Chapter Text
Robin hated working Wednesdays at Family Video the most. Wednesdays were slow and came with very few people. The only entertainment that could be offered was the horrible music that played throughout the store and clicking through customer profiles on the computer. Wednesdays were mundane and lacked excitement, and Robin craved excitement.
"Do you think we could close early?" Robin asked, clicking through the profiles under the letter 'L.' "No one has come in."
Steve hummed, flipping through the magazine he was reading. "Keith would fire us," he stated, voice void of emotion. Robin figured that he was just as bored as her. "Plus, we both need this job."
Robin grunted. "Lame. Did you finish rewinding the tapes?"
"Yeah," he said. "Did you finish inventory?"
She paused, clicking on a random profile, scrolling through the stranger's last rentals. "Mhm," she said. "Finished it over an hour ago."
"God, I hate this fucking job," Steve groaned, tossing his magazine on the counter.
"Mhm, probably just as much as this man hates his life," Robin frowned. "This guy rented Ordinary People five different times in the past few weeks."
Steve moved, leaning on the counter next to Robin. "Some people just like sad movies. Eddie rented Rocky Horror like twenty times."
Robin gave him a look. "Rocky Horror isn't sad. It's gay."
Steve grinned. "I mean, look at you. You're sad and gay. You could say Rocky was sad and gay too."
"Go back to being a straight, heteronormative man. Right now, Harrington," Robin said, scrunching her nose up at him.
The boy snorted. "Can't do that, Robs. That would mean I wouldn't be able to kiss Eddie."
Robin rolled her eyes. "You already don't kiss him because you're chicken shit and won't ask him out," she said. "And don't you say one word about me and Nance."
Steve pouted at her, running his hand through his hair. "I'm working on it. Slow and steady, you know? I must use the good ol' Harrington Charm on him."
Robin snorted. The last thing Steve needed to use on Eddie was his charm. She had to constantly listen to Eddie go on and on about how pretty Steve was and how much he was down bad for her best friend. It was disgusting in a cute way, but Robin did not want to be stuck in the middle of two idiots mutually pining after each other.
"Whatever you say, dingus," she said, clicking out of the profile. "Want to go get dinner after we close?"
"Sorry, Robs," Steve said. "My mom's home and wants to have dinner with me. I need to make sure she doesn't burn the house down. I might need to call Enzo's and get a reservation."
There wasn't much that Robin knew about Steve's family. He kept his lips tightly closed on anything to do with his private life, and Robin wasn't going to pry into something Steve wasn't comfortable talking about. He had mentioned his father being an asshole and his mother being a respectable woman, and that was all she had known—but now she knew that Steve's mom apparently couldn't cook.
"Why don't you cook for her?" Robin suggested.
Steve snorted. "If I even tried to cook something, she'd probably hit me with a wooden spoon and tell me to sit my ass down. She likes trying to take care of me, even if she's shit at it."
Robin nodded, trying to understand. Her family life was drastically different than Steve's—she knew that. Steve's parents were rarely home, and she only knew that bit of information because half of her time was spent at his house. "It's good she's trying," she decided on.
"Yeah," he said, looking toward the entrance.
Robin watched as he straightened, a confused expression falling over Steve's face. "Dingus?"
Steve looked over to her, opening his mouth and then closing it. "Speaking of my mother," he coughed awkwardly, nodding toward the door.
Robin moved her gaze to the door, jaw dropping slightly at the woman who had just stepped out of her car. "That's your mother?" she hissed, clearly surprised. "She's hot!"
"Rob!" Steve exclaimed, embarrassed. "Not cool, dude."
The store bell rang, and the woman broke out into a smile. "Steph!" she exclaimed.
Robin blinked. Steph?
She turned to look at Steve, who was rubbing the back of his neck. "Hey, Mama."
"You look dashing, darling," the woman beamed. "Though the mustache is a bit of a failure, don't you think?"
Robin snorted, covering her mouth. Steve's mustache was a bit of a failure.
"Ma!" Steve exclaimed before shooting Robin a glare.
Steve's mother turned to look at Robin, and if possible, her smile grew. "You must be Robin!" she said. "Steve's told me all about you! You're even more beautiful than I could imagine!"
Robin blushed. "O-Oh, thank you, Mrs. Harrington."
"None of that now, dear. You can call me Tony."
"Tony?" Robin asked.
"My name's a mouthful. Antonia Collette Harrington," the woman said. "I'm glad Steph's name isn't a mouthful. It's simple, and my hand never cramped when filling out paperwork!"
Robin didn't know how to reply. She was a bit in shock. The image she had created of Steve's mother had vanished. She had expected a woman who was tall, demanding, and maybe a bit cold. This woman was warm in the same way Steve was, and Robin could tell where Steve got his scatterbrained nature from. If Steve was a clone of anyone, it was his mother.
