#Valentine Day Fic Exchange

[spacebarbarianweird]

The Dragon Made of Threads

Synopsis: Astarion is making a gift for you.

Tags: fluff

Read on AO3

Masterlist

Headcanons

Astarion’s mind doesn’t let him rest. 

The reverie is supposed to be a blessing, the only way for the True People to remember their long lives. But his long life was nothing but misery until  very recently and he keeps being dragged into the darkness.

Oh, Astarion was so naive to believe it could have been over by killing his master and having the “rebirth” experience on the grave. 

His past haunts him.

“You are tired,” you touch his forehead as if trying to sense fever. “You need some rest.”

“My sweet, elves can survive without trance for a week. And I am undead. I am fine.”

“You don't look fine. You have dark circles and your eyelids are puffy again. You need to rest.”

“No, I don’t!” He tries to sound confident but instead his voice resembles a rebellious teenager.

You are right, of course. The elves can survive without reverie for a week, the same way non-elves can make it through one or two sleepless nights. Then, the body and mind collapse. 

But entering the reverie… Reliving tortures and humiliation… Feeling the same sense of misery and horror and hopelessness… No, he can’t do that. Not now. Not ever.

You are ready to sleep - it’s the first time in a month that you sleep in the room, not in the tent - the thick curtains protect Astarion from the merciless sun. 

“Please,” you yawn. “Meditate.”

“I will.”

“Don’t lie to me, please, I know when you are dishonest.”

Astarion grins. “Oh, my sweet, I am no liar. I am going to reverie once you fall asleep. I just like watching you when the dreams take over you.”

“Astarion, when you say the truth your eyes are wide open. When you smirk, you lie. Listen, maybe I can do something? Something to make you… think about something pleasant? It’s been a year! There are a lot of good memories to relive. Let’s just find a way to point your mind in the right direction!”

A year of good memories. Well, a little bit more. Four months of having a tadpole in his brain, experiencing freedom and sunlight, falling in love, learning how to feel again, and how to be alive. All these memories are precious, even the ones he is embarrassed about. For example, using you in his own favor. It doesn’t matter you’ve forgiven him - it still hurts.

Astarion sighs and lies beside you. Your arms immediately wrap around him. The familiar warmth is so tender that Astarion lets himself slip away into the reverie.

He is indeed tired.

He needs to rest.

But instead of grasping a good memory, a pleasant or at least bearable, his mind collapses into the abyss.

Chained to the wall. Bleeding. Hurting. He can’t scream anymore. It’s an old memory from when he was still hoping. He begs for mercy but no one listens. Hunger. Pain. Blood. Again, again. 

The master is whistling, carving the symbols on Astarion’s back with a silver dagger. The cursed metal feels like melted lava.

Astarion doesn’t need to sleep, neither does the vampire lord. 

This is your life, forever. You are doomed. No one will save you.

No! No! It’s not true! It will end! It will take two centuries, two long and miserable centuries, but it will come to an end! 

Astarion screams in the past until his throat burns.

“Astarion! Astarion!”

He feels the warm hands shaking his shoulders. He returns to reality like a drowned man from the dark waters, numb and restless.

You don’t say anything and he collapses into your arms, crying like a lost child.

“I can’t… I can’t… I need to rest… But I can’t…”

His back… His back is still bleeding, he can feel it, but your fingers caress the scars. It’s all over. It’s been more than a year. He will never return to those dungeons. No one will ever mutilate him again.

You let him go and pick up the travel sack in the corner. 

“I bought something at the potion merchant. I think it might help.”

“Please, I - I can… handle…”

You take out a bottle with a golden liquid. 

Angelic sleep potion.

The only way to make an elf experience regular sleep.

“No.”

“Astarion, what choice do you have? One more day like this and you won’t be able to walk on your own. You need it.”

“No! I am not drinking this! My mind keeps bringing me real nightmares and I have heard  all about the creepy dreams and nightmares the sleeping mind can weave!”

“But it won't be reality! Besides, when a non-elf is exhausted like you, they don’t see dreams.”

“But I won’t be able to escape it. With reverie at least I know it’s a memory!”

You sit beside Astarion and hug him. “Please. If you don’t want to do this for yourself, do this for me. I can’t see you suffering like this.”

Astarion sighs. “You are manipulative, you know?”

“Learned from a professional”.

Astarion adjusts himself back on the  bed and opens the bottle. The potion smells intoxicating. “But I do this only for you.”

“And I am grateful for your sacrifice.”

Astarion drains the bottle and before he manages to acknowledge anything, sleep takes him.

He sees visions and images. Places and people. Some are familiar, and some are not. His mind weaves the dreams out of emotions, memories, and experiences. 

Astarion dreams of a dragon.

It’s an ancient species of dragons, otherworldly. A majestic creature capable of carrying a dragon rider on its back.

Astarion rides this dragon above the Trackless Sea. There is nothing but the water and open blue skies.

And the sun.

It feels like cat fur on his skin, gentle and warm. 

Astarion wakes up still dizzy with the unrealness of what he saw. 

And he feels amazing.

His body is rested, and his mind is clear. The dream was so vivid that Astarion would believe he was once a dragon rider if he didn’t know about the weird fantasies of non-elven dreams.

He looks at you, sound asleep in the bed. His. You are his. And he is yours. What a sheer amount of luck made you meet each other? And how lucky he is you chose him.

It is still afternoon, hours before the sunset and he knows too well you won't wake up till evening.

Astarion needs to occupy himself with something. He gets up, stretches his arms, and then sees your traveling cape on the floor. 

“Such a messy little thing”, he chuckles. Astarion picks up the cape and notices a hole in the fabric.

Astarion takes his sewing kit from the traveling sack. He loves repairing things for you - complaining all the way, of course - but he never lets you sew yourself.

And then the idea comes to his mind.

Instead of black threads, he picks the red ones. It takes him a few attempts to understand how to do that but then the stitches come naturally from his fingers.

A dragon soaring in the skies. A divine creature from other planes. A beast that came to him in his dreams.

Astarion carefully embroiders the body of the dragon, then the wings and a stream of fire from its mouth.

He still has a lot of threads left and he starts embroidering the other dragon on the opposite side of the cape. 

Then he notices something has changed.

The curtain is wide open and the moonlight streams inside the room. You sit beside him, smiling at his work.

“Oh, sorry, my sweet. I’ve been carried away…”

“It’s all right. I like watching you sew. But it’s the first time I see you making something like this.”

“Do you like it?”

“Of course!” you touch the embroidered dragons. “So real! I didn’t know you could do such things!”

“I- I’ve seen them. In a dream.”

The tender fingers touch his curls. “You’ve rested, haven’t you?”

“Yes. I have,” Astarion hands you the cape. “If you want, I can add more. I just need more threads”.

You smile and kiss him. “Of course, I do. Thank you.”

--

Tag list

@tugoslovenka @marcynomercy @wintersire @vixstarria @not-so-lost-after-all @ashiro20 @theearthsfinalconfession @herstxrgirl @starlight-ipomoea @micropoe10 @astarion-imagine-archive @veillsar @elora-the-slutty-songstress @fayeriess @lumienyx @tallymonster @caitlincat-95 @tragedybunny @valeprati @lynnlovesthestars @marina-and-the-memes @waking-electric @ayselluna @connorsui @asterordinary @darkarchangel96 @locallegume @brainfullofhotsauce @coffeeanddonutscafe 

#astarion #baldur's gate 3 #bg3 #bg3 astarion #astarion bg3 #astarion romance #baldurs gate 3 #astarion x tav #astarion x reader #astarion angst #astarion drabble #astarion short fic #spacebarbarian fics #astarion fluff #astarion comfort #baldur's gate post game #Valentine Day Fic Exchange

[hakunahistata]

GIF by samwwise

It's About the Journey

Gen, 3.9K

“Do you ever miss it?” Crowley asked apropos of nothing, as per usual. Aziraphale hummed, preoccupied. “Flying,” Crowley spoke to the ceiling of the bookshop. The demon’s carefully casual tone sent gentle alarms ringing in Aziraphale’s ears, a delicate chime that whispered, this may be A Thing. He set down the pages and swiveled in his chair to give Crowley his full attention.

