chapter twenty , Frick & Frack (planning edition)

a/n : a duo we're gonna be seeing more often

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August was an important month. And an important girl. The teenager didn't know it, but she positively affected other people. She put others ahead of her. Especially, her friends and family. But this time. On this day. August 10th, 1967. It was about August 'Gus' Castillo. And Hopper wanted to make this the best birthday of her life. Over the years Gus and Hopper have lived together, they never celebrated her birthday. Hopper would always be working himself so hard, trying to block out his pain. Gus never wanted to celebrate her birthday. She wasn't big on...'big'. And Fallon knew that, so she wouldn't throw parties for Gus, but she always bought her a slice of cake and they would share it in her room.

Fallon was Gus' best friend. And Steve was Gus' childhood best friend. They could make this surprise party--awesome!

If only, Hopper knew that these two despised each other.

Fallon opens the door, revealing the Chief of police. And the caramel brown-skinned girl smiles.

"I am so glad you called me!" Fallon squeaks. "I have a lot of ideas and I wrote them all down in this!" she holds it out toward the Chief of Police.

Hopper pulls his brows together and looks at the words written across the journal.

Guster's Extravaganza.

"Whenever she said she liked something or wanted something--I wrote it down in this journal." Fallon continues to speak.

Hopper lets out a soft breath, "Uh, Fallon--"

"I have to tell you. I was getting worried that you weren't going to celebrate Gus' birthday again. Then she was going to get sad and I would have to bring her a strawberry cake so we can eat it again. And I wasn't going to have another year go by where The August West wasn't being celebrated..." Fallon trails off her explanation when Hopper steps aside, revealing the brunette boy.

Her brows scrunch together and she cranes her neck forward. "What are you doing here?" Fallon asks. She turns to Hopper. "What is he doing here?"

Hopper opens his mouth to answer, but Fallon looks back at Steve.

"What are you doing here?!"

"What are you doing here?" Steve squints his eyes.

Fallon's upper lip curls and she cranes her neck forward. "This is my house, dipshit."

"Dipshit doesn't even make any sense." Steve folds his arms and scoffs.

"You're a Steve, who's dipped in shit." Fallon giggles. "You're a dipshit. You represent a dipshit--"

"You're the dipshit!" Steve snaps.

"What--first it doesn't make sense and now you're using the word?" Fallon purses her lips and tilts her head. "Make up your mind, dipshit--"

"Can we stop saying dipshit!" Hopper barks. "I didn't bring you guys here just for shits and giggles, all right?"

"I brought you both here today for Gus," Hopper speaks.

Fallon and Steve look at Hopper.

"I know her birthday's a few months away and Fallon's right. I wanted to do something for her, but...I realized that I don't really know what Gus is into." Hopper looks away from the teens, obviously feeling guilty.

Fallon smiles. Over these past few months. It was so noticeable that Hopper and Gus care for each other. It was nice seeing Hopper worry about her birthday.

"I was wondering if you guys could help plan something for her," Hopper says.

Fallon's smile drops.

Simultaneously, Fallon and Steve look at each other.

"Us? Work together?"

"Absolutely not!" Fallon folds her arms and lets out a chuckle of disbelief.

"I sadly, have to agree with Fallon," Steve speaks. "I can't work with her."

"It's for August," Hopper emphasizes. "Can't you two just put your differences aside for her?"

Fallon uncrosses her arms and sighs. Gus has always been an amazing friend to Fallon. And the Price girl wanted to find a way to return the favor. Even when Steve and Gus weren't close, he always had something planned for her. But he would always chicken out. This is the first time he was celebrating her birthday after they reconnected.

"I can do that...for Gus," Fallon speaks.

"Yeah, totally."

Fallon snorts, "Copy Cat."

"What?--I was going to but--"

"But, but, but--nothing! I beat you." Fallon rolls her eyes.

"It wasn't a contest!" Steve bites.

Hopper pinches the bridge of his nose and sighs. He is already regretting this.

"Guys, focus."

"Sorry." Steve quickly speaks. He looks at Fallon with a smug smirk, "Beat you."

Fallon side-eyes the boy and wrinkles her nose. "Not everything is a contest, Harrington."

Steve's smirk drops and his mouth hangs open.

"So, what are the rules and regulations of 'Guster's Extravaganza'?" Fallon tilts her head.

"No arguing, you two!" Hopper points between the teens. "And...if it's a party, keep it contained. I'd hate to have to curse kids out. And no drinking and no drugs."

