XXVII. is it casual now?

Nolan wondered how he always ended up in the middle of the younger kids' gossip, but there he was, spending the rest of his dreaded night listening to Max and El explain what happened between them and Mike and Lucas. The big brother in him felt the need to bound the two boys to a pulp while the other part of him knew that they were old enough to deal with the situation themselves, or, Max was.

He found himself missing Morgan and really needing her advice, but Nolan also didn't know what to ask because he didn't understand what he was feeling. He knew Steve was attracted to both girls and guys, and he also knew how strongly his feelings for him were, but Nolan also couldn't stop thinking about him holding hands with Robin. It was a reflex. It was only for a second. He didn't mean to. His mind kept telling him.

He was just overthinking it, right?

But as he sat in the Scoops Ahoy break room with Robin and Steve, feeling so incredibly awkward that it was like his skin was about to peel off his bones, Nolan couldn't help but think he wasn't.

After a while, Dustin came back into the room. "That keycard opens the door, but unfortunately, the Russian with the keycard also have a massive gun."

"Of course. What else is new?" Nolan grumbled and flicked the paper football he had made.

"Whatever's in this room, whatever's in those boxes, they really don't want anybody finding it."

"But there's gotta be a way in," Robin thought out loud.

Steve blew into his hat. "Well, you know. . . I could just take him out." He said toughly.

Nolan tried to hold back a snort. "In what, your sailor suit?" He said and slipped out a laugh.

Dustin and Robin chuckled. Steve casted him a glare. "Come on, I sneak up behind him, I knock him out, and I take his keycard. It's easy." He explained casually.

"Did you not hear the part about the massive gun?" Dustin questioned.

"Course not. His ego's blocking his ear drums."

Steve flicked him in the ear. "Yes, in fact, I heard." He said to the younger kid. "And that's why I would be sneaking."

"Ah." Dustin whispered sarcastically. "Well, please, tell me this, and be honest, have you ever actually. . . won a fight?"

Nolan accidentally giggled and Steve threw him another glare, making him stop.

"That was one time—"

"Twice. Jonathan. Year prior?"

Nolan raised his brows. "You got into a fight with Jonathan?" He asked his boyfriend.

"We're not talking about that right now." Steve replied in an instant.

"Why not?" Dustin kept on.

"Because it doesn't count."

"Why wouldn't it count? Because it looks like he beat the shit out of you? You got a fat lip, crooked nose, swollen eye, a lot of blood. . ."

"Wait, seriously, why'd Jonathan beat the shit out of you?" Nolan questioned, now invested in the story.

Steve shook his head. "Nope."

"Come on, tell me!"

Robin stood up in a flash and ran out of the break room. The three boys stopped their conversation. Steve and Nolan got up and walked to the open window, seeing her take the tip money out of the jar. "Robin," Steve said as she ran out from behind the counter. "Hey, Robin!"

The boys quickly ran out of the room. "Robin, what are you doing?" Nolan wondered.

"I need cash." She stated simply.

"Well, half of that's mine." Said Steve. "Where're you going?"

"To find us a way into that room, a safe way! And, in the meantime, sling ice cream, behave, and don't get beat up. I'll be back in a jiff. Bye, Nolan!"

"Bye!" He said and waved. He checked his watch. "Well, looks like it's my time to go."

"What? W-What do you mean? Where're you going?" Steve said rapidly and watched him walk through the little door.

"To work. It's my first day, remember?" Nolan reminded him and smiled. "You kids be good."

"Have fun!" Dustin told him with a toothless grin.

Steve quickly walked through the door. "Hey, Nols!" He called out and stopped him. They stood outside the shop and Steve looked to both sides of them. "Have a good day, okay?" He said in a whisper, his hands on his hips.

Nolan smiled faintly. He thought he was overthinking again. Steve liked him. He really liked him. They were together. He had to remember that. "I will." He whispered back. "I'll find a way to come back and check back in, alright?" He started walking backwards and he gave him a wink. "See ya, sailor boy."

Steve watched him leave and he sucked in a breath. Hiding his smile, he turned back around and saw Dustin standing there, smirking. "Shut up."