Or, two celestial beings talk about flying.

Written for the @goodomensafterdark Valentine's Day exchange!

#good omens fanfiction #good omens fanfic #ineffable husbands #good omens after dark #aziracrow #my fic #goad valentines day exchange

[sp0o0kylights]

“Oh god it’s covered in hearts.” Gareth says, staring horrified at the stage that’s been set up in the cafeteria. Grant and Jeff stand next to him, eyeing the abomination of glitter, paper, and tinsel that’s been shaped into pink and red hearts with a microphone standing proud in the middle.

Several of Hawkin’s jocks are standing to the side, talking amongst themselves, but worse is the crowd of students accumulating in front of the stage.

“You don’t think they’re gonna serenade us for Valentine's Day, do you?” Jeff asks in a similar tone of horror.

Grant makes a disgusted face at the very thought.

“It’s about time they gave me my own mic!” Eddie cackles, slamming his hands down on Gareth and Jeff’s shoulders for leverage, jumping up for a better look (Grant smartly ducked away before his friend can crawl all over him too), “I’ve only been going on about the capitalistic horrors of Valentine's Day since middle school!”

They groan in unison..

Eddie’s got a look on his face that says he’s about to vault up on stage and do this year's rant in style; Gareth will be damned if he lets Eddie get detention on a Hellfire campaign night.

“Eddie, no.” Gareth warns, as his best friend tries to worm his way past them.

“Eddie, yes.” He grins, bolting forward even as multiple hands reach out to yank him back.

“Whatever they’re doing we do not want to get in the middle!” Jeff hisses in his ear as Grant reaches for his middle (already once tricked by grabbing Eddie’s jacket, which he simply shrugged out of). Gareth does his part, holding firmly onto one of Eddie’s hands. Eddie bravely tries to stagger forward, despite the efforts of what looks like some kind of mutant tangle of human limbs.

“Come here microphone, my beloved!” He pants, comically reaching his arms out towards the stage, before Grant promptly stops fooling around and hefts him into the air.

“Nooo--the people need to hear me!” Eddie wails, thrashing.

Gareth rolls his eyes and spots three familiar faces in doing so. Freezes so abruptly that the arm he was holding onto slips out of his grip, allowing Eddie to deploy a tickle attack.

The result is Grant almost throwing him to the floor, with Jeff forced to let go or fall.

Free to cause chaos, Eddie throws his hands in the air, grinning widely.

“Is that…the freshman, up there?” Gareth asks before his best friend can crow victory.

“I’m sure there’s many freshmen up there, buddy.” Grant says with false sincerity as he regains his breath.

“No, not--I mean our freshmen! Henderson, Wheeler, and Sinclair!” He points, and sure enough, on the side of the crowd opposite the jocks, there stood Hellfire’s youngest with their heads put together.

“Now just what are they up to, I wonder?” Eddie ponders aloud, before shrugging his jacket back in place and strutting forward.

Trading uneasy looks with each other, his friends follow.

xXx

“The auction isn’t kicking off until 6 pm.” Henderson says, as he carefully counts the individual bills in his hand. “We know that besides the basketball team and the cheerleading team, they’ve got like, the Mayor involved, and the fire department, which means--”

“A lot of people are going to be there.” Mike interrupts, arms crossed over his arms. “That’s what it means, Dustin. What’s the point if every girl there is going to be bidding on him?”

“Were you even listening, Mike? I just said there’s a bunch of other people they’re auctioning off!”

Wheeler Jr. pulls a face that nearly makes Eddie laugh (and thus give up the fact he was slowly sneaking up on them) before the kid shoots back, “We have five dollars total Dustin. I don’t think that’s going to be enough.”

“Not to buy a whole person.” Eddie says, voice dropping to imitate the current big bad in their D&D campaign, “But five dollars is a fair price for a body part I’d say…”

He trails off with a cackle as the three freshmen startle away from him like spooked horses. “Now what--or who--are you buying?”

“They’re gonna explain it here in a minute,” Dustin says after he recovers, waving at the girls in front of the stage with a hand. “But there’s some big charity fundraiser happening tonight. Right now they’re voting one guy from the basketball team and one girl from the cheerleading squad to represent the school, but they’re auctioning off a bunch of people.” Dustin explains, holding up his fistful of dollars with a wild grin.

“If you’re the highest bidder, you get to spend the day with the person you bid on.” Lucas adds, because Dustin skipped right over that part. “Since it’s Valentine's Day themed, they’re referring to them as “winning a date”.

Well that explained all the giggling cheerleaders.

Eddie raises an eyebrow, “I’d ask if this is Sinclair’s bail money, but as my last two years remind me, it’s only for juniors and seniors. Not--” He playfully slings an arm around Lucas’s shoulders, “--for the darkside’s newest recruits.”

The uncomfortable look Lucas gives him is almost enough to make Eddie feel bad, but it’s not his fault Lucas was tempted by the evils of highschool sportsball. He figures the kid will come to his senses soon enough, and considering how awful the jocks are, it won’t be too long before Sinclair is 100% a Hellfire club member again.

“Which begs the question.” Eddie continues, slinging an arm over Mike’s shoulder as well. “What are you scheming? I’d ask if you’re buying me a date, but,'' He gives an over-dramatic sigh,” alas, no one can survive the charms of Eddie the Banished.”

“Charm is one word for it.” Jeff says, as the rest of Hellfire finally catches up. Gareth and Grant roll their eyes as Mike and Lucas chuckle weakly at Eddie’s exaggerated pout.

He drops his arms from his little lamb’s shoulders, taking a step back and looking around at the growing crowd.

“Hush Jeff. Let’s see if ol’ Eddie can guess who our brethren here have their eyes on. I wonder if…” He trails off, dragging out the last word as he does so before a bright, teasing smile lights up his face. “Aha! I see one Miss Cunningham. Are we bidding on her for Sir Gareth?”

A sputtering noise erupts behind him, as Eddie turns with glee to watch Gareth practically choke on soda he’d just taken a sip of, Grant thumping him on the back.

“Eddie.” Gareth hisses, and somehow it sounds like a warning even if his voice has a slight wheeze to it.

“What?” Eddie says, full of faux innocence. “We all know the lengths you’ve gone to get her attention recently.”

Gareth’s gone bright red, a testament to the fact that he’s been mooning over Chrissy Cunningham since the day she complimented one of his drawings.

His over-the-top moaning of how to woo her away from Jason is a prospect Eddie tolerates only because he himself has gone through great lengths to impress men that will never once look his way, let alone consider him as a romantic option.

(And also because Gareth, as Eddie’s best friend and confidant, was well aware of Eddie’s own crush on one Steve Harrington.

Apparently, Hellfire’s members were just cursed to fall for jocks.)

“They want to bet on Steve.” Mike says with an eye roll, apparently done with this entire charade.

For two seconds Eddie thinks that he’s somehow spoken the part about Steve aloud and that Mike is somehow echoing his deepest, innermost thoughts but is saved from panicking further by Dustin adding;

“We’re gonna make him play a campaign with us.”

The kid’s grin makes his eyes sparkle, which is completely at odds with the way Eddie’s stomach plummets.

“He played D&D with my sister, Eddie.” Lucas says, feigning a hurt look. “My kid sister, but not me?”

“Harrington played D&D?” Gareth’s voice implies he doesn’t believe it, and honestly? Had it not been for the freshmen, he wouldn’t have believed anything that was said about Harrington. He was on the verge of tears with laughter when they told him that the almighty King Steve was their chauffeur. They had to be lying about how often they hung out with Steve to begin with, right? Because there was just no way.