Hopper glares at the boy. Steve tenses up, his stomach turning. Fallon smiles.

When Gus came home high, she was scarfing any food available. She then thanked Steve for a wonderful night before slapping a hand over her mouth.

Steve has been on Hopper's shit list ever since. Which sucks since the boy just recently got off of it when he and Gus became friends again.

"Well," Fallon speaks, catching Steve and Hopper's attention. "We will follow all of your rules, Jimbo. Thank you for this." she then nudges Steve.

The boy grunts, "Uh--yeah, thanks. Thank you, Jimbo--"

"Don't call me Jimbo." Hopper immediately shuts down.

"Don't call him Jimbo," Fallon adds.

Steve slightly opens his mouth, "Right--s-sorry. I'm sorry..."

☆

Fallon walks into the library and her eyes travel around the area. Her eyes land on the brunette boy and she lets out a sharp breath. She's only had a handful of times where she and Steve got along. But, those handful of times weren't for hours on end. This was going to be. And they were going to be brainstorming together. Greeeaaat...

Fallon walks toward Steve and she passes the short-haired girl. Fallon quickly stops in her tracks and spins on her heel. Her eyes fall on the light brown chestnut hair and a small breath leaves her lips. It's like Fallon's whole body went slack, she could fall to the ground right now and it would feel like she was landing on a cloud. Every time she would even walk past Robin, Fallon felt like her heart was going to explode out of her chest. After their interaction outside of the library, Robin hasn't made any eye contact with her. Not once. So, Fallon has had to try and do some...drastic things. Did Robin ever look at her? No. But that just meant that Fallon could look at the girl without her noticing.

Fallon pulls her brows together.

Now, you're being weird.

Her body tenses and she inhales a soft breath. "Gotta make a move...think, think..."

Without another thought, Fallon slowly approaches Robin. The Buckley girl's eyes were trained on the book in front of her. She was sitting at a table by herself, one of her knees was pulled towards her chest while the other leg was bouncing. Her mouth moved as her eyes skimmed the words on the page. Fallon looks at her heels and inhales a breath, she purposefully trips over one of her feet and stumbles forward. Her books fall to the ground and so does she. Fallon quietly curses and lifts her head up. Her eyes meet icy bright blue eyes and Fallon's heart skips a beat.

"Uh--hi."

A crease forms between Robin's brows, "Uh--hi...?"

Fallon lets out a sputter, "I am such a klutz."

"The falling made that obvious, Price."

Fallon's eyes light up, "You know who I am?"

A snort comes from Robin's nose. She looks at Fallon's face and Robin raises her brows; seeing the cluelessness across Fallon's face. "Y-You're joking, right?"

Fallon blinks, "If I say yes...will that win me points?"

"Points?" Robin cranes her neck forward. "Wh-what are you talking about?"

"Uh...I plead the fifth." Fallon grabs her notebook and stands back up. She sits in the spot in front of Robin and the girl tenses.

"And you're sitting down..."

"Yes, I am." Fallon sets her book down and folds her arms.

"You're the Queen Bee, Fallon." Robin states.

Fallon frowns, "Am I?"

Robin deadpans, "Don't be ignorant."

"I was just trying to be humble."

"You were being ignorant." Robin retorts.

"Okay, I was being ignorant." Fallon shrugs.

Robin squints her eyes, "Why are you talking to me?"

Fallon shrugs, "You seem cool." she shrugs. "And I've never had a chance to actually talk to--"

"You don't remember that we had a class together?"

Fallon stops and pulls her brows together, "I...do--"

"You are such a liar." Robin lets out a chuckle of disbelief.

"I mean--yeah..." Fallon nods her head. "Yeah, yeah I am. I'm sorry."

Robin shakes her head, "No worries. I didn't expect you to notice me anyway."

Fallon's chest tightens and her eyes shift to her fingernails. "I'm kind of a bitch, huh?"

"Kind of?" Robin raises her brows.

Fallon looks at Robin and the girl's eyes widen. Robin slaps a hand over her mouth. "I didn't mean to say that out loud."

Fallon lets out a soft breath of disbelief. "Well—"

"Price!"

Fallon stops her next words and rolls her eyes. "What?" She looks at Steve.

"Hey, hey, hey. Don't get all snappy with me." Steve waves a dismissive hand at her. "I have been here for an hour brainstorming while you've been here, talking to your friend."

"Oh, uh—"

"We're not friends," Robin says.

Fallon presses her lips together. "Acquaintances."

