Chapter Text
Nancy Wheeler was no priss. But right now, more than almost anything, she needed a hot shower. It wasn’t even for the dirt and grime that had accumulated on the journey into the Upside Down, although that was bad too.
She sat motionless on the steps to the RV, eyes wide open but barely seeing what was in front of her. Flashes of Vecna’s vision crept into her mind. Death. Destruction. Smoke and flames, that awful red glow covering Hawkins. Her mother… she drew a sharp breath, willed herself to focus on her surroundings. Dry, yellowed grass. Dustin testing out his make-shift shield. Eddie nearby, idly chewing on a thumbnail. Movement to her left— Robin, sitting on the ground, inching closer. Her eyes were watery, tear tracks marked faintly in the dirt covering her cheeks.
“You okay?” She asked softly.
Nancy nodded, her throat tight. The way Robin’s mouth twisted told Nancy she hadn’t fallen for it.
Dustin suddenly froze.
“What?” Steve asked, on high alert.
“I don’t remember the last time I ate.”
Steve put his hands on his hips. “Seriously, man? That’s what you’re worried about right now?”
“I’ve been running around all day, Steve, I’m exhausted, I’m starving—”
“He’s uh.. got a point,” Eddie cut in, twiddling with one of his rings incessantly. Despite that, his voice was steady. “I think I’m too fuckin’ nervous to eat much, but… if we’re really gonna do this, we’re gonna need to keep our strength maxed out.”
Steve sighed and looked to Nancy. She nodded.
“Fine, we can get food.” He conceded.
“Okay, what are we thinking? McDonald’s? Hardee’s? The grocery store?” Dustin started.
“No, none of those,” Steve told him firmly. “We’re trying to avoid notice, remember?”
“Right.”
“We could go to your place,” Nancy looked up at Steve. Everyone stared at her. “You said your parents were out of town, right?”
“Yeah,” Steve said slowly.
“And no one would expect you to be hiding Eddie,” Nancy pointed out. “It’s perfect.” And maybe I’ll have some time to shower.
“It’s a solid plan,” Robin added when Steve remained silent.
“Alright, fine,” Steve threw his hands up. “But do not trash my house, my parents’ll flip shit.”
The Harringtons’ was just as Nancy remembered it. She tried not to think about the last time she’d been here. The last time she’d seen Barb… and now Barb was gone, and it was her fault. Her fault because she’d selfishly chosen a stupid boy over her best friend. Swallowing the lump in her throat, Nancy followed the others into the kitchen.
Eddie and Dustin were already busy raiding the fridge, while Lucas and Erica started emptying the pantry. Max sat at the counter, eyes downcast. Robin sat beside her. Steve watched it all like an anxious mother hen. Nancy approached him.
“Hey,” she started. “Do you think I could use your shower?”
Steve looked at her with his mouth open. “Use my..? Really, Nancy? Now?”
She lowered her voice. “I need to get… him… off of me.” Despite the pleasant spring temperature, she shivered. She could still feel Vecna like a film of filthy oil floating on the surface of her mind. She hoped to God it was just her imagination, her fears taking hold of her.
Steve’s face softened. “Nance, I get it,” he replied, “But I don’t think it’s a good idea for any of us to be alone right now.”
Nancy had to agree, but… “I don’t have to be alone.” She told him.
Steve gaped at her again. She could see the cogs working furiously in his brain, as he stammered, “You—I’m—”
“Robin can come with me.”
Robin’s head snapped up. “Go with you where?”
“To shower.”
A pink flush crept up Robin’s cheeks. “Excuse me?”
“I really need to shower, but Steve doesn’t want any of us to be alone, in case Vecna makes another move.”
“I mean, he’s right,” Robin shrugged. “So you want me to do what exactly?”
“Just sit in the room with me,” Nancy told her. “Just in case.”
“You got it,” Robin got to her feet.
Steve looked between the two of them. Nancy couldn’t decide if he looked relieved or disappointed. Perplexed, maybe, that she and Robin had taken to each other despite the rocky start to their friendship. The look he gave Robin before they walked away was undecipherable to Nancy. She guessed Robin must’ve known about Steve’s feelings for her. Never again, Harrington.