Except they weren’t. They really, really, weren’t.

It only took a handful of times of watching Steve pick them up from Hellfire, and then seeing the entire extended group (including Sinclair’s on-again-off-again girlfriend and Robin Buckley of all people) bouncing around Harrington like over excited puppies all over town.

The arcade. Downtown Hawkins. The local milkshake diner and the stupid movie theater.

Literally.

Everywhere.

“You guys are going to bid on Steve Harrington and make him play D&D.” Jeff clarifies, and Eddie doesn’t blame him for doing that either.

It’s the stupidest thing he’s heard all day, and he spent the last hour and a half listening to Mr. Rulf yawn on about parallelograms.

“Yeah! You guys wanna pitch in and help?”

“Absolutely not.” Eddie sneers. He can’t help himself--this is against everything he’s ever stood for.

Stupid thoughts of stupid Steve going on a stupid date with him, aside.

“Yeah guys, I think we’re gonna eat outside today. If you wanna listen to…whatever,” Jeff casts his eyes towards the cheerleader that’s bounding up the steps of the stage, ponytail bouncing, “ then go right ahead.”

“Oh we don’t need to listen to this.” Dustin dismisses the entire thing with a wave of his hand, making Mike roll his eyes again.

Somewhere in his campaign notes there’s a joke written about Wheeler Jr’s eyes getting stuck like that. Eddie hadn’t planned on bringing it out tonight, but a part of him really wants to.

Maybe if he can talk the freshman out of their idiotic idea, he’ll reward himself and do it tonight anyways.

….Or he could still steal that microphone.

xXx Steve xXx

Steve has no idea how he got talked into this.

Actually, that’s a lie, he knows how it started: a phone call, his mother, and a sudden way for her to be in the spotlight for her yearly fifteen minutes of Hawkins fame. He just can’t recall why he agreed to it.

“It's an opportunity, Steven." She says, heels clicking against the department store tile.

An embarrassment is what it was, but Steve knew better than to tell his mother that.

"You should be honored that Wendy--that’s the head chair of the charity board, you remember her don't you? She used to attend your piano recitals--she asked for you personally." His mother expertly plucked a shirt from the rack, holding it up to the light.

"Those were your parties mom, not my piano recitals." Steve reminds her as she holds the shirt out to him. He took it, adding it to the stack he had in his hands.

The parties were the exact same kind of shit this as this “Valentine's Day Fundraiser” a way for rich people to celebrate themselves by making others uncomfortable.

Only instead of being forced to play piano so his mothers friends could wine and dine with the famous Harrington's, he was being hauled up in front of the entire town (or whoever was attending this stupid event) and auctioned off as a “date” to the highest bidder.

(“It’s for one day, Steven, don’t be so dramatic. Why is your generation entirely incapable of taking a joke and having fun?” His mother had said, when he tried to tell her he wasn’t comfortable with the idea.

Of course there was no answer that would please her; soon enough, Steve found himself dragged about town as his mother played dress up.)

"You'll be standing alongside the Mayor, the fire department, even that idiot, Mary Marie--"

She stops for a moment, eyeing a jacket with a critical eye.

Just as quickly she dismisses it with a hum, prowling on to the next section.

"--the point is that there will be plenty of candidates for the children to pick from, but you’ll be the only hero up there."

That same critical eye turns on him, appraising him like he was no more than a horse in her stable, adding up imperfections and dividing amongst his best qualities.

(Despite a lifetime of training, it still takes everything in him not to squirm.)

"Not to mention a Harrington.” She purrs, taking a step closer to run a manicured hand down the front of his shirt, smoothing away a stray crease. “Women will be throwing money to win a day with you."

Steve has to fight not to outright shudder.

"Which means you have to look your best. Now stop whining, we’re almost done.”

Steve doubts that, but it doesn’t matter; he never had a choice to begin with.

xXx

Four hours, one shower, and several rounds of his mother’s nagging and meticulous styling, ,Steve finds himself back in Hawkin’s High, staring at the gym.

His mother had long swept past him, having spotted some high school friends and gone over to lord her lifestyle and general wealth over them.

For a fundraiser, the charity board in charge had spared no expense in dressing the gym up. Red, pink and white balloons decorated the doorways and a large stage hauled to one end.

Tables with thick, white table cloth are artfully arranged about the floor, caterers swiftly moving between them.

This is probably the fanciest this gym has ever looked, and Steve wants to be anywhere but inside it.

“Oh--Steve.” A gentle voice says next to him, and Steve turns his head in surprise to see Chrissy Cunningham look nervously up at him. “I didn’t know you’d be here.”

“Me neither honestly.” He tells her, watching the way that makes the younger woman smile. “But I’ve been volun-told to be auctioned off. What about yourself?”

Chrissy runs her hands down her dress, a modest if not beautiful blue halter dress , wincing as she snags a nail on it. “The school held a vote at lunch about who would represent the school tonight. All of the varsity cheerleaders and basketball players were involved.”

“I see.” Steve says, keeping his voice gentle and playful. There had always been a part of Chrissy that had reminded him of El. Someone who needed kind words in their life. “You got voted as tonight’s sacrifice, huh?”

Chrissy laughs at that, hand flying to cover her mouth. “I guess you could say that.” She says, and seems surprised at herself for it.

“Did Jason get picked too?” Steve asks. It would make sense if he was, the guy was the basketball Captain after all.

Chrissy nods, then chews on her lip. “Yes but--he’s not happy about it,”

Steve snorts and tries to cover it with a cough. “None of us are.”

“It’s more that I’m being auctioned off.”

Chrissy must catch the look on his face because she rushes to add; “You know, like any boyfriend would be! I know it’s just supposed to be a fun silly thing and they’re not really dates but…” She trails off, voice growing quieter at the end. “He worries.”

The word “worry” sounds like it means something else entirely.

Steve feels for her.

“Hey, if Jason’s an ass about it, let me know.” Steve says after a moment of shared silence. “You don’t deserve to deal with him being a kid about this shit.”

Chrissy blinks up at him at that, hand almost to her mouth as though she’d subconsciously raised them up to chew on her nails. “Thanks Steve. That’s nice of you.” She whispers it, and Steve nods and smiles at her.

“There you two are!” A woman says, rushing over with a clipboard. “Steve Harrington and Chrissy Cunningham, right? We’re gathering all the dates behind those doors.” She turns and points to the opposite end of the gym. “If you both would follow me please?”

Steve motions for Chrissy to go first, and moves to follow her when a flash of curls crushed down by a blur of white, blue and electric yellow catches his eye.

He turns automatically, seeking it out and sure enough, ducking down the hall is Henderson, Sinclair hot on his heels.

A familiar mixture of emotions lights up Steve’s spine, and he knows immediately he won’t be able to rest until he figures out what the gremlins are up to--because their Hellfire Club was supposedly canceled today on grounds that Munson had stolen a microphone, or some other crap.

“I’m really sorry, I’ll join you in a second!” Steve calls, before darting down the hall, after them.

#this is a gift fic #for the fruity four servers v day exchange #imma drop it in parts here but the whole things on my ao3 #Eddie purchases a date with steve #and GETS a date with Steve #steddie #found family #valentines day fic #dustin henderson #hellfire club #gareth emerson #lucas sinclair #erica sinclair #mike wheeler #who ABSOLUTELY wants to play with steve the big baby #bi panic #gay panic #all the panic #Eddie gets the full Harrington Experience #0o0 fanfics

[lilac-hecox]

So, @wispmotherr and I discussed doing a fun little gift exchange for Februrary/Valentine's Day and thus the Valentine's Exchange was born! (Really all thanks to @wispmotherr for creating the server and writing the rules. This would not be happening without her!)

I'll give you a little breakdown of the explanation/rules:

This event is 18+

The exchange is open to fics, art, edits, other fan created content

Sign-ups are now until January 7th. (Late sign-ups are fine but be mindful of the due date of February 18th)

The exchange will happen February 18th.