Steve slightly opens his mouth and slowly nods his head. "Right okay, well I'm sure you two and acquaint another time."

"Yeah, okay. Uh, it was nice talking to..." Fallon trails off her sentence, seeing Robin already walking towards the door, leaving the library.

Fallon drops her hand on the table with a thud. "...you."

Steve sits in front of Fallon, getting in her view. Fallon wrinkles her nose.

"Okay, lets do this thing, partner." Steve lightly taps Fallon's arm.

Fallon pulls away from him, "What are you doing?"

Steve shrugs, "I'm trying to get along."

"We don't have to have physical contact to get along, partner." Fallon squints her eyes.

Steve raises his brows, "Someone woke up on the wrong side of the bed this morning."

Fallon shakes her ear and lets out a scoff, "Okay, let's just get this over this, huh?" She opens her journal. "I'm shocked to ask this, because I think this might be a miracle for all of us, but; what ideas were brewing in that melon of yours?"

Steve deadpans, "They are good ideas."

"Well, I'm listening, partner." Fallon taps her right ear. She flips to a new page in her journal and presses her pen against the paper, waiting for Steve to speak.

"We buy a bunch of bunnies and let them roam around the house."

Fallon doesn't move her hand an inch. "Bunnies, huh?" She frowns. "Those are Gus' favorite animals."

"Right." Steve nods his head.

Fallon leans back in her seat, her finger on her chin. "And having them roam around the house could increase the petting zoo feel."

Steve's smile grows, "Exactly!"

Fallon claps her hands together, "Great! Let's do it!"

"Awesome!"

"Wait, except for one thing..." Fallon pulls her brows together and quietly hums.

"What? What is it?" Steve raises his brows.

"It's nothing huge, it's just—that's a stupid idea!" Fallon throws her pen at Steve.

The pen hits Steve in the chest and he deadpans. Fallon scratches her brow, "Steve, we're not going to buy a bunch of bunnies and let them run around Hopper's house."

"Why not?"

"Well, for one, it's Hopper," Fallon emphasizes.

Steve raises his brows, "Huh...I hadn't really thought of that."

"I know." Fallon sighs. "What's another one of your ideas—"

"No, no, no. I already said one of my ideas. You have to tell me one of yours now." Steve points at Fallon. "Equivalent exchange, Price."

"Get your finger out of my face, Steve." Fallon sighs.

Steve drops his hand to the table. Fallon flips to a page in her book and points at the words.

"A Twizzler tower."

Steve cranes his neck forward, "Uh, I'm sorry?"

Fallon shrugs, "We make a Tower made of Twizzlers."

"How are we gonna make that, Fal?" Steve throws his hands in the air.

"With Twizzlers—duh?" Fallon cranes her neck forward.

Steve rolls his eyes, "I meant, do you know how to make a tower out a Twizzlers? Because I don't."

Fallon presses her lips together, "Good point." She crosses the idea off. "Okay, you're next."

"Uh, we let off a bunch of fireworks at the house."

"Hopper lives in the middle of nowhere," Fallon states. "Woods. They are surrounded by woods."

Steve sighs and crosses out the idea.

Let's just say, this went on for 30 minutes until each idea was crossed off from their lists.

Fallon tosses her pen to the side. "This blows."

"How did none of my ideas catch your attention?" Steve scoffs.

"I could say the same too, Steve-O." Fallon shakes her head. "I've been writing these ideas down for months. And now they're just...scribbled out."

Someone clears their throat, catching Fallon and Steve's attention. The librarian was standing at their table with her arms folded. "We're closed."

Fallon looks around the library and noticed they were the last people there. "Already?"

"See? If you got here earlier and weren't acquaintancing with your friend over there—"

"She's not my friend and we all had a class together, y'know?" Fallon tilts her head.

Steve scrunches his face, thinking. "Really?"

The librarian clears her throat louder than before.

"Sorry, yes, we're going." Fallon grabs her purse and journal. She slips her pen into her purse and walks toward the door with Steve.

"I think we might be going about this all wrong." Fallon sighs. "Really? How so?"

"Well, for one. We came up with ideas from what Gus likes, but we pushed it to the extremes." Fallon explains.

"Yeah..." Steve slowly nods.

"Gus isn't into that kind of thing," Fallon says.

Steve pushes open the door and lets Fallon walk out of the library first. The boy raises her brows. "Gus isn't into big." He huffs. "She's not into Extravaganza."

