Unexpectedly Enough

One

Carnival lights filled Steve's vision as he made his way through the crowd. He didn't want to be here. This was something the kids would like, but not him.

He pulled a pack of cigarette's out of his pocket and lit one.

"You shouldn't do that, it's bad for you", Robin said, appearing beside him, following in tow of the kids.

"Yeah? Neither is letting a bunch of fourteen year olds drag you around a carnival."

Robin flipped him the middle finger as she was dragged away. Steve smirked and took a drag of his cigarette, exhaling slowly, the smoke floating around his face.

The fair looked nice, he thought. But he wished Joyce and Hopper weren't out on a date tonight and could be here instead of him. He had work four days a week, the other three he either spent at home, or at the community pool, usually with the kids. But, he had a long shift today, and another one tomorrow, and he just wanted sleep.

Steve sighed and took a long drag of his cigarette, tapping the end of it afterwards.
"Rough night, Harrington?", a voice said. It was familiar and made the hair on the back of Steve's neck stand up, and not in a bad way. He turned and looked to see the familiar head of blonde curls.

"Must be if you're here", Steve said, puffing on his cigarette again.

Billy laughed.

"I'm Max's ride, have to pick the shitbird up sometime."

"I could've driven her home", Steve says. But Billy shakes his head.
"Nah, the folks wanted me to get her. I was out anyways", Billy said, and Steve didn't question the sound in his voice as he decided it was none of his business, even though he felt like it should be.

"So where are they?", Billy asked.

Steve pointed into the frenzy of rides and stands. "With Robin, ferris wheel."

Billy nodded, and pulled his own pack of cigarette's out of his pocket, lighting one before taking a drag. Steve looked at him.

"Well, if you're gonna", Billy says, smirking.

They smoke in silence, but it's a good silence. It's not unbearable like the silences they shared in the past. It was like an unspoken bond between them. But neither one of them knew what the bond was.

Soon enough, the kids were bounding past them with Robin in tow.
"Hey shitbird! It's time to go!", Billy called after Max, throwing his cigarette away.

"Billy, we want to go to-"
"Max...", Billy said in a different tone. It wasn't mean, or loud, it was kind of like he was worried or scared. But Max's expression changed as soon as he said it, like she understood. "Alright, I'm coming. Bye guys!", she said, hugging El and Lucas quick as she went.

Steve watches as Billy goes to follow Max, but he turns his head towards Steve first. "See ya pretty boy", He chirps. Steve tries his best to hide the red growing on his face, but it's too busy making its way down the back of his neck.

"I need to get the rest of you dumbasses home too. Let's go", Steve speaks, trying to move past it. All the kids turn to him, prepared to whine, but Robin beats them to it.

"BUT Steveeeee", She fakes, "we don't wanna go!"
"Does it look like I give a shit? We have work tomorrow", Steve reminds her. She groans a "fineee", throwing her head back before they all follow Steve away from the carnival and into his car.

An hour later, all the kids are dropped off and it's just Steve and Robin left, driving along the empty roads of Hawkins at midnight. Robin leans forward and turns the radio up, as Steve covers one of his ears with his hand.
"Jesus! Are you deaf?" He groans.
Robin laughs.
"Don't be a loser, dingus! It's a good song!", she protests.
Steve sighs. "Sorry, just a long day." But Robin can see right through that.

"Are you sure this mood of yours doesn't have anything to do with a certain someone?", Robin asks.

"Right, and who would that be?"

"Oh I don't know...Billy Hargrove?"

Steve scoffs. "Right, cause Billy Hargrove is the problem."
Robin sits up when she notices the blush on Steve's cheeks again.

"You have a crush on him!", she says.

"I do not! Why would I have a crush on Billy Hargrove?"

"Please, Steve. I saw the way you turned red when he called you pretty boy, and the way you looked at him like he was the thing that meant the most to you in the world. I'm not blind, Stevie. I can see these things. You looked absolutely smitten standing next to him smoking against the wall."

Steve shakes his head.

"I don't know what you saw, but I don't have a crush on Billy Hargrove", Steve tries. But he doesn't completely believe himself. Robin doesn't believe him either.

"If you says so dingus", Robin says, and she leans back in her seat again, as the car ride goes silent.