The exchange hub will be on Discord on a server created for the event.

As this is an event where you are making something for someone else secretly, we ask that if you do not think you can create something in the timeframe to please not sign-up as we do not want to have people not receive a gift.

Mainly, this is a way to have fun and spread some love to others in our Smoshblr community! I hope to see participants!

Huge, huge thank you to the always amazing @wiggog-y-hecox who made the graphics and rules video for this exchange!!

#ianthony #spommy #amangela #shian #shaymien #damangela #valentines gift exchange #smoshblr #smoshships #polysmosh #wispmotherr #wiggog-y-hecox #fic exchange #art exchange #valentine's day event #discord #fan event #secret cupid

[destielvalentinesexchange]

Destiel Valentine's Exchange

Ao3 Collection Sign up form

SCHEDULE: (All deadlines are 11:59PM UTC on the date specified. Guidelines for extensions are in RULES section.) 20 December - Sign-ups open 31 December - Sign-ups close 07 February - Works Due 13 February - Potential Pinch Hits and Extensions Due 14 February - Gifts Revealed

MINIMUMS: Fic must be 1,000 words minimum. Art must be a completed sketch

RULES:

1) YOU MUST BE 18 OR OLDER BY DECEMBER 20, 2023 TO PARTICIPATE. Anyone found breaking this rule will be banned from this exchange, all future iterations of it, and any other events that I run.

2) Be respectful of all other participants. If there are any issues, please contact me through the exchange Tumblr account and we will work together to solve it.

3) Respect Do Not Wants (DNWs) and use common sense – if someone requests fluff and doesn’t DNW torture, they probably still don’t want torture unless otherwise requested.

4) All other romantic/sexual ships are OPT-IN. Do not include background ships that have not been opted in. These should only be background relationships and creation must focus on Destiel. If you opt into a background ship, it is not a guarantee that your creator will include it.

5) All Archive Warnings are OPT-IN, no exceptions. Do not include Major Character Death, Rape/Non-con, Graphic Depictions of Violence, or Underage unless your recipient requests it. If you opt into an Archive Warning, it is not a guarantee that your creator will include it.

6) To request an extension, contact me on the exchange's Tumblr account through asks or DMs. Include your Ao3 handle and how long of an extension you need. You don't need to give a reason or explanation, just a heads-up so that I don't give your assignment to someone else.

7) If you for some reason cannot complete your work, hit the "Default" button next to your assignment in your Ao3 "Assignments" page. No reason or explanation is necessary, but please do this sooner rather than later if you are sure that you will not be able to complete your creation.

Send any questions through asks or messages on this account and I'll get back to you as soon as possible <3 Be sure to follow for updates and reminders if you're interested!

#destiel #destiel valentine's day exchange #destiel wedding #destiel fic #destiel art #destiel gift exchange

[mixsethaddams]

Reboosting for the day crowd!

I wrote three exchange fics for Valentines day and almost died when I lost two of them to a frozen computer on Monday 😸 BUT!!!! I’m so happy with them all and proud of the stories I told, and it makes my heart SAIL that the giftees enjoyed them too. So without further ado, my three Valentines exchange fics!

For the Omegaverse Valentines Day 2024 exchange:

Whose Worth’s Unknown

For the Steddie As She Goes Discord Exchange:

Steal the joy

And for the Twitter Steddie Valentines Day Exchange:

Snapback.

Five times Steve spends a Saturday night with Eddie while he's drunk, and one time he's completely sober.

#seth writes #steddie #stranger things #eddie munson #steve harrington #fic rec #eddie stranger things #steve stranger things #steve x eddie #steddie fic #my writing #valentines day exchanges #valentines day #omegaverse #modern au

[feral-teeth]

This bed is on fire with passionate love

(it’s the best thing that you’ve ever had, the best thing that you’ve ever, ever had) 

by Arrow Valentine (feral_tooth on archiveofourown.org) for Arthur @tommybones

Link to fic on ao3

Spotify playlist for this fic

Pinterest board for this fic

Summary: Spencer likes Courtney. A lot. But he also really likes Tommy.

Rating: Mature No Archive Warnings Apply Categories: M/M, Multi, Other Fandom: Smosh Relationship: Courtney Miller x Spencer Agnew x Tommy Bowe

Additional Tags: She/Her and They/Them Pronouns for Courtney Miller, Movie Night, Cuddling & Snuggling, Character Analysis, Neck Kissing, Sleepy Cuddles, Sleepy Kisses, Queer Character, Queer Themes, Nonbinary Character, Sexual Tension, Internalized Homophobia, Internal Conflict, Neurodiversity, Synesthesia, Kissing, Non-Sexual Intimacy, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Polyamory, RPF

Read under the line <3

Spencer likes Courtney. 

A lot. 

But he also really likes Tommy. 

And that shouldn’t be allowed. 

At least that’s what society tells him time and time again. 

Not exactly directly to his face. 

But anything around it just feels… taboo. 

Growing up, Spencer never really understood why people would only date and marry one person at a time, cause it seemed so boring. 

He loves the idea of holding two others hands, and can’t imagine himself next to only one face when he goes down the aisle. 

What he saw on TV as a kid was always only two people in a relationship. 

Starting with a man and a woman. 

Then later in his life, when people became more open to the ‘lifestyle’, it turned into two people with any gender. 

But it was still two people. 

Like pillars. 

standing side by side.

Totally equal. 

Equally balanced.

It feels unbalanced to Spencer though.

He enjoyed the idea of having more when it came to the people in his relationships.

He also had a crush on basically everyone he met. 

Or whoever was hot. 

So how could he choose? 

Why did he have to choose? 

It felt unfair to him.

So now when he’s lying in bed with his friends Tommy and Courtney, all of them wrapped up in each other's arms, he shouldn’t be feeling this way. 

He should only want one of them. 

One part of him feels like what he was doing was wrong. 

That he had to choose one person. To send one away to the other room and continue doing what they were doing without the other.

But another part of him knew what they were doing was so right.

Lying there, hugging, felt so electric. He felt the most alive he had ever felt in a long time. It was like there was a constant electric current running through him, electricity shooting through his body and out of his fingers.

--

Spencer has always been extremely close friends with both Courtney and Tommy from the beginning of his time at Smosh. 

When the three of them were together, it was like something clicked into place. 

Like three lego pieces that were meant to be together. 

Spencer has always been quiet around others. But not when Courtney and Tommy were around.

Courtney brings him out of his shell, and encourages him to be more open with others. And to be more confident with himself and his talents and strengths.

With Tommy however, Spencer becomes the loudest one in the room. Tommy just has that effect on him. But Tommy is always watching and listening with open ears, smiling at Spencer’s dumb rants and vulgar jokes. 

When Spencer became the director of the Smosh Games channel, it was Tommy and Courtney that he told first. They both immediately cheered, Courtney and Tommy squealing, squeezing him into a big bear hug as they spun him around in the air. 

Ever since that hug, being so close to the both of them, a spark grew in Spencer’s stomach.

And no matter how hard he tried to blow out the flame or stifle it, it just got brighter and louder.

No matter how hard he tried.

He had always been attracted to Courtney and Tommy respectively.

Courtney is so encouraging and personable with others, with an amazing style and personality to match. 

Tommy with his witty, quick and dark personality. He has a shyness to him that Spencer finds charming. Spencer would always make jokes to try and see that part of him for a split second. 

Courtney and Tommy were also both so hot.

It didn't help working with them and hanging out with them almost every week to stifle those thoughts.

Those thoughts of possibly. 

Those thoughts that maybe he was attracted to both of them? Starting to swarm. 

But then so did the guilt. 

And the shame that stabbed him in the back of his mind for wanting both of them when the world pushed for him to only choose one of them.

Sure, he’s had crushes on people at the same time. But there was never anyone who he wanted to step into something more with like Courtney and Tommy. 