"Ma, I thought I was going to meet you back at the house," Steve cut in, a small smile on his face.
"Oh, yes, that's right! I did come here for a reason. Though, it is quite rude that you think I wouldn't just come to see my darling prince! It's been months since I last saw you, so sue me for missing you, my god!" Tony huffed, giving Steve a teasing smile.
"Sorry," Steve chuckled.
Robin was just staring at them now. It had been less than five minutes since Tony walked into the store, and Robin's head was spinning. There was already a lot to unpack about Steve's relationship with his mother—nothing bad, but just interesting. Robin was a bit flabbergasted that Steve's mother called him a "darling prince," more than anything else.
"Now, I was checking the mail, because you know I've been waiting for my lawyer to send me the finalized papers on me and Dick's divorce," Tony said. "They didn't come in, which is a shame, because you and I both know I want to get rid of that stupid man as fast as I can. That's not the point, however," she waved her hand. "The point is that Cousin Leo sent us an invite to his wedding! Can you believe the nerve?"
Steve scoffed. "He has some nerve."
Robin was lost. She was oh so very lost. She was also even more surprised because Steve was gossiping. With his mother.
"I know!" Tony exclaimed, throwing her hands up, causing her bracelets to clink together. "He shows up to Uncle Giuseppe's funeral, acting as if he was entitled to his fortune after knocking up that poor Bianchi girl—she was going places before Leo came knocking, I'm telling you, Steph."
Steve nodded. "Her name was Gemma, right? The one who was trying to move to Venice to start up the wine business?"
"That's right! Gemma. Oh, that's such a lovely name. But no, she originally was going to Venice, but she changed her mind. She found she had a real talent for cooking, so she was going to open a small diner instead and use her own wine. She figured she'd make more money that way. She would have, too."
"Leo came along, though. Is he at least a good father?" Steve asked.
Tony scoffed, her nails tapping against the counter in annoyance. "Like hell he is. Aunt Bianca was telling me that she heard from Cousin Giovanni—my mother's side, not my father's—that Leo has been screwing around with other women while Gemma is left with their son. It's tragic, really, but Bianca's making sure the poor girl is being taken care of. Hopefully, I can drop in when I'm not working, maybe try and get her out of that god-awful relationship."
"That'd be a good idea. How old is Gemma's son?"
"I'd say he's about three or four," Tony mumbled. "È solo un bambino."
"Do you have Aunt Bianca's address? I should send her a letter and see what size Gemma's son is. I could knit him a sweater," Steve offered.
Robin blinked.
She had just learned several things. 1) Steve had a lot of family, and that was just on his mother's side. 2) Steve and his mother did not like Cousin Leo. 3) Steve's mom speaks Italian. 4) Steve is Italian! 5) Steve can knit.
"You can knit?" Robin blurted.
Both Steve and Tony looked at her, and Robin felt her face heat up in embarrassment. "Sorry! Didn't mean to interrupt."
Steve shook his head. "It's fine, Rob." He gave her a reassuring smile before continuing, "I learned to knit when I was five? My Nonna taught me how. I was horrible."
Tony leaned over and pinched his cheek. "But you're amazing now, and that's what matters! You should knit Robin a sweater! Oh, you would look darling in a forest green sweater. Don't you think she'd look beautiful in green, Steph?"
Robin felt suddenly scrutinized as both Harringtons looked her up and down.
"Green would suit her," Steve nodded.
Tony grinned. "Ah, then it seems you have a new project to work on, cucciolo."
"Stop calling me that," Steve huffed.
Robin filed the word away—cucciolo—right next to everything else she was learning tonight. She bit back a small laugh as Tony laughed at her son's embarrassment. Robin watched as the woman looked at her watch and huffed. "Oh dear, I should head out! I forgot I was going to stop by and see an old friend before I go home and cook."
Steve groaned. "Don't tell me you're going to see James."
Tony cleared her throat, straightening her posture and smoothing her dress. "And if I am?"
"Don't invite him to Vegas," Steve sighed.
"Please," Tony sighed. "I have more class than that. But you know what they say about mechanics and their hands."
Steve cringed and visibly gagged. "Go. Please. I don't want to hear another word out of your mouth."
Tony threw her head back and laughed, waving her hand as she left the store.
"So…" Robin started. "Nice mom you have there, Steph."
Steve shot her a glare. "Ask your questions."
"You're Italian?"
"Thought you already made that out," Steve grinned.
Robin rolled her eyes. "Steph? Why does she call you Steph?"
"My full name is Stefano," Steve answered. "She hates calling me Steve, so she calls me Steph."
"And cucciolo?" Robin asked, grinning. "Your mom calls you puppy?"
Steve's face turned red, and he grabbed his magazine, hitting Robin in the arm. "Shut up, Buckley."