“Uh, towels are in the closet,” Steve said.
“Thanks,” she gave him a small smile.
*****
Robin’s face burned like she was sitting in front of an open flame instead of the bathroom door. She could hear Nancy getting undressed behind her, saw her clothes hit the floor from the corner of her eye.
This is not how I imagined being alone with a naked girl for the first time would be. Especially when the girl in question is Nancy fucking Wheeler. Out loud she said, “Nice place the Harringtons have,” God that was stupid.
“Yeah,” agreed Nancy half-heartedly. Of course, she’d been here before.
Robin began to sweat as steam clouded the small room. Water sloshed in the shower behind her. Don’t think about it, she clenched her teeth. Don’t think about what she looks like with water pouring down her body… No! Stop it! She’s your friend. Friends don’t sexualize friends. Do they?
“What the hell does Steve’s dad do to afford all this?” She asked aloud.
“I don’t know. Something to do with engineering, I think.”
“Shit,” chuckled Robin. “I wish I was smart enough to be an engineer. I’d have a big house like this one, with more rooms than I know what to do with, and a— someone to share it with. No kids though. God, no.” Shit, she’d almost said with a girl to share it with…
“That sounds nice,” Nancy responded absently.
“But I know that’ll never happen,” Robin shrugged to herself. “I’ll end up working in some boring office doing some stupid, pointless shit for the rest of my life, and come home to my ten cats I use to stave off my profound loneliness.”
“Don’t say that,” Nancy admonished. “You are smart, Robin. Really smart. You could do whatever you want. And you’re not going to be alone. I mean, I was lucky to meet Jonathan in high school. Those type of romances don’t usually work out.” She fell silent for a second… Robin grew curious, but held her tongue for once. “But anyway, one day you’ll find someone who loves and appreciates all of you. Don’t put yourself down so much, Robin. You’re amazing. Any guy would be lucky to have you.”
Robin couldn’t stop a disbelieving laugh. Right. Any guy… But all she said was, “Whatever you say, Nance.”
Robin nervously twisted one of her rings, listening to the sound of the running water. How long had they been silent?
“Nance?” But she got no response. Her heart dropped. Louder, “Nancy?”
“Yeah?”
Robin relaxed with a sigh. “Nothing. Just making sure you’re still here.”
“I’m still here.”
The water turned off, the curtain slid back. Robin felt the heat gather in her face and was glad Nancy couldn’t see her.
“Thank God,” she said. “Although I’m not sure I believe in God, especially after all this bullshit. Sorry if you’re religious, I don’t want to offend you, it’s just… if God really does exist, why doesn’t do something about all this? Like, come on, man! Even before I knew everything going on with Vecna and the Upside Down, I always wondered why God would let people hurt and kill each other, why he lets people starve, or lets children die of cancer—”
“Robin?”
“Sorry, I didn’t mean to go on like that, it’s just sometimes I—”
“Robin, can you hand me my bra, please?”
Robin’s stomach flipped like an olympic gymnast.
“Your— yeah, yeah.”
The bra in question had fallen to Robin’s right. It was a light pink, with just a bit of lace, a small bow in the middle. Trying her best to be casual, Robin picked it up and handed it behind her without looking. Nancy’s fingers brushed hers as she took it, and it was like an electric current went through Robin from fingertips to toes, nearly paralyzing her.
“Thanks.”
“No problem.” But there was a problem. A huge problem. She’d felt it growing ever since that night at the Starcourt Mall, when Nancy had faced down that psycho Billy in his car, armed with only a handgun, to protect her friends. She’d felt it growing these last few days, felt herself falling, completely at Nancy’s mercy. She was well and truly whipped.
“Fuck,” she muttered.
“What’s wrong?” Asked Nancy.
“Nothing,” Robin lied. “it’s nothing. Just nervous about fighting Vecna.”
“Yeah,” Nancy sighed. “Me too.”