Nolan quickly found out that he liked working. Given it wasn't his first job. He worked at a record store for less than a year when he was a sophomore back in California and he loved it. He liked greeting people and getting to tell them what kind of music he preferred or what equipment is best for them debating on whaat sport they played. He was also charming, said by many of the people who came into All Stars that day.

"And here you go," Nolan said and put a bag of wrapped up softball cleats on the counter. He smiled at the girl in front of him. "Hope you have a good day."

She smiled back flirtatiously. "Thanks." She took the bag and stood there for a second, then she titled her head. "Umm, can I ask you a question?"

He nodded and put his hands on the counter. "Of course."

"Umm," the girl, her hair brown and her eyes green, leaned against the counter and she grinned again. "Are you single?"

At the question, Nolan chuckled and titled his head downward. "Uhh," he said through his laughter, his cheeks turning red, "no, I'm not. I'm, uh, in a relationship." He told her.

He watched her smile fall. "Oh, okay."

Nolan waved as she left and he laughed again.

Owen came out from the back room. "Nolan, go ahead and take your lunch break. You've done real good today. Got a look of good feedback."

"Thanks Owen," he said with a smile. "I really like working here. It's definitely on my element."

"Well, you fit right in, son." The man praised and patted his back. "Needed a fresh face around here. I love Clarke to death but he can get a lil lazy sometimes. Claims he's got a bad back." Owen rolled his eyes. "Wait till he gets my age."

Nolan chuckled.

He went down the escalator and stopped at the food court to get Chinese for his lunch. Nolan payed for his food and quickly went to Scoops. He spotted Steve and the others sitting at one of the booths. "Hey guys, what's—" he started to say but paused when he saw Erica sitting with them. "—going on?"

The other three widened their eyes and looked at each other. "Uhhh," Steve hesitated.

Nolan saw Robin holding what looked like a map. Then, he realized. "Oh, please tell me you're joking?" He pleaded.

"I really wish we were." Robin slipped out.

"Okay, Nolan, before you object—" said Dustin.

"Nope. No," Nolan interrupted and sat his bag of Chinese food on the table. "We're not involving Lucas's little sister in this shit. It's quite literally child endangerment!"

"Told ya." Erica chimed in, glaring at the others.

"Nols, we need her. She's the only one who can fit in the air ducts!" Steve stepped in.

He pulled a face. "Air ducts? What?" He questioned, completely clueless.

"Just. . ." The partner quipped and stood up, grabbing his arm and pulling him to sit down in the booth. Steve grabbed the map and put it in front of them. "Here, look. This is a blueprint of the entire mall. We found out a way to get to where we need to go to see what's in those boxes and the only way through is the air ducts. Unfortunately, none of us can fit."

"That's where these bozos include me," said Erica with her normal device smirk.

Steve narrowed his eyes in her direction. "Right."

"We've already gone over all of the regulations. It's completely safe," Robin assured. ". . .well, kind of, but all of us will be listening in."

There was a silence, Erica slurping her ice cream, and all eyes were on him. "Sooo, what do you think?" Steve asked him, hope in his eyes.

Nolan usually always held his ground and stood by his opinions. He didn't want any of the kids getting involved with what they were doing and he sure as hell didn't want somebody much younger than all of them to get involved. But he knew what was at stake. They were in danger. Everybody was.

Nolan sighed and took out his box of Chinese food. "Alright. Keep talking. And quickly, I gotta get back to work."

That night after Nolan's shift ended and the mall closed for the night, he stood in the Scoops break room with the others and put the bicycle helmet on her head, Dustin taking the liberty of taping two flashlights to either side of the protective wear. He fastened the bottom. "Alright, you're good." He said and patted the top.

"Okay, remember Erica. Wait till we get to the roof and give you the green light." Robin reminded her.

"Yeah, yeah, obviously." Erica responded sarcastically.

Nolan half way rolled his eyes and put his hand on Dustin's back. "Let's go." He muttered and led them out of the break room.

As they walked through the empty and dark mall, Steve quickly caught up to him. He watched Dustin and Robin walk ahead of them. "Y'know, I had a dream about this the other day." He said to his partner.

