you're his girlfriend.

last night as you held the phone to your ear, your free hand twirling the chord between your fingers. you'd made a passing comment about 'swinging by tomorrow to get some ice cream'. hence steve's complete lack of concentration.

it's all so new and intense and he feels giddy thinking about you. god he hasn't felt giddy since... scratch that he hasn't felt giddy ever. you both are well and truly in the honeymoon phase, something he's never experienced, at least not with this intensity. robin says it's because its his first relationship since his 'personality transplant'.

he doesn't notice you until the 6 foot guy ordering in front of you walks away from the counter to reveal your slightly nervous smile.

you watch his entire face change, eyes softening and lips parting slightly. the giggle you let out has his lips tugging up into a smile. your heart does the funny skip its been doing ever since you'd found out steve harrington has a crush on you. steve. harrington.

while the two of you remain in your bubble free from the laws of time and space, robin becomes increasingly unimpressed. "i think this is the part where one of you greets the other." her tone drips with sarcasm. she gets that you're both totally obsessed with each other. actually she gets it too well given that she starts her day with an update from steve and ends her day with an update from you. so she's not ecstatic about having to help you relearn the basics of human communication at 10am when steve's supposed to be helping her scoop ice cream. at least you're past the phase where both of you would call her to ask what to say next. it was like flirting with herself. never again.

embarrassed by robin's remark you look down to hide the blush spreading on your cheeks and tuck hair behind your ear.

"i was just getting to that" steve sasses back at her

"really? because you've been staring at each other for like 15 minutes"

he ignores her turning his attention back on you. "hi beautiful"

"hi steve"

when robin looks up from the register you two are staring. again. rolling her eyes for the umpteenth time, she kicks steve's shin. he sputters "w- uh...i can...can i get you some ice cream?"

"mhm. what are my options?"

he reads you the whole menu explaining every item like he's letting you in on some secret of the trade despite the descriptions being literally printed on the menu. you listen intently regardless.

"mmm i'll have whichever you think is best"

"yeah? you trust my humble opinion?"

"mhm, i trust you" you've been slowly edging your hand closer to his and your pinky finally touches his. the second you make contact your eyes dart to his. suddenly his face is a lot closer than before. he breathes out a laugh, you do too.

"steve. get her the ice cream. c'mon we have customers" robins frustrated voice cuts through your moment.

"yes i know we have customers i'm currently serving one" he turns back to you "a very beautiful one"

"steve you have 5 seconds to move your ass"

"okay okay geez" he makes a face at you behind her back just to see you hide your laughter behind your palm.

"here you go, pretty. U.S.S Butterscotch. best of the best."

"thanks stevie" you reach into your purse.

"woah hey what are you doing?"

"im pay-"

"what did we say about paying?"

"but this isn't-"

"ah ah ah what did we say about paying?"

"that you pay"

"exactly. s'on the house, baby"

"thats coming out of your wages not mine, harrington"

you bite the inside of your cheek, brows furrrowing at robin's attitude.

"what's wrong, sweetheart?"

you learn forward on your tiptoes to reach over the counter and whisper to him. "i think she's actually upset. i feel really bad"

"mm it must be annoying how insanely obsessed i am with you" you try to ignore his flirting but you're not a saint and the way he's looking down at your lips is debilitating.

"steve" you push a hand against his chest blushing all the while. "m'serious"

"me too" his smirk falters when he sees you look at him unimpressed. "okay fine, sorry"

"i got an idea. keep her distracted and i'll go get her a present or something."

"okay baby" he's walking round the counter to hand you his wallet. his head dips down closer to your ear "maybe you can stop by that lingerie place opposite the pizza shop. get yourself a little something for being so sweet, mm?"

robin calls him again and with a little kiss to your forehead and a "duty calls" he leaves you standing there wide eyed and blushing with his wallet in your hand.

when you return a couple hours later they're both in the backroom now that the clientele has died down. there's a timid knock and they know its you. you push the door open.

"hi."

"great. the couple is reunited" robin rolls her eyes.

you opt for the seat closest to robin and though he understands why steve cant help but want you by his side.

"awh c'mon don't frown at me" you try to butter up your best friend but her arms remain crossed, face scrunched into a grumpy frown.

"i got you a present" she lights up like a dog who's heard the word 'walk'.

"really?!" she clears her throat schooling her expression "i mean- really?"

you pull out a vinyl. blondie's latest album.

"shut up. no way"

"yes way"

her arms are around you in an instant. "listen we're really sorry for being so annoying"

"i dont care"

"wh- what?"

"you can be as annoying as you want if it gets me blondie"

the bell rings and robin leaves to attend a customer.

when you'd arrived steve had been observing the bags you were carrying or rather the bags you weren't carrying. now he pulls you down into his lap, kissing your cheek. "so you didn't find any sets you liked?"

"huh?" you look down at the bags on the table in front of you. "oh- uh." you pull the lingerie bag out of a Claire's bag "i figured it wouldn't help our case with robin so i hid it"

he grins "that's my girl"

you match his grin albeit a little more shyly "your girl huh?"

"oh yeah. you havent heard? you're steve harrington's trophy wife now"

his nose brushes against yours and you laugh against his lips.

"im okay with that"