They had also mostly been celebrities he had multiple crushes on at the same time, but he felt like that didn’t really count. 

Not really. 

But oh god did he want both of them. 

This type of cuddling feels different for Spencer. It felt like there was more tension in the air. 

It was also going on for a really, really long time. 

Before this, Spencer, Courtney and Tommy were all watching a movie on the couch. But they decided to move to the bed since it was starting to get dark outside and they wanted to be more comfortable. 

As soon as the movie was set up and they sat on the bed, they all immediately gravitated towards each other like magnets.

--

Spencer and Courtney were always close. Especially Courtney, with the way they would always be touching an arm or a leg when she would talk to him. 

But Tommy usually was more reserved with his hands in public. Keeping them close to his body when he was at the office. Looking over his shoulder before resting his palm on Spencer’s arm.

Feeling like he would get caught somehow if he was too handsy with him.

Maybe it’s the gay guilt embedded into his skin from the beginning. 

To not get too close to someone of the same gender in public. 

Just in case. 

Spencer was also a bit more reserved with touching others.

But he was happy to cop a feel at Tommy’s arm when the cast ever mentioned him working out. Enjoying the feeling of his strong muscles against his hand. 

Tommy was in fact, getting stronger. And Spencer noticed how strong Tommy was getting over the past couple of months.

Even if he was shy about it, Tommy was looking even better than before. So much more fit. And, to Spencer’s delight, and in his own words, so much more tastier than before. 

Tommy also had a boyfriend before, so he always felt off limits to Spencer. Like he was safe from his feelings developing into something more because it couldn't go anywhere. 

It felt safer to Spencer when Tommy and his boyfriend were in what Spencer knew was a monogamous relationship. 

But then Tommy and his boyfriend broke up. 

And when Spencer heard the news, his ears couldn’t help but perk up. 

He couldn’t stop his thoughts from swirling about how nice Tommy would look in his bed. 

--

After Tommy and his boyfriend broke up, Spencer immediately became the support system for Tommy.

Spencer told himself it wasn't just an excuse to get closer to him. 

But he couldn't erase his what if thoughts. 

Spencer especially couldn't erase the thoughts of Tommy’s lips. And what they must taste like.

Since Spencer hadn’t filled the role of supportive best friend for his crush during a breakup before, it was new to him. But he liked the feeling of being a shoulder to lean on when Tommy needed. 

He finally started allowing himself to get closer to Tommy. To feel his muscles, to flirt with him on and off camera whenever he could. It was worth it to get closer to the man that he craved so desperately. 

He played them off as jokes, but he always blushed after saying them. 

--

On the other hand, Spencer also got closer with Courtney when they came out to him as nonbinary. 

He already knew that Courtney was pansexual, so Spencer was immediately supportive.

Spencer was a part of the queer community, sure, but he also felt like he was on the outskirts of it. His interests and his wants for more in his relationships were placed outside of the social norm, even for the group of outcasts.  

No matter how far away Spencer felt from this so-called fully accepting community, He still knew how to support his friend and knew the lingo for what they were going through. 

He made sure to do more research, though, as he wanted to be more supportive to the best of his ability. 

He even drove Courtney to a gender therapist so that she could explore their gender identity and expression, and to talk more about the gender dysphoria they were dealing with. Spencer enjoyed helping Courtney out with anything she needed. He wanted to be as supportive as he could be for his other best friend. 

Tommy was also immediately supportive when Courtney came out as nonbinary.

Both Spencer and Tommy made sure to use their pronouns right away, and they even threw a small party when she came out to more people around the office and to their friends. 

They were already such a close-knit group. 

--

They were now lying on the bed, backs on the headboard, slipping down into a more comfortable position. Their eyes were glued forward to the TV as Jurassic Park was playing. 

It was probably the third time Spencer watched Jurassic Park this week. 

His response to any ridicule is that it was his comfort movie. 

Both Tommy and Courtney found that endearing and valid as they both dabbled in being neurodivergent, and both had their own respective shows and movies that were on repeat when they needed some kind of comfort in their life. So they never judged him.

Giant dinosaurs were taking up the entirety of the screen while the three comparatively tiny actors stood and gazed up at them in awe in their bisexual-coded outfits. 

“That’s us!” Courtney giggles into Spencer’s shoulder, pointing and mimicking the amazed look the characters held on their faces. Tommy and Spencer caught onto the bit right away, making the same face as each character on the screen and joking together about it.

Tommy laughs into his hand, falling into Spencer while they all have a giggling fit over the truth in her words.

It really was them.

After the fit of giggles fade, they all focus their attention back on the movie. They all felt a warm glowing ball of light that was growing in the pit of each of their stomachs. All three of their lights were mixing together, glowing brightly together, warming up the room and them in the process. 

For once, Spencer isn't paying attention while watching his favorite comfort movie. He couldn't stop thinking about the two stunning people who he called best friends that were in his arms.

It was like magic. It finally hits Spencer who he's with and the situation they're all in, wrapped up in each other's arms in bed. 

Spencer finally realized how safe and accepted he finally felt, and he truly found people that understood him. 

He glows even brighter. The warmth glows so brightly that it warms Courtney and Tommy. They were feeling it too.

Spencer leans back against the headboard, sighing in contentment as Tommy and Courtney cuddle back into him. Tommy lies to his right, but as on top of him as he can be without squishing him. Tommy’s arms and legs lay over on top of Spencer, wrapping his body closer towards him. And Courtney does the same.

The movie is long forgotten and is just a distant memory after the credits rolled and a blank screen sits on the tv.

They were too busy to turn it off. Arms were being rubbed, the softest nuzzle, and a sigh from Courtney into Spencer’s ear made him blush. Not to mention the fact that Spencer noticed Tommy’s fingertips rubbing circles on his back, giving him goosebumps and chills along his spine. 

The tension was growing. The whole group could feel it. 

Courtney nuzzles into Spencer’s neck, lightly grazing her lips over his neck.

Tommy followed suit, kissing the other side of his neck. 

Spencer couldn’t help but giggle at the feeling, ticklish. 

The warmth that was growing within him was something he had never felt before. The nerves in his neck were tingling, flowing all the way down his back. 

“Is that ok?” Courtney whispered into Spencer’s ear, concerned. 

Spencer leans back on his elbows and moves his head slightly to look at Courtney, a soft smile on his face. 

He noticed she was furrowing her brow, a worried look in her eye. Worried that she had stepped over a line. But she also had a glaze over her eyes and a soft smile on her lips. 

He nodded, looking to Tommy to see his reaction. Tommy smiled at him, a dazed look in his eye. Smiling and giddy. 

They all looked like we were drunk, dazed and content with each other. With messy hair and soft smiles. It was like where they were felt right.

Like they were on a whole other planet, floating in space with just the three of them together, and they could watch movies all day in bed together if they wanted to.

Tommy leaned down and kissed Spencer. Softly, tentatively, as this was the first kiss between them.

His kiss felt like soda pop fizzing in Spencer’s skull. 

It reminded him of a hot summer's day. Popsicles dripping onto his tongue and onto the sidewalk. He was a relief from the heat, like a refreshing glass of lemonade.

Spencer’s brain bubbled, the sensation catching him off guard as he had never felt it before. 

He fell into the kiss, seeing sparkles and warm colors moving like blobs of paint being traced with a paintbrush behind his eyes. Like soft ghosts of light were having a dance party. 

Tommy’s lips were soft, but still rough from the dry air and the coldness of what LA can give. Tommy’s mustache and beard scratched against Spencer’s skin lightly, as if it was a group of tiny little hands that wanted to get closer to his face. Their stubble rubbed against each other, causing friction that heat up their faces. 

Courtney kissed and nipped at the skin on Spencer’s neck after a while of watching. Grazing her lips along his stubble, the rough sensation tickled their lips.

Both of their lips on him radiated through Spencer’s body, sending waves of shivers through him.

