" No! "

" Yes! "

Both girls shout at the same time, catching the attention of Steve and Dustin. Willow is mortified, shushing Robin, but it's too late.

"Maybe?" Steve offers, confused as ever as he stands from the booth he was sitting at with Dustin.

Dustin just watches, eyes fluttering between the three friends. The entire scene, Willow completely flushed and Robin grinning ear to ear, Steve clueless with a blank face as he rounds the counter to join Robin's side, is so distracting that none of them notice when the exact cause of the commotion enters the store.

Eddie strolls in with a friend at his side, someone Willow doesn't quite recognize. She's sure that he's a part of Eddie's D&D club, but truthfully, the only one she's familiar with is the leader himself.

"Hi there!" Robin notices before Steve, perking up as he remains perplexed, "Welcome to Scoops Ahoy! Any samples today gentlemen?"

Steve faces Willow, eyebrows scrunched as he mouths, " What the fuck? "

And Willow simply shrugs in response, heart pounding as she prays Robin doesn't do or say anything damning.

"Could I get a sample of caramel turtle truffle, please?" Eddie's friend asks politely. Eddie is scoping out the flavors, slightly bent over as his eyes squint to read the flavors. Willow can't blame him, she's complained endlessly to her friends that their small paper plaques that read each flavor needed serious upgrades.

"Of course!" Robin grabs one of the spoons like Willow had used to sample earlier, making sure a turtle was perched perfectly on it.

The friend nods after trying it, seemingly enjoying it. Willow was probably being rude with how much she was staring, but she felt Steve's eyes on her. She knew he wanted to know why she and Robin had been screaming at each other, why she had been beet red the moment Eddie Munson walked in. She wasn't ready for that conversation. And so her eyes remained trained on Eddie Munson as if her life depended on it.

"What are you gonna get, Garth?" Eddie suddenly asks his friend, apparently named Garth , as he straightened himself up from staring down the flavors.

"Probably a shake. That turtle one was really goo-"

"Mm. I like your thinking, but I wouldn't recommend that," Robin interrupts immediately. Willow finally looks at Steve just to exchange a look, knowing exactly what tangent she was about to take these poor guys down.

"Why not?" Garth asks, genuinely curious. Eddie is watching silently, but Steve and Willow both choose to audibly groan.

Robin has a shit-eating grin as she tells him her favorite fun fact she's learned this summer, "They put some sort of laxative in it which makes it sugar free. Rumor has it someone got a large milkshake of it once and well..."

Steve immediately interjects as Robin trails off with a smile still. "Okay, okay, enough. Stop scaring customers. Go sweep the floors or something, I'll finish helping them."

"Yes, sir," Robin mockingly salutes Steve, looking at Garth and shrugging softly, "I promise I wasn't trying to scare you. It's true. Our sherbets make really good milkshakes though, just ask Stevie boy here to make it extra thick for you. That's the best way to have it."

Robin wastes no time walking over to Willow, grabbing her by her elbow and dragging her to the back.

"Okay, what was that-"

"He's perfect!" Robin exclaims, cutting Willow off from scolding her.

"No, I'm sorry, we're far past the ridiculous fake-dating idea. You have got to stop telling people they're going to shit themselves when they order that flavor! It's not even that likely considering how little of that artificial sweetener they put in!" Willow says, waving her arms wildly as she pulls herself free from Robin's grasp. She takes several steps away, not noticing her entering the view of Eddie, Garth, and Steve through their window in the wall.

"I'm never going to shut up about that fact. Also, I'm not the one scaring customers now," Robin nods towards the window and Willow turns, meeting each of the boys' curious gazes.

"Are we interrupting something?" Steve asks as he fights a smirk. She can see Eddie over his shoulder, holding a dipped waffle cone filled with what looks like a double scoop of cookie dough, looking to also be fighting off a smile.

"Sorry, just... no. You're not. I'm sorry," Willow rambles, blushing harder now.

Any entertainment she'd given to Robin's fake-dating idea now including Eddie was officially useless given the scene she'd just made.

"Okay, weirdo," Steve drags out the word okay before turning his back on her, facing Eddie and Garth once more. Robin comes over and joins Willow's side, looking straight ahead and not paying any mind to Willow's intense stare. In all fairness, Willow didn't blame her. She was trying to explode Robin at this moment with her mind.

Steve was barely handing back their change when Robin hammered the final nail into Willow's coffin, calling out, "Hey, say fellas, are you single?"

Both boys look petrified, taken back, and fairly confused. Steve has turned back around and Willow can't tell if he's pissed, embarrassed, or both.

"W-Who? Us?" Garth stutters. Eddie hasn't said a word. Honestly, Willow realizes with shock that Eddie hasn't said much since he's entered Scoops. Maybe they were wrong, maybe Eddie isn't the loud-mouth they'd hoped for.

Robin nods enthusiastically, "Yeah, you guys!"

"Oh, y-yeah. Yeah, we are-" Garth begins replying, clearly still flustered. There were always snide rumors that none of the boys in that club interacted with girls, and Willow was starting to see the truth in that.

