#(he reminds them both constantly that robin once called nancy a priss

[eskawrites]

okay so we all know Robin is a ride or die best friend, and so yes she would absolutely feel bad for crushing on Nancy because she’s Steve’s ex! Steve might still have a thing for her! but where are all my stories about Steve, who is also super ride or die, backing off his pursuit of Nancy because he realizes Robin has feelings for her???

like, hear me out

Nancy starts hanging out at Family Video more after breaking up with Jonathan because, well, they all hang out at Family Video these days, it’s just the place to be

nevermind that she really likes being around Steve-and-Robin (you don’t get one without the other), that’s probably not important

except Robin, who has gotten comfortable enough around the kids to be cool and banter with them and only ever rambles now to give passionate speeches about why they should rent x instead of y movie, is suddenly blushing and stammering every time Nancy comes into the store

it’s a miracle Dustin hasn’t picked up on it, but then Dustin--as genius as he is--can be kind of clueless

anyway Steve just smirks at Robin one day as Nancy leaves with all the kids and a couple of movies in tow, and when she turns around to question why the fuck he’s looking at her like that he’s just like “so how long have you been crushing on Nancy?”

cue Robin panicking and Steve assuring her it’s alright, really, and they settle into this funny rhythm of teasing each other for falling for falling for the same girl (”but I mean, come on, it’s Nancy Wheeler, of course we did.” “you’re right. who wouldn’t?” “maybe we should get jackets. do you think Jonathan would join our club?”)

no big deal, except meanwhile Nancy is still wondering why she’s most comfortable around Steve-and-Robin, or Robin-and-Steve, and why she’s suddenly driving to Family Video, or to Steve’s house, or to wherever the two of them are whenever she’s lonely

Nancy Wheeler doesn’t get lonely. she doesn’t need to go to someone for comfort. but she finds herself going to Steve-and-Robin all the time anyway

long story short comphet Nancy my beloved (not my usual headcanon but still my beloved) thinks maybe she is falling for Steve again and even works up the courage to ask him out one day at Family Video

Robin overhears Steve letting her down easy

“dude what the fuck, you spent all of spring break flirting with her!” “so?” “so? she asked you out, and you said no??” “best friend code. i’m not going to be with someone if it hurts you.” “that doesn’t matter dingus--” “yes, it does.”

and the thing is, Robin is more in love with Nancy than Steve thinks he ever was. and in all honesty, now that the world isn’t in danger and he has time to think, asking Nancy to be the mother of his six children is weird at best and downright insulting once you remember that she’s Nancy ‘screw that’ Wheeler

so maybe he doesn’t have feelings for her so much anymore. and maybe the weirdly relieved look on Nancy’s face when he turned her down means something

and maybe, maybe Nancy overhears them talking about it, Robin telling Steve yet again that she just wants him to be happy, she can get over her crush on Nancy if it means they’re both happy

and maybe it clicks that it’s less Steve-and-Robin, or even Robin-and-Steve, and more Robin that keeps Nancy coming into Family Video, or hanging out at Steve’s house, or inviting both of them over for movie nights in the basement

and maybe she goes to Steve, potentially drunk and definitely scared as hell, and tells him in a rush of nerves and courage that she thinks she has feelings for his best friend, not for him, and she’s so very sorry

Steve just grins. the next time he sees Robin he makes the very official announcement that “I don‘t have feelings for Nancy Wheeler and henceforth it shall be known that going out with her will not break the best friend code in any way”

Robin rolls her eyes because okay, sure, whatever, it’s never going to happen anyway

little does she know that Nancy is outside with milkshakes, Robin’s favorite tape (courtesy of Steve) playing in her car, waiting for Steve to push Robin out of Family Video insisting he can cover her shift while she goes on her first date

#ronance #steve and robin #i need more steve being the captain of the ronance ship because c'mon. he just wants his best friend to be happy #that little laugh and the knowing smile as he looks at robin talking to vickie? #i need him to do that while watching robin and nancy in s5 #(he reminds them both constantly that robin once called nancy a priss #and nancy didn't recognize robin even though they've gone to the same school for years) #('shut up steve' is said in unison every time)

[ima-ghost-art]

As much as I like the concept of ronance, I honestly couldnt see robin being comfortable it happening. Robin knows shes crushing on Nancy, she knew the moment she realised that nancy is different than priss she thought she was. But robin also knows what happened between Nancy and Steve.

You cannot tell me that after the bathroom scene in s2, steve doesnt get uncomfortable with the word bullshit. Whenever he hears it, it reminds him of when someone he loved called him and everything he was trying to do for her, bullshit. Then blamed him when she was sober saying all she remembered was Steve getting mad at her because she kept drinking which didnt happen, he didnt even get mad until he left the bathroom. And Nancy never apologized for this, not once. Not for calling him bullshit, not for emotionally cheating, not for blaming him when he was just trying to help.

Even if both steve and nancy have moved past their relationship and become freinds, you cant tell me that he is still a bit fucked up from that night. That he cant hear bullshit the same again because everything he does, apparently to nancy, is bullshit. And if the roles were reversed and nancy was a man saying what she did to a woman, it would get people pissed!! But since Steve's a man and Nancy's a woman I think it's way to overlooked when it comes to their relationship.

Then when Steve meets Robin, they become best friends, platonic soulmates even. So there is no way, Robin hasn't listened through steve telling her about his relationship with nancy and what happened because of the upside down. Hasnt accidentally, called him bullshit and watch him wince, the same way he gets when someone asked who do you work for, and notice how hes actually pretty fucked up he is from that. Having to be the one to try and convince Steve to address his trauma, because she can see how badly hes affected even if he denies it's there!!

So the moment, Robin realises, she is falling for Nancy. You cannot tell me, that she doesnt hate it. You cant tell me that she hates the fact shes falling for the girl who fucked up her best friend. She may be cool, and an amazing monster fighting, smartass. But she also hurt steve, and steve is Robin's person. So even if Nancy reciprocated her feeling, I dont feel Robin would want to go forward with the he best freinds ex. (Vickie definitely likes her back anyway so let's have them please they are so cute)

Now dont get me wrong, I love nancy as a character, and her inability to admit shes wrong is an interesting character trait that I think adds to her character well. But I just dont think she should stay in a relationship, or move to robin because shes been in a relationship constantly from the beginning of the show, and I believe she should take a break and work on herself, like steve has done.

Anyway this is my rant, goodnight

#stranger things #steve harrington #robin buckley #nancy wheeler #let nancy be single #if steve wont adress his trauma we will! #platonic stobin