After Spencer was satisfied, and taking a long time to taste Tommy’s lips to the full extent that he could eagerly, he wanted to taste Courtney. He was craving her lips. 

Spencer leaned down towards them. Courtney awkwardly shuffles up with a laugh that broke the tension a bit as they waited for Courtney to meet Spencer’s lips for the first time.

When she finally did, it was like fireworks. He literally saw fireworks behind his eyes. Bright flashes of strong, bold colours were dancing behind his eyes, pulsating and moving as if it were the perfect symphony and choreographed for him.

It was different than kissing Tommy, but equally as delicious and sweet. 

They tasted different. Both delicious in their respective tastes.

Tommy had a deeper musky flavour to Spencer. He tasted like the coffee he just drank and dark chocolate.

Courtney tasted sweeter than Tommy. She tasted warm, with a hint of cotton candy. They also tasted like apples and cinnamon, the oatmeal she decided to eat for her midnight snack.

They both tasted so good to Spencer. 

But he liked the taste of them mixed together best.

“You taste so good” Courtney murmurs between their long, stretched out kisses that stretch like toffee. 

“Fuck, You’re so hot,” Spencer moans into Courtney’s mouth, leaning back over to kiss Tommy again, feeling new and different sensations than his first kiss with him. “And you’re so hot” Spencer mumbles into Tommy’s mouth. Kissing Tommy harder than before, he was inspired by their words to be more confident. 

Tommy moans into the kiss between them, too caught up in the feeling to really say anything coherent, but sounded enough like what he just said to feel satisfied.

He felt so comfortable kissing them. Like this was what they were meant to be doing the entire time

They were all a blur of soft touches, first time kisses and tentative movements that got more fluid as they went along. 

It became more sloppy, more lazy, as they started to enjoy the feeling and cared less about their inhibitions. 

It also got more rough, but it never went away from them. They were all in the moment, still there but also a million miles away in pleasure.

The most important thing is that Spencer had never felt more right in the moment than he ever had before. 

He’s had partners in the past, sure, but there was always something missing, like there could always be something more.

He didn’t want to, but inevitably he always ended up breaking up with them because there was always something off about the relationship. But he could never quite put his finger on it. 

He always made the excuse as the other not being the right person for him. 

And now he knew why.

Because there was always someone else missing.

And as they slowly stopped kissing, breathless with beet red faces and panting from the intensity of it all, they unanimously decided that they were going to wait to doing something more.

This was all so new to the three of them, so they were definitely going to talk more about it in the morning. 

But for now, they were too spent. They were making new paths in their lives, afterall.

So they cuddled closer and settled into the comfortable silence.

With Spencer wedged between his two best friends, he was the most content he had been in a long time.

Maybe even in his whole life. 

He also felt excited to see what was next for the three of them. 

And Courtney and Tommy were too. 

Courtney and Tommy felt like the last two puzzle pieces in the empty spaces in his heart. And then when he finally found them, they fit just right.

#smosh fic #spourtommy #tommybones #tommy bowe #smoshblr #spencer agnew #smosh valentines day exchange #feral-teeth fics #feral teeth fics #feral-teeth smosh fics #feral teeth smosh fics #courtney miller #smosh

[shieldofiron]

Nuevo Paraíso

For @discodeviant Happy Valentine's Day My Dude! Here's a RDR Au that's mostly an excuse for Cowboys Kissing.

Billy sat down in the dirt with a hard groan.

“Rough riding, friend?” Harrington asked, raising his dented flask.

“Don’t I know it,” Billy rubbed his lower back, “That stallion’s a nasty piece of work. Any chance you want to trade.”

“Not on your life,” Harrington shook his head, heels dragging slightly in the dirt as he looked over at Billy. That pretty head of hair had never looked so messy, nor so beautiful. “But don’t you worry. Maybe next town over you can find a horse to trade. Or one to steal.”

“Love hearin’ you tell me to steal in that fancy accent, Pretty Boy,” Billy nudged Harrington with his elbow. “Say another.”

“Boston isn’t fancy,” Harrington rolled his eyes, tucking his flask away without ever even offering Billy any. Selfish.

Billy didn’t know where they’d turned up this guy. He sure didn’t seem like an outlaw, with his graceful movements and pretty golden tongue. Pretty everything, actually. Not that Billy would let on. Even the rough scar that marred Harrington’s brow didn’t detract from his pretty face, only added to it.

“Fancier than Lenora Hills,” Billy shrugged, pushing away the thoughts. Harrington was too fine, too pretty to be real. He’d seen Harrington flirt with the birds of paradise, flashing those bambi brown eyes, pumping them for information and more. Harrington had made his choice and showed it plainly, so Billy wouldn’t try to kid himself.

Of course it happened sometimes. Don’t think Billy didn’t notice the glances between Marston and Morgan. He’d seen more than one cowboy ride in the saddle with another, though people might pretend it was just for lack of women. But Billy knew, there was always a choice. And Harrington was straighter than an arrow.

“Is that where you’re from?”

Harrington’s eyes sparkled with genuine interest, setting off a battle of the butterflies in Billy’s stomach.

Billy turned his head and spit, “Yep. California. Ain’t north or south or nothing, just dead in the center.”

“I’ve always wanted to go to California,” Harrington rested back on his elbows, his dusty blue jacket pulling taut across his biceps. Billy just looked away, leaning back to match Harrington but keeping his eyes trained on the fire.

“Used to dream of riding out there with a wagon and a wife…” Harrington continued, “Drive out hard and make my way to the golden shore.”

Billy snorted, “I assume that’s not the way you came out west. Unless your wife is a real forgiving type.”

It took so long for Harrington to answer, Billy was forced to look his way. Harrington was looking up at the stars, his long neck bared, pretty eyes aglow. His expression flickered between happiness and sadness.

“No,” Harrington smiled ruefully. “No. It wasn’t like that.”

Billy blinked at the smoke blowing their way, but said nothing, just seeing how long he could get away with looking before Harrington called him on it.

“There was this girl. Nancy. She was in trouble, needed help. So I just… kind of… ignored the law,” Harrington hedged, as if he was being interrogated. “By the time we got back, there were lawmen on my trail, and Nancy… Nancy’d gotten engaged.”

“After you-”

“He’s a nice fellow. I can’t say a bad thing about either of them,” Harrington shrugged, and turned the full focus of his piercing gaze on Billy. “Wish I could, sometimes.”

“Don’t worry about it, Pretty Boy. Plenty of tail to chase out here,” Billy’s voice wasn’t shaking. It wasn’t. “Lotsa fillies would kill for a ride with you.”

Harrington didn’t answer, just looked at Billy like he was a bug under a glass, and then slid down, resting his head on his bedroll.

“The west does have something on Boston,” Harrington laughed, “Well. Many things.”

“Oh yeah? What’s that?”

“All these stars,” Harrington’s pretty mouth turned up into a smile, and he finally released Billy from his thrall, sweeping his gaze over the night sky. “It's difficult to see the big dipper through the city smog.”

“I’ll take your word for it,” Billy glanced back at the camp. The other men were huddled around a larger fire, eyes mostly on their business though Billy could see Marston and Morgan talking heatedly out by the horses. They were just two silhouettes, close enough to kill. Or kiss.

Harrington laughed, the deep rich sound echoing through the night, drawing Billy’s attention back to him.

“You don’t like the stars?” Harrington asked.

“I’m a little more concerned with what’s happening here on earth,” Billy smirked.

“Indulge me, Hargrove,” Harrington’s knee fell a little, nudging Billy’s. “I’ll make it worth your while.”

Billy looked away, pulling a hand rolled cigarette from his pocket and a packet of matches, that he struck off his beard with shaky hands, before he could bring himself to answer.

“And what do you think is worth my while, Harrington?” Billy said roughly.

“Me,” There was no tease to his voice, just bold honesty.