Eddie cuts Garth off. "That depends, Buckley. Who's asking?"

Willow watches the teasing smirk cross his face, a confidence flooding in that wasn't there mere seconds ago. As she watches the transformation, she starts to wonder just how much of the commotion he causes at school is for show.

"Oh, I was just curious. Just trying to get to know my classmates since summer's ending," Robin offers a genuine smile while Willow has to stop herself from sinking down out of sight as Eddie's smile drops. Just as quickly as his act had begun, it was clearly ending. Robin had struck a nerve somehow.

She was going to kill Robin.

"Listen, if this is leading up to some punch line, especially about how I didn't graduate," Eddie begins as Garth looks wildly between everyone. Even Steve is sensing the tension, clearly ready to jump to Robin's defense.

Willow beats him to it. "It's not. She's just in a weirdly nosey, sort of playful mood today. I'm sorry."

Robin glances at Willow as she grips the counter out of sight to the boys, knuckles turning white. Robin's pinky reaches out and brushes against the side of her hand.

Eddie's eyes finally meet Willow's for the first time. They're brown, kind of nice. She can practically see him soften, as if his defenses were melting before her. "Oh, okay. I'm sorry, too. It's all good."

"We are single, by the way," Garth adds in, flashing a smile. For a moment, Willow wonders the point of all the bullying the boys face. They're clearly nice. Sure, they play D&D, and act a bit rowdy, but just about every guy in town did.

"Yeah, that too," Eddie agrees, finally shoving the change Steve had handed him into his pockets.

"Okay, cool. Well, see you once school starts," Robin nods, quietly prodding Willow's calf excitedly with her foot. Clearly, Robin hadn't let go of the fake dating idea.

"Have a good night, guys," Steve finally says, nodding off the boys before angrily turning around to Robin. He leans on the counter on the other side of the window. "Okay, what is your problem tonight? Really, Buckley? Asking customers if they're single? What the hell?"

Robin shrugs. "Like 'Low said, I'm feeling playful or whatever."

"Yeah, or whatever," Steve squints aggressively, eyes moving onto Willow. "You know something that I don't about this mood? Maybe it has something to do with that shouting match you guys had before they came in?"

"Your guess is as good as mine," Willow lies with ease, "And that wasn't a screaming match. If you want to see a real screaming match, I'm free next Thursday. Would be more than happy to demonstrate."

"I think I'm good. I'm pretty sure the boss will be in next Thursday, and I really need this job."

"Yeah, you do," Dustin quips, suddenly at the counter once more now that the incident with Eddie has passed, "My birthday is coming up and I expect some pretty sick presents."

"Your birthday isn't for several more months, idiot," Steve shakes his head immediately, reaching up to readjust his work hat.

"Gives you more time to save up," Dustin flashes a smile as he says this, and Willow's eyes immediately look to Steve as a warmth spreads across her chest. If she thought she was down bad for Steve Harrington just this summer, in all his mopey-heartbroken glory, then seeing him interacting with Dustin had her in the depths of hell for him. Something about it clearly brought out the best in the two of them. She had no idea where this strange friendship between them started, what could have occurred to bring these two oddballs so close together, but it was cute regardless.

She knew she was staring a second too long when Steve met her gaze, grinning now at her with one eyebrow raised. She sensed the interrogation that was about to begin before he even opened his mouth to say, "Hey, what was up with you making eyes at Munson?"

"Huh?" Willow is genuinely shocked, physically moving backwards as if Steve had slapped her. "What do you mean, 'making eyes'?"

"The moment he walked in he was all you could look at. And look, I'm not one to judge, but that guy is bad news, okay? He still hasn't graduated, and he makes a scene at every chance he gets. And-"

"Okay, we get it, Harrington. Eddie's bad news. But Willow can look if she wants, can't you?" Robin turns to look at Willow, once again kicking her calf where Steve and Dustin couldn't see.

The same wheels turning in Robin's mind were slowly moving in Willow's. The attention she'd mindlessly given to Eddie got under Steve's skin. Willow giving another guy attention got under Steve's skin.

Maybe Robin's fake-dating idea wasn't so insane.

Willow knows she's taking too long to respond, so she snaps back into action. "Yeah..." she drags out the word, carefully, maintaining eye-contact with Robin, "No harm in looking. Not like we could ever be a thing." Willow turns her attention to Steve, and notices the clench of his jaw. "Don't worry, you don't have to be my protector. I'm a big girl, I can take care of myself."

"I know you can, Willow. It's him I don't trust. Honestly, I don't trust most of the guys in this town. You're just too good for all of them-" Steve cuts himself off as everyone's eyes widen, "No, no, not like that. I mean. Jesus... I just mean I think as your friend, you deserve someone who...someone... just, not a Hawkins dirtbag, you know? Same with Robin! Right? Okay? Stop looking at me like that."

Dustin is the first to recover from the shock of Steve fumbling so badly. "Jesus. You really have become our mother."

