Work Text:
Valentine walked into the video store, looking as stunning as ever. Robin had just finished restocking the stupidly cheesy, overly-expensive Romantic Comedies the shop had to offer, so Valentine's presences was almost on cue, saving Robin from the idiotic adventures of work. Valentine had on her best look yet. Well, in Robin's eyes. A cream-colored dress with light pink flowers embroidered on the sleeves. A goddess, she was, but Robin wouldn't publicly admit that.
"Got any recommendations?" Val asked, dangerously close to Robin's face. Robin jumped slightly, not even noticing Valentine approach the counter, distracted by her homosexual daze. "I- Uh-," She stuttered. When Valentine giggled, Robin mentally kicked herself for the lack of response. "Well," Robin started, correctly this time. "I just restocked. I know you like those stupid 70s Rom-Coms, so I made sure we brought in a ton." Robin tilted her head, nodding over to the once empty shelf.
Robin walked over to the end of the counter, opening the wooden entrance, leaving the booth. She headed for the shelf, destined to recommend the first movie she saw, as she knew nothing about the particular ones on that shelf. Sure, she's seen some good films in her lifetime, but nothing like the ones Valentine watches. "How about…" She trailed off, running her index finger over the paper-like print of the neatly stacked VHS tapes. "Ah, this one!" She yelled out, picking up the film carefully. She pulled it out and held it up for Valentine to see it. Val moved closer, unable to see the title in the blinding white light that carefully lit up the bright colored store. 'Grease' was the film. It was a random, but intelligent pick, as it contained everything Valentine liked; A stupid, cliche highschool romance story, drama, and greatly-preformed musical numbers. "Holy shit, you guys have 'Grease' for sale?!" Valentine screamed out, snatching the film from Robin's hands.
Robin rubbed her palm on the back of her neck. "Uh, yeah! You've seen it?" She asked curiously. "Seen it? This is the greatest fucking film I have ever watched!" She exclaimed back. Valentine grabbed Robin's wrist swiftly, dragging her behind the counter. Robin's teen girl hormones are now officially off the chain. She's being held by a beautiful, excited girl, who's dragging her to an empty, secluded place, as Steve took the day off today.
Valentine bursts into the backroom, the smell of burnt out, stressed employees filled the air. "Alright, where's the VHS player? You guys have to have one 'round here somewhere!" Valentine question, out of breath from frantically running around the small room in search of their hidden player. She finally finds it, hidden out of the couch, the smell of mold and mildew disgustingly hitting her nose before the anticipated discovery. Valentine struggles to pull the VHS player from underneath the couch, the dirt and dust from underneath the lounge creating a build-up, preventing her from making any progress. Robin chuckles, heading over to the frustrated girl. "You gotta lift up the couch first, Dingus." Robin laughed, picking up the couch with both hands. Valentine rolls her eyes, shifting around the dirt crowding around the device, picking it up. The VHS player was extremely heavy, making it hard for Valentine to get used to the weight. When she finally got it over to the T.V stand, she dropped it on the wood furniture, huffing like she was just told to carry gallons upon gallons of water up Mount Everest. Robin ran over to the girl once more, determined to help her with the set-up. It wasn't easy. Turning on the T.V, I mean. The old, dusty Sony was low quality, sounded like a doll with low battery when tuned up, and was as dusty as a century-old antique.
It took a few twists and turns of screws, a few not-so-gentle hits to the television, and some praying for good measure, but it finally worked. The movie was on, and Valentine was attentive, sprinting to the creaky couch excitedly. Robin filled suit, actually looking forward to seeing this shit for once. Turns out, the last hopeless romantic sucker forgot to rewind the tape from the beginning before selling it off to the store. The movie began at a scene where Sandy, the main character, sung a song about her devotion to the slicked hair sucker of a love interest, Danny, or at least that's what Robin was told by Catrina, another employee, a few weeks ago on a slow business day. "God damnit," Robin exclaims, half annoyed, half intrigued. "Doesn't anyone around here know about rewinding etiquette?!" She screams, getting up out of her seat, ready to take out that stupid tape, only to spend twenty minutes struggling with it before Valentine walks out, unimpressed. "Wait!" Valentine exclaims, grabbing Robin's wrist again, pulling her down to the couch again, Robin's behind hitting it with a loud creak. "This is my favorite part." She whispers, not looking at Robin the entire time. She was right; for a cheesy romance, this was a good song. Olivia Newton-John gave it her all with this role.
"But, now
There's nowhere to hide
Since you pushed my love aside
I'm out of my head
Hopelessly devoted to you"
Valentine. The song reminded Robin of Valentine. Cheesy as this sounds, it basically spoke to her. Like how stereotypical magazines targeted at young, unsuspected teenage girls speak to them like they do. Robin's fucked up brain gets the idea to try to ruin it all. By slowly scooting her hand closer to Valentine's, that is. As the woman in the movie completed her beautiful melody, Her and her friend's fingers were nearly touching. Fortunately, Valentine didn't notice, as she was staring at the Sony's screen like a kid locked inside a candy store. No. She couldn't. She can't ruin it all. She's come this far in the friendship, and if she tries something like this, it'll be the Brenda Macento situation all over again. Robin removes her hand in defeat, looking up at the T.V again, trying to divert her attention to something other than her pathetic crush on a probably-straight girl. Suddenly, the front counter's bell rings. Fucking Harrington, always ruining her damn plans.
Valentine notices, too, looking at Robin with concern, as the customer -- Harrington -- is basically banging on the small bell. "You should... probably go get that, Buckley." She chuckles, turning around to face the T.V once more. "But-" Robin starts, but is immediately interrupted by Valentine's shooing hand. "I'll be fine, Rob. Go and get on." She chuckles back. Rob. The stupid (stupidly cute, but Robin would never admit that) nickname Valentine gave her. She used it all the time, even in serious situations. It amused Robin, if you call being red-faced everytime it was used by Valentine amusement.
The somewhat intimate moment went as fast as it came, Robin scoffing and rolling her eyes as soon as she opened the employee room entrance. "Harrington." Robin signs as soon as she sees that stupid brown-haired swoop on the top of his head. She knew it had to be him! "Buckley." He nonchalantly said back, smirking slightly. He had another woman on his hip. Of course. She had long, flowing, dark brown hair, dark freckles, and life full green eyes. "Let me guess…" Robin started, still sighing. "Gonna 'Watch, Fuck, and Dash' again?" She joked. The girl, looking slightly offended, looked up at the fool, Steve. "I-" Is all Steve got to say before she grabbed her purse, sat up on the newly-repainted white counter and dramatically ran out the door, slamming it behind her, all the sound it made was a slight jingle of a bell, and a bit of wind that created slight impact on the glass door when the woman left.
Robin began laughing her ass off, Steve burning daggering into her now teary eyes. "What the fuck was that for?!" He whisper-yelled. Robin, wiping sincere tears from her eyes, catching her breath in the process, speaks. "But it's true!" She nearly screamed out. Steve sighed, annoyed. "You literally just ruined my one chance of…" He started, realizing that what he was going to say would just prove her point. Robin began laughing even louder at that moment.
Suddenly, Valentine came out of the employee room looking concerned. "Robin? You good? It's been fifteen minutes since you left, and it usually takes you five to get a customer up and out…" Valentine asked. She stopped in her tracks as soon as she saw Steve, looking like she nearly shit her pants. She knew that Steve wouldn't let them live this down, no matter the correct context.
At that moment, Steve smirked, gathering the best jabs he probably practiced in the mirror just for this moment. This is gonna be a long day...