Billy sucked on the cigarette, not sure how to play it. This could just be a trick, a way to make Billy admit that he was… that he sometimes…

“Very funny, Harrington,” Billy said dryly.

“Who’s laughing, Billy?” Harrington’s smile was easy. Soft. “Lay down with me.”

Billy just stared down at him.

“For the stars. At least, for now.”

It was just stargazing. Like they were a couple of moon eyed school girls instead of hardened outlaws. It should mean nothing. Probably did mean nothing. Maybe Harrington didn’t know he sounded like a Mary, didn’t know that Billy would even imagine it that way.

Still, Billy kept his trigger hand ready as he lay back in the dirt, tugging Harrington’s camp roll from under his pretty little head. Harrington only laughed, propping himself up on his arm.

“I used to know them all,” Harrington’s voice was soft, almost boyish as he looked up at the stars. “But  down there, almost at the horizon there, that’s ursa major. And ursa minor, above it, the little cup.”

“Big bear and little bear,” Billy shrugged, his shoulders making an embarrassing scraping sound in the dirt.

Harrington chuckled, “And you call me fancy. You know Latin?”

“Just from church stuff,” Billy huffed.

Harrington paused, and then shifted in the dirt, every noise making Billy’s overactive nerves prickle with fear. He settled down closer to Billy, brushing their pinkies together in the dirt.

“You big into… church, Hargrove?”

Billy wasn’t sure what he was being asked, especially not when Harrington was twisting his fingers into Billy’s stiff palm.

“Not really, Billy said gruffly.

“Me either,” Harrington said. “I prefer other forms of worship.”

Billy cleared his throat, “You know any more? Constellations, I mean.”

“Yeah,” Harrington’s hand feels cool and dry, callouses rasping against Billy’s palm, “Above and to… kinda the left. That’s Hercules.”

“Strong man,” Billy said softly.

“Yes,” Harrington scooted closer in the dirt. Warm breath danced across Billy’s cheek. Harrington wasn’t looking at the stars at all.

Billy felt like he’d wandered into a trap. He could still feel his father’s voice in the back of his soul, telling him it wasn’t right, that Billy wasn’t right. Somehow, a long time ago he’d misunderstood something, and he was still trying to go back and get it right.

“Did I read you wrong?” Harrington said lightly. “I thought…”

Billy sat up quickly, jerking his hand back, “I don’t know what you mean.”

“It’s okay,” Harrington sat up, “Hey, Hargrove, it’s-”

“I don’t know what you’re getting at, Harrington.”

“Keep your fucking voice down,” Harrington leaned forward and laid a finger over Billy’s lips, taking in Billy’s flinch with wide eyes. “I just… like you. I thought if I made some kind of overture you would finally get out of your head about the whole thing.”

“What?” Billy’s voice just came out as a cracked whisper.

“I’ve been hinting,” Harrington raised one scarred brow. “You thought I asked to share the watch with you for what? My health?”

Billy let out a shuddery breath.

“I like you, Hargrove. Thought we could watch the stars until these jackasses go to sleep, and then…” Harrington grinned, the glow of the firelight making him look almost devilish, “At least give me a kiss. Unless you really don’t want to, Sugar. But I think you do…”

It was the same tone as he used on the pretty fillies in town and by God, was it working on Billy.

“Sugar? Ain’t nothing sweet about me, Harrington,” Billy stalled.

Harrington had the nerve to glow, his pretty face lighting up as he licked his lips, “I’ll be the judge of that.”

Billy glanced back at the rest of the camp.

“We’re just lookin’ at the stars right now, Sugar. Nothing to see,” Harrington teased. “Come sit down for a while with me.”

He wasn’t sure if this was a good idea. Actually might be the worst idea he’d ever had.

But there’s never been so fine a thing as Harrington in his grasp. Not with those mooney eyes, that pretty face. His fine way of talking and his cool hand.

He could always sneak off before Harrington had a chance to tell anyone. He spoke Spanish better than any of them, so they’d be stuck holding their dicks while he made his way up North.

So he sat down in the dirt again, and let Harrington take his hand.

Harrington’s eyes were like a cattle brand on the side of his face, but he kept his eyes on the stars.

“My mama used to tell me that the stars were always the same, somethin’ constant. She knew all the names for ‘em,” Billy said, his voice gravel rough. “But… I don’t know.”

“You like constant things, Hargrove.”

“Yeah, I suppose I do.”

“So do I.”

Billy stared up until he felt like his eyes were blurring. Or maybe it was just the smoke from the fire.

“My father’s a powerful man,” Harrington said slowly, “Houses in Boston, Philadelphia, and he’s got a big parcel of land up near Bozeman, just waiting on a big old house to be built.”

“Huh.”

“He had designs on retiring, moving out west. Don’t know why, he’s about the most lily-livered man in all of Massachusetts,” Harrington’s voice wavered, “But he told me when I left, I ruined that because he can’t retire now. Not with no son to inherit.”

Billy frowned, blinking up at the sky, “Where are you going with this, Harrington?”

Harrington sighed, “I’m just sayin’. There’s a big parcel of land in the name of Steven Yancey Harrington, Senior, up in Montana. I just gotta get the money to head up there. Build myself a little place. Something constant in this fucked up world.”

Billy’s eyes prickled.

“I wouldn’t want to do anything but fish all day. Maybe get a chicken or two, sell eggs in the city. Hell, if I got enough money I’d say the hell with my father and build wherever I can find. Head out to the golden shores of California.”

“Sounds nice.”

“It’s gonna be. But it would be nicer with someone there. Maybe someone who knows a little latin, for when I’m a little slow on the uptake,” Harrington laughed.

“You’re not slow,” He searched the skies, wishing they could say what Harrington meant, because he wasn’t sure if he knew. “I feel slow. I hardly know what you’re talking about half the time, Harrington.”

“I’m talking about you and me finding a little slice of constant with each other, Hargrove,” Harrington’s hand tightened a little. 

Billy turned towards him at last and Harrington quickly glanced up at the rest of the camp before resting his hand on Billy’s cheek. “I hear there’s an awful lot of stars out in Montana. Man could get lost in a sky so blue. Among other things.”

Billy’s breath stilled in his lungs.

“I like you, Billy.”

“I like you too, Harrington.” It was more air than sound, half carried away by smoke.

Harrington’s breath brushed Billy’s lips, “See, I told you. You’re so sweet. Sweet on me.”

“Shut the fuck up, Harrington.”

“Make me, Sugar.”

It was a cool night out in the plains, just north of Nuevo Paraíso. Their boots made scraping noises in the dirt when they knocked together, hands grasping, tongues tangling. Billy didn’t lose his head but it was a close thing.

Billy never really knew much about the stars. He only cared about what was on earth, what he could hold and grasp. Constant things, like Harrington’s heartbeat under his palm, his sweet taste on Billy’s tongue.

But when he finally pulled back, trying to get his head on right… Harrington had stars in those big brown eyes.

#billy hargrove #harringrove #steve harrington #billy x steve #steve x billy #cowboy au #valentines day fic exchange

[nursal1060writes]

I can finally post this fic!

Happy Valentine's Day - here is my DP Valentine's Core Exchange fic for @dp-marvel94 💕

It's a short fic about Dani trying to navigate her found family and asking Danny for help! I tried to make it sweet and cute, with just a bit of family drama! I hope they enjoy this fic, I've never wrote this style of family drama before! 🥰

I also count this as part of FYFFF - this fic is 'a WIP I am scared of'! I had a lot of second thoughts when working on this fic, but I'm glad it's finally up now!

@valentines-core-exchange

#Valentine's core exchange 2024 #valentines day #platonic #family #found family #danny phantom #danny fenton #dani phantom #dan phantom #vlad plasmius #ao3 fanfic #fanfic #fanfic event #fanfic exchange #finish your fucking fics february

[cheeseplants]

MY SMUTTY VALENTINE: Crowley goes for a ride

CW: Bike sex, anal sex, blow jobs, hand jobs

Explicit

Summary

Crowley learns to ride a bike in the Cotswolds. This is rated E for Extraordinarily silly sex on a bike. Written for the GOAD Valentine exchange.