Fallon rolls her eyes, "Okay, okay, I get it. I named my book 'Guster's Extravaganza' and she doesn't like extra. Very clever, Steve."

Steve chuckles as they walk down the sidewalk together. "So, Gus would like something small. Because that's Gus."

Fallon looks over at Steve, noticing him looking at the ground with the most starry expression she has ever seen across his face. "So, how is your mending friendship with Gus going?"

Steve quickly lifts his head up and looks at Fallon. His heartbeat immediately begins to quicken, thinking about the brunette. "Uh, I...what?"

Fallon presses her lips together, "What are your intentions with Gus?" she stops in front of Steve and crosses her arms over her chest. Steve lets out a chuckle. "My intentions? Who are you her dad?"

"Hey, you should be happy that I'm the one asking instead of Hopper." Fallon raises her shoulders.

"The chief is pretty scary." Steve admits. "Okay, fine I'll give in..." he inhales. "I intend to make amends with Gus. Be her friend again--"

"And what kind of friend would that be, Steve?" Fallon takes a step toward Steve.

Steve pulls his face back, "Uh...best frie--"

A buzzer-like sound comes from her Fallon's mouth. "Wrong! You can't be her best friend again, because I am her best friend, mister!"

Steve raises his brows and slowly nods his head. "Oh, okay, I see what's going on here..." he walks past Fallon. "...you're jealous."

Fallon rolls her eyes, "Are you kidding me?! We've discussed this already. You were her first, but guess what? I'm here now and I'm not going anywhere."

Steve and Fallon stand toe-to-toe with each other. They continue to glare at each other, both still despising each other.

"We'll see about that, Price." Steve continues down the sidewalk.

Fallon looks at the sky and shakes her head. She places her hands on her hips, waiting for Steve to notice. Steve got to the corner of the sidewalk before he stopped. He closes his eyes and exhales sharply, regretting everything he did.

Steve turns around and walks back over to the smirking teenager. Fallon runs her tongue over her teeth, "What made you come back, Steve-O?"

Fallon slightly opens her mouth, "Could it be the fact that I drove you here?" she holds her keys up and gasps dramatically. "Is that it?"

"You know what? I'll walk." Steve turns on his heel.

Fallon chuckles, "You already walked back over here--might as well make it worth your while, asshat."

Steve turns back to Fallon, "I may be an asshat, but least I'm not an ass...shoe."

Fallon raises her brows, "Ass...shoe?"

Steve stands there, blinking. "Uh--yeah." he shrugs. He didn't know what he was saying, but he didn't want Fallon to know that. So, the boy stuck with what he said. Steve folds his arms, "You are an ass shoe."

"Oh...okay." Fallon shrugs. "Well, this ass shoe is willing to drive you back home. Is that okay with you?" she rounds her red convertible and leans against it, staring at him.

Steve looks at the ground and kicks a pebble, causing Fallon to chuckle.

"Yeah, yeah that's fine." Steve opens the door and gets into the car.

Fallon shakes her head and laughs, "You know what...I see why girls like you, Steve-O." she starts the car.

"Well, I am pretty good--"

"You're easy to push around."

Steve's mouth hangs open. "What?! No, I'm--"

"Kidding..."

Steve squints his eyes and Fallon shrugs her right shoulder, a smug smirk forming on her lips.

"...not really though." Fallon speeds down the street with Steve crossing his arms and pouting.

☆

Fallon and Steve have been avoiding Gus. And the brunette knew it. She wasn't going to act out and shout at them. The brunette was a different person now. She was calm and rational. And she was going to talk to them in a very calm and rational manner. First up, Steve Harrington. Gus runs her tongue over her teeth and knocks on the door. She hears yelling and then scattering. The door swings open revealing the boy.

"Gus, hey!" Steve's eyes widen and his smile drops. "Gus...oh, what are you doing here?"

Gus grits her teeth, "Well, you were avoiding me, so showing up unannounced was the only way I could get you to see me." she tilts her head. "What's going on with you?"

Steve lets out a sputter and leans against the doorframe. "Nothing--nothing!" he shrugs. "I've just been...grounded."

"Grounded?" Gus slightly lowers her head. "By what parents?"

Steve's mouth hangs open and Gus folds her arms.

"And it hasn't been just you, y'know?" Gus slowly nods her head. "Everyone has been weird and everyone has been avoiding me."

"I can't fuck anything up by myself." Gus shrugs. "And if I do, I'm gonna get myself arrested. I'm too good for that now."