Nolan released a laugh. "Of what? Trying to stop evil Russians using an eleven year old girl?"

Steve rolled his eyes. "No." He began walking backwards, smiling. "You and me walking around the mall all alone, full access to anything we want to do. It was a pretty good dream." His smile turned soft.

The corners of his mouth turned up. Nolan glanced at his shoes, grinning. "I wish that could be the case. Unfortunately, the world's ending."

"It's not ending," Steve scoffed. "It's just. . .in danger."

"Wow, way to make the situation better, Stevie." The red head said sarcastically and chuckled.

"Oh, shut up." The laughed and Steve stood beside him again. He realized something the further they walked. "I didn't ask you. How was your first day?"

"Oh, it was great," Nolan answered instantly with a growing smile. "I love it. Y'know, besides everybody asking me if I'm single or not—"

"What?" Steve interrupted, quickly looking his way. "W-What did you tell them?"

His defensiveness made him grin. "Told them I'm in a relationship." Nolan responded cheekily. "One girl even asked what her name is."

He watched Steve's face fall at that. "What name did you say?" He wondered, thinking the worse. Almost every girl in Hawkins had a thing for Nolan. How could they not? He was equally sweet as he was good looking. What name would he say? Steve asked himself as his eyebrows pinched together. His inner monologue took over his feelings. He didn't like to feel jealous. What did he have to be jealous of? Nolan was his and they both made it very clear how they felt about each other.

But their relationship was also a secret. A secret that had been Steve's idea. But it wasn't like he had a choice. Steve understood the way the world worked. He knew what people would say if they knew the two of them were together. He knew because he was once that guy. He didn't want to be that guy anymore and Nolan made him realize that. Nolan had to understand why he didn't want people to know.

Nolan made sure Robin wasn't looking before he smirked and leaned close to his ear. "I said Stevie," he whispered and quickly left his side.

Steve froze and his eyes grew wide. He heard the red head's laughter as he went to catch up with the others and his cheeks went red.

Finally reaching the roof, Nolan and the others raced to the edge of the roof and Robin held up the walkie talkie. "Erica, do you copy?" She voiced.

There was static. "Mmhm, I copy," Erica's voice came through. "You nerds in position what?"

Nolan pulled a face. "I'm not a nerd." He mumbled.

"Yeah, we're in position." Robin answered her. "It's all quiet here, so you've got the green light."

"Green light, roger that. Commence Operation Child Endangerment."

The others rolled their eyes. "Can we maybe not call it that?"

"See you on the other side nerds."

"This is a horrible idea," Nolan voiced while shaking his head.

"Do you have any other ideas swirling in that head of yours?" Dustin questioned hastily.

"No, but I know if I did, they would be better than this."

"Okay, just relax. This'll work." Steve commented, nudging his shoulder against Nolan's.

"Yeah, and then what? You guys give her a lifetime's supply of ice cream and she tells her parents that we forced her to stuff herself into an air vent so we can stop Russians from taking over Hawkins?" Nolan rambled at a fast pace.

"Do you always think the worst of things?" Robin asked him, leaning forward.

"Recently? Yes."

"All right nerds, I'm there." Erica said into the device again.

"Do you–Do you see anything?" Robin asked while keeping her voice quiet.

"Yeah, I see those boring boxes you're so excited about."

"Any guards?"

"Negative."

Nolan's ears perked at that.

"Booby traps?"

"If I could see them, they'd be pretty shit traps, wouldn't they?"

Her sarcasm made his eyes widen. "Jesus, she really is just like Lucas."

"You have no idea." Dustin stated while peering through the binoculars.

"Thank you for that," Robin matched her sarcasm.

Once she said that she was in the room, Steve exhaled. "Oh god." He ran his hands through his hair.

"Relax, Stevie." Nolan mocked him and nudged his shoulder again, smiling.

The four of them watched the doors open below and Erica walked out. "Free ice cream for life!" She yelled.

"Was I right? No need to answer. I knew I would be." Steve directed with a cocky smirk.

Nolan rolled his eyes. "Oh brother."