The Falls

Posted originally on the Archive of Our Own at http://archiveofourown.org/works/42515004.

Rating: General Audiences

Archive Warning: No Archive Warnings Apply
Category: Gen
Fandom: Stranger Things (TV 2016)
Relationship: Robin Buckley & Steve Harrington
Character: Robin Buckley, Steve Harrington, Steve Harrington's Mother, Tommy
Hagan, Nancy Wheeler
Additional Tags: Childhood Memories, Comfort, After Starcourt, Steve Needs a Hug,
Robin Buckley & Steve Harrington Are Best Friends, Growing Up,
Acceptance, Hurt Steve Harrington, Hurt Robin Buckley
Language: English
Series: Part 28 of Stranger Things One Shots
Stats: Published: 2022-10-20 Words: 1184

The Falls
by miss_little_kitten

Summary

After StarCourt Steve needs to clear his head, he takes Robin to his favorite childhood spot
she's never heard of. When she snaps a Polaroid Steve just looks at it and reminisces why
this place is his favorite.

Breaking my "don't write post op" rule don't judge.

Notes

See the end of the work for notes

“I think we should go on a hike or something.” Steve suggested casually to Robin one day, she
looked at him like he grew a second head.

“What?” She laughed at him some.

“Have you ever been to the falls?” He asked her genuinely. Robin realized this had to be deeper
than what Steve was letting on. He was as easy to read as a book.

“No.”

“I think we should go.”

“You really want to? It’s hot out.”

“That’s the point. Trust me.” He said in a serious tone.

“You were beat up by Russians a week ago.”

“Ah, ah, ah. We were beat up by Russians a week ago.” Steve corrected her.

“You still have stitches.”

“It won’t matter, come on, it isn’t far. Promise.” Steve said it, he wanted to just go somewhere safe
for a bit, no monsters, no bad memories, just somewhere calm.

“Okay Steve, fine, let’s go to these mysterious falls.” She laughed at him some.

“You still have your swim suit here?”

“Yeah.”

“Perfect, let’s go.” He had a bigger smile than she’d seen in the past week. After running up the
steps, Robin stared at her Polaroid camera for a moment before deciding to bring it along with
them. She ran down the steps, her bag spilling over as she tried to zip it. Silence was not their
friend lately, but they drove in an actual comfortable silence like they had done this a million times
before. Steve was lost in thought thinking about Max, what the hell that was going to be in the end,
poor El, poor Will, and poor Jonathan. Just he needed to be out of Hawkins and the falls was that
place. That place to clear his head, he pulled into a parking area around ten minutes later, she had
never been to this place just outside of Hawkins.

“Steve, if you’re going to murder me in the woods, tell me now? Then you don’t have to lug all my
shit back.” She laughed some, he was more serious and smiled at her.

“Wasn’t the plan, but be careful, your ass is clumsy.” They began walking, he held out his hand for
her to take.

“Hey Dingus, I’m you know.”

“Clumsy? I’m aware.” He laughed, looking at his hand and she took it.

“It’s pretty here.”

“Yeah, I used to come here a lot.” Steve almost confesses.

“I figured since you knew where we were going, unless were hopelessly lost.”

“We’re not lost, here, listen.” They paused and quietly stood together. They both could hear the
rushing water, Steve had a large smile on his face as he could hear it Robin thought his lip would
split again.

“Well Harrington, you do know where you’re going.” They continued the short walk, once there
Robin was almost in awe. The shade wasn’t too much, but it was stunning, the colors and water
rushing.

“It’s a rock formation, you can climb the waterfalls.”

“How have I never been here?” Robin asked.

“Not many people come out I guess.” Steve said. He was kicking his shorts off before stripping his
shirt, he didn’t hesitate to get in the water. She wasn’t sure what came over her, but she pulled out
the Polaroid camera she impulsively brought with her. She snapped a picture, Steve was half
looking back at her laughing, she hoped she got that bloody smile.

“I’m going to change.” Robin ducked behind some trees, Steve walked back over to watch the
picture develop. As it developed, it could be the brain damage talking, but he could see so many
memories in that bloody smile he had.

He could remember coming here with his mother, back when she was still just Mama to him. How
they played in the water and she held him up to climb the falls. How she’d hold him in the water as
he laughed loudly to the jokes she told and just the general feeling of silliness as his mother called
it. Her little Stevie, her love bug, her snuggle bug, her everything to her at the time. He thought this
place was actually magical then, like in the stories she’d read him every night or the movies they’d
watch. They could have been set here, from that day forward he pictured every fairytale they read
there.

He remembers the last time she came with him. He had been twelve, her and him snuck out before
his father woke up. He was too big to be held anymore, but she played in the water with him for the
longest time, he could climb the waterfalls himself. She was so proud of him and told him how
much she loved him. They started leaving him home alone during the week then after that day.

He remembered playing here with Tommy both as a child and teen. He remembers playing
elaborate games as children and then as teens, it wasn’t fun anymore in the same way. They would
still jump in every now and then, but mainly they started drinking here. Smoking here. Bringing
girls here. It wasn’t the same place he remembered growing up with Tommy was around anymore.

He remembered bringing Nancy here. They held hands tighter, scared of what could be lurking
behind every corner. When she finally laughed that day, because Steve fell on his ass, she laughed
so lightly and the sun hit her just right, he thought he really knew what love meant. She never felt
the same though apparently.

He thought about the last time he came here. It was after his father screamed him out after
graduation, he didn’t get it. His dad was an asshole, but he didn’t even try to understand what was
wrong with Steve. Didn’t they notice something was wrong? Did no one notice? He could hardly
focus anymore, every single time he thinks he finds happiness something fucks it up from the
upside down. But his own fucking father couldn’t see that his own son was in extreme distress as
the yelling continued. He came here, he had left his mother a note saying he needed to just be calm
and he’d be at the falls. A childish part of him hoped she would come, hoped she would make it a
little better, she didn’t.

It’s Robin who is pulling him out of his thoughts as he stares at the picture. She’s snapping her
fingers, looking a little scared.

“What’s wrong?” Steve asks concerned.

“You were like gone.”

“I was just thinking.”

“I could see the smoke.”

“Ha. Ha. Very funny.” He sets the photo back down, trying to shake the memories, time to make
new ones he guessed.
 “Is the water cold? You’ve already been in once.”

“It’s nice.” Steve is leading again, reaching his hand out for her to take, she does so without a
remark this time. She has a soft smile, she didn’t know what this place meant to him, but it was
sacred in a way. He was ready to make new memories of it with her, with the kids, with everyone.

End Notes

I love comments, take suggestions, and more. Sorry if it was messy. Also, I might start
putting recipes at the end of these. I feel like a lot of my audience probably doesn't cook
often and I love recipe sharing.

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