Steve laughs softly, "Gus, I'm sorry that no one is hanging out with you, but...we've been busy, y'know?"

"With what?" Gus raises her brows.

"Well for one, being grounded," Steve emphasizes. "Because that was true."

Gus inhales a breath, "I'm sorry, I said that about your parents."

Steve smirks, "It was funny." he says. "But, you wouldn't like it if I said that about your parents."

"Because mine are dead." Gus states. "But, I do see the point you were trying to make and I am trying to do better." she chews on the inside of her cheek. "I've been...meditating and I'm on the track team." she looks at the ground, waiting to hear the teasing.

Steve notices her mood change and he frowns. "That's awesome, Guster."

Gus raises her brows. "You don't sound shocked."

Steve shrugs, "It seems like you've had enough shocking reactions to that." he presses his lips into a small smile. "So, I'm your...chill as a cucumber reaction."

Gus smiles softly and her heart rate increases. "Uh, thanks, Steve..." she looks at her watch. "Speaking of cucumber, I've gotta dip."

Gus raises her brows and holds her hands out. Steve slowly shakes his head, "Mmm--not getting it. Sorry."

"Cucumbers? With ranch? You--"

"Dip cucumbers in ranch." Steve finishes while nodding his head. "Gus, I was only pulling your strings okay?" Steve speaks. "I always get your corny jokes."

Gus rolls her lips into her mouth. "You are...something else, Steve Harrington." she points at him. "Have fun with your...groundage." she turns on her heel and quickly walks away with her heart beating erratically.

Steve smiles softly at the brunette. His stomach churns and for some reason, he was left feeling giddy. Steve quietly laughs and closes the front door.

"Wow..."

Steve looks at Fallon, who was sitting at the kitchen table with notebooks of birthday ideas. "...you're relaxed with her." she squints her eyes.

Steve frowns, "Yeah, well, she's like my best friend so--"

"No, no, no." Fallon shakes her head. "I mean, one. She's my best friend and I'm hers. And two..." she purses her lower lip. "This is...something else." she stands up and walks over to the boy. Fallon folds her arms over her chest and searches his eyes.

Steve starts to grow uncomfortable having Fallon staring at him like he was someone being interrogated.

Fallon raises her brows, "Steve, do you like Gus?"

Steve blinks, he looks at Fallon and his eyes widen. "Are you out of your mind?"

"Uh--no. Well..." Fallon stops and thinks. "No, no. I'm in my mind and you are in your feelings--"

"I have a girlfriend." Steve states.

"Obviously--"

"And my parents love Nancy!" Steve raises his voice.

Fallon's brows quickly raise, "Why are you raising your voice?" she scoffs. "No need for rudeness, dick."

Steve slumps his shoulders. "My parents love Nancy," he repeats, almost like he was tired.

Fallon chews on the inside of her cheek. "Well, what about you? Do you love Nancy?"

Steve's jaw goes slack and his heart drops into his stomach. He's always had the thought in his head. I mean, the two have never actually said the words. But after everything they have been through, it had to go without saying. Steve and Nancy loved each other.

"Yeah..." Steve nods his head. "Of course, I love Nancy."

Fallon slightly opens her mouth, "I think I should go and leave you with your thoughts." she grabs her notebook and leather ruby red purse. "We can finish this later--"

"Fallon, I really don't want to be left with my thoughts--"

"Specifically, these thoughts, right?" Fallon turns to the boy.

"Well...yeah." Steve holds his hands out.

Fallon shrugs her shoulder and gives him a sympathetic smile. "Then, that just tells you that you've got some things to think about, Steve." she starts to walk toward the door.

"I don't understand--why do you even care?" Steve asks.

"Is that a joke?" Fallon chuckles. "I mean, I had and still have to do a lot of deep diving within myself. And I'm just trying to help you out, because you need to do the same thing, Steve. Whether it has to do with your love life or just...personality-wise. Do something and fix it."

"I don't want you dragging Nancy along if you don't like her and I don't want you messing with Gus' feelings anymore." Fallon tilts her head. "I'll see you later, dude. Fix this."

Fallon closes the door behind her and Steve was left with all of the girl's words--of course he was. But there were a few words she said that majorly stuck with him.

"I don't want you messing with Gus' feelings anymore."

"August...likes me?"

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author's note.

Fallon and Steve bickering like siblings is everything

Don't be afraid to comment! I love hearing what you guys have to say and I love hearing feedback if you have any!

Words : 4087