Willow and Robin snort at this as Steve starts stuttering a defense. "Shut it, Henderson! Seriously, since when is it a crime to care about your friends?"

"Not a crime," Robin corrects, "Just motherly behavior."

"Can't we call it fatherly behavior?"

"Nope. Mom mode all the way," Willow chimes in.

"I hate you guys," Steve mutters, mostly to himself. Willow, Robin, and Dustin continue their laughter as Willow finally looks behind herself and Robin to catch sight of the clock on the wall.

She lets her laughter die down with each ticking of the second's hand, before finally turning to face her friends once more. "Well, as cute as it is to see Harrington in mom mode, I have to get going. I'll see you guys later, yeah?"

Before Steve has a chance to defend himself against being in 'mom mode', Robin groans, "You're really going to leave me here? All alone?"

"Hey!" Steve yells, motioning to himself, "Am I a joke to you?"

Willow agrees with him, nodding in his direction with wide eyes, "Yeah! Is Steve a joke to you?"

"It's not the same," Robin whines, literally whines, as she's pulling Willow into a side hug.

"You'll survive," Willow mumbles against Robin's shoulder, "Just sample each flavor again and rank them with these dorks this time."

"I'm dow- wait, did you just say again?" Steve questions, crossing his arms and leaning back against the ice cream freezers.

"I'm always down for free samples of ice cream," Dustin says with a shrug.

Willow pulls away from Robin and they share a pitiful look, Robin's eyes begging for Willow to stay and Willow's eyes apologizing. She really did have summer reading to start, not one to procrastinate and risk ruining her 4.0 GPA.

"When did you guys first sample all the flavors? What was the ranking?" Steve persists, looking around wildly at the flavors as if the girls' rankings would magically appear to him.

Willow nods at Robin, turning to grab her bag as Robin claps her hands and announces to the two boys, "Alrighty, gentlemen. Allow me to lay down some ground rules. First of all, my opinion reigns above both of you. I will, however, take your personal dairy rankings into consideration..."

Willow gives a small wave to everyone as she walks out of the store, out into the food court with her backpack slung over her shoulder. It was slightly worn, slightly heavy, carrying not just her summer reading book but a few of her own personal favorite novels as well. She'd had it since freshman year, the once darker shade of forest green now faded into a well-loved army green. The front pocket that she kept her pencils and pens had several sharpie doodles from one particularly boring day at lunch during her and Robin's sophomore year, all of them now illegible blobs as the ink had bled out.

She rounds a corner, trying to avoid the bulk of her fellow peers gathered on the benches around one of the fountains. She should have expected the sight that greeted her, logically, as she immediately catches sight of Garth and Eddie seated on one of the benches, still eating their ice cream as they look over cassettes they clearly bought at Uncle Aldo's.

Garth is the one who notices her, looking up and waving softly with his hand that isn't holding a large shake. Willow can immediately tell by the soft pink shade that he took Robin's suggestion to heart, getting a rainbow sherbet shake.

"Good choice," she calls out, nodding at his beverage.

"Thanks! It's honestly really good, tell Buckley thank you for me, will you?" As Garth says this, Eddie is shaking his head, taking a bite of his waffle cone. Willow knows she should continue walking, but she stops dead in her tracks.

"What, you don't like sherbet?" she asks, tilting her head to the side. Eddie's eyes widen as they meet hers, probably not expecting her to catch his reaction, or address it.

"No, I love sherbet. But sherbet in a shake ?" he scrunches his nose up at the end of his sentence, shaking his head once more. His hair bounces with the movement. It's kind of cute, Willow hates to admit to herself.

He's perfect , Robin's voice echoes in her head. She has to resist now shaking her own head to get the thought of her mind.

No. Not happening.

"Don't knock it till you try it, man," Garth moves his drink in Eddie's direction, straw pointed at him. Eddie immediately puts his free hand up.

"Nope, no. Not happening. Fuck off."

Willow watches for a moment silently, thinking about her own friends she just left behind. She truly hopes Robin doesn't give the boys a hard time on their ranking. She also hopes that maybe, if she's lucky, Steve will call her tonight to fill her in on his official ranking. It's a dwindle of hope, some fantasy that will never come to fruition. Which is fine.

She doesn't realize she was zoned out, awkwardly staring down Eddie and Garth, until Eddie clears his throat. Embarrassed, Willow quickly spits out, "See you guys around!"

She doesn't wait around to hear their goodbyes, or their possible lack of goodbyes. She turns on her heels and begins barreling for the mall exit she's parked outside. The entire walk through the parking lot, all she can think of is Robin, and her absolutely ridiculous plan. A plan that clearly wouldn't work. A plan that was stupid, that even the Freak would turn his nose up to. It was absurd, laughable, foolish, nonsensical.

It was ridiculous. Willow didn't have time for ridiculous.

a/n: i actually worked at baskin robbins when season 3 dropped and still have a scoops ahoy shirt from it, so that fact about caramel turtle truffle is true :-) thank you for reading!!!! i appreciate everyone who's been so kind to me about this story!!!!