[How quickly MJ figures out the truth about Hawkins is directly proportional to his involved Steve is in the upcoming challenges. She's figuring it out regardless, but given how close she's become to Steve and even to Robin, she's much more likely to be in tune to when they're lying or hiding something (especially Robin), or if they get hurt or go missing. And while she might find herself wishing that Steve would have told her willingly of his own accord, she'd understand why he'd want to keep something like that under wraps.
Even if she'd desperately want to be there for him in whatever way she can.
In the back of her mind, she's always going to assume that Nancy can have Steve back whenever she wants him. It might leave him feeling conflicted, but MJ knows his feelings for Nancy aren't ever going away if they haven't yet, and if Nancy ever realizes that her weird thing with the Buyers guy is doomed for failure, there's a good chance she'll rebound and Steve is literally right there.
So if anything, she's approaching this cautiously, as though giving both Steve and Nancy time to figure out what they really want so MJ isn't left getting invested in something that will never work out. But then, since most relationships end in a breakup, she stands a good chance of that anyway.
Nancy isn't on the forefront of her mind right now, though, nor is the potential for breaking up or being heartbroken or any of those things. Steve hasn't stopped looking at her like that. She can't remember ever really seeing anyone look at her like that. And yet somehow, she knows what it means. She just needs to figure out what to do about it.]
Hilarious.
[The word comes out just a little too softly to sound as dry as she probably intends it to, but for once, MJ's not thinking about using sarcasm to keep people at arm's length. If anything, she actually tugs lightly on Steve's hands, hoping that being on the ice will make it that much easier to pull him towards her. With the remaining distance closed, and with them being practically the same height, it wouldn't take much to brush her lips against his, or for him to brush his against hers, if he's traditional enough to want to believe that he's making the first move.
Or if she's reading the metaphorical room entirely wrong, he can also turn his head to avoid the "accidental" kiss, and hopefully save her the embarrassment of rejection.]
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Even if she'd desperately want to be there for him in whatever way she can.
In the back of her mind, she's always going to assume that Nancy can have Steve back whenever she wants him. It might leave him feeling conflicted, but MJ knows his feelings for Nancy aren't ever going away if they haven't yet, and if Nancy ever realizes that her weird thing with the Buyers guy is doomed for failure, there's a good chance she'll rebound and Steve is literally right there.
So if anything, she's approaching this cautiously, as though giving both Steve and Nancy time to figure out what they really want so MJ isn't left getting invested in something that will never work out. But then, since most relationships end in a breakup, she stands a good chance of that anyway.
Nancy isn't on the forefront of her mind right now, though, nor is the potential for breaking up or being heartbroken or any of those things. Steve hasn't stopped looking at her like that. She can't remember ever really seeing anyone look at her like that. And yet somehow, she knows what it means. She just needs to figure out what to do about it.]
Hilarious.
[The word comes out just a little too softly to sound as dry as she probably intends it to, but for once, MJ's not thinking about using sarcasm to keep people at arm's length. If anything, she actually tugs lightly on Steve's hands, hoping that being on the ice will make it that much easier to pull him towards her. With the remaining distance closed, and with them being practically the same height, it wouldn't take much to brush her lips against his, or for him to brush his against hers, if he's traditional enough to want to believe that he's making the first move.
Or if she's reading the metaphorical room entirely wrong, he can also turn his head to avoid the "accidental" kiss, and hopefully save her the embarrassment of rejection.]