For the hillarious harlotofgod.

Prompt: Aziraphale and Crowley having sex on a gearless bike in the Cotswolds.

Yes they do indeed have sex on a bike.

Excerpt

Crowley had begrudgingly agreed to add a bike rack to the Bentley, which is how he found himself on a bike path looking out over the undulating hills of the Cotswolds.

“Isn’t it beautiful, Crowley?” The angel’s eyes sparkled in the sunlight. Crowley grumbled in response. The demon could not look less as if he were about to ride a bike if he tried. He refused to change out of his tight black jeans, and he now feared that they weren’t exactly designed for the motion of a bicycle. Images of his crotch ripping came into focus.

Worse, Aziraphale had changed into the tightest shorts he had ever seen. Not only that, but they were cream-coloured. Leaving very little to the imagination. Aziraphale was definitely making the Effort then, Crowley mused, as he notified the distinct bulge on the shorts. He tried not to stare open-mouthed at the lycra clinging to the angel’s thighs.

“First off, safety.” Aziraphale thankfully shook him from the thoughts swimming around in his head. “You have got to be kidding, angel.”

“Safety is of the utmost importance,” Aziraphale said.

“But my hair,” Crowley ran a hand through his perfectly styled red locks.

“You can miracle it back when we’re done.” Without waiting for an answer, Aziraphale slammed the helmet onto Crowley’s head and pulled his fingers underneath to strap it under his chin. The feeling of the angel’s fingers caressing the underside of his face startled Crowley. He wondered briefly what it would be like to feel those fingers stroke a very different region.

Read here on AO3.

@goodomensafterdark

#good omens #good omens fic #goad smut war #GOAD valentines exchange #smut #riding a bike #yes they have a sex on a bike #i know i know #it's crack #wonderful crack #happy valentine's day #good omens fanfic #good omens 2

[hairstevington]

That '90s Fic

Eddie Munson x Steve Harrington

Summary: Eight years after defeating Vecna, the Hawkins crew has done their best to forget their past (and the ones they lost along the way). You can only imagine Steve's surprise when he runs into a very-alive Eddie at a coffee shop. (Ao3 link here)

Word Count: 5.5K

Warnings: Fluffy shit as always, canon universe, first kiss, Steddie reunites and eventually gets together, it takes way too damn long because they're idiots, angst, implied sex, also mentions of the rest of the characters!

A/N: This fic is for @detachedfacade and I wrote it for the Steddie Valentine's fic exchange!! Enjoyyyy

The year was 1993. Steve Harrington and Robin Buckley had remained best friends and followed each other from shitty apartment to shitty apartment. They’d skipped town pretty much the moment she’d graduated, once they knew the rest of their loved ones were safe from the absolute hell they once called their home - Hawkins, Indiana. 

After that final battle, everyone pretty much scattered, and while they would always feel connected from the experiences they’d shared in the upside down, they didn’t keep in touch nearly as much as they’d used to. It was one of those things where, if any of them were to call another, they would be there. But everybody had moved on from their lives. They didn’t want to be a slave to their trauma anymore. 

It had been eight years since they’d defeated Vecna. Once they’d gotten through the 80’s, they started to settle back into normalcy. Robin and Steve stuck together, but they rarely talked about their past - it was no longer relevant.

The two of them were out of town for a week, taking a trip to a big city and draining their bank account to have a little fun for once. It was, more or less, a yearly tradition. This year, they’d chosen Philadelphia, mostly because there was a concert there that they wanted to go to. 

Their first full day, they didn’t have much planned other than to scope out fun things to do that were near their motel. Robin slept in, as always, but Steve was up, so he decided to go for a walk (he left a note for Robin so she knew he was okay). He found this cute cafe a block away from where they were staying, and decided he could use a bit of a caffeine boost, so he went in. 

It’s funny how such a mundane morning can turn into something extraordinary.

“Thanks, doll. Have a good one,” a voice said from beside him in line. Steve looked up to see a person he hadn’t thought about in years, not since -

No. That would be crazy. There’s absolutely no way Steve was seeing this right. The man in front of him just looked so incredibly familiar, like an old friend, but that’s all. A doppelganger. 

He was wearing black jeans with a black t-shirt tucked into it, a belt holding the ensemble together. His long hair was tied in a ponytail at the back of his neck, a guitar pick necklace hanging against his chest. 

He was the spitting image of Eddie Munson. It was freaky.

Steve ordered his coffee and tried his best to shake off the fact that he’d basically just seen a ghost. He averted his gaze and tried to convince himself that he was somehow still high from the night before. That was a thing that could happen sometimes, right?

As they waited for their coffees side by side, Steve decided he had to ask. 

“Hey, you look really familiar,” he began. “Do we know each other?” The man chuckled, amused, then put the back of his hand to his forehead and dramatically stumbled backwards, as if he was fainting. Steve reached out to catch him (as if that wouldn’t have taken them both down), but then Eddie stood up straight again, completely unharmed. 

“Steeeve Harrington, how you break my heart.” No fucking way. “You don’t remember me?”

“Oh, I remember you,” Steve replied. “But you - I mean we - and then -”

“Yeah,” he nodded. “I know.”

“How?!”

“Magic,” Eddie said, wiggling his fingers around his face. “Just kidding, nothing too exciting. Some government people found me, had a quick coma, blah blah blah, started a new life in a new town because I would have been sent to the electric chair if I stayed in Hawkins, by the time they found out I was innocent I’d already settled into my new life, and uh, yeah. That’s about it.” 

Steve stared at Eddie, wide-eyed. He couldn’t believe what he was hearing. I’m dreaming. I’m high. I’m high AND I’m dreaming.

“Black coffee for Ron,” the barista said. To Steve’s surprise, Eddie reached over to pick up the cup. 

“I’m sorry, Ron?!” Eddie laughed, then lowered his voice. 

“They told me to pick a new name,” he whispered, his lips dangerously close to Steve’s ear. “I was twenty, and obsessed with Dio. Thought it would be cute to choose Ronnie and pay tribute to the lead singer. I hate it, but I’m too damn lazy to go through the trouble of changing it again.”

“Oat milk latte for Steve,” the barista called again. Steve grabbed his coffee, then turned back to Eddie.

“Okay, so this is obviously all insane, but Ron? Really? There’s no way you could pass for a guy named Ron,” he teased.

“Oh, but Steve, I’ve been doing it for years now,” he replied playfully. “So, are we gonna catch up over coffee or what?”

-

Eight years since Steve had left Eddie in the upside down. He was dead. He was absolutely, 100% no longer living, his injuries far too serious to fix with the limited first aid they had access to - aka pieces of fabric torn from their own backs. Things had been so complicated then - the extent of Eddie’s interactions with Steve were done while they were highly stressed, traumatized, and managing the upcoming apocalypse. Even so, their friendship (if you could call it that), was cut short, and Steve refused to think about those few days together since then. He’d successfully managed to shove it down deep inside. It barely hurt anymore. 

Now, it was brought to the forefront of his attention again. Eddie looked happy and healthy, which was great, but still - how the fuck had he been alive this whole time and nobody knew? Steve thought about asking, but it wasn’t his business, not really. Plus, he had to get a new name and everything, so he likely wasn’t able to reach out. And they weren’t even that close in the first place. And, Steve had tried to forget about it all, so he couldn’t judge Eddie for doing the same. Jesus.

“Steve, you look like you’ve seen a ghost, man.” Eddie smirked as he sipped his coffee. “Relax.” 

“Relax?” Steve raised his eyebrows. “You’re not the one who just found out their friend who they’ve been grieving for years never actually died.” 

“Friend?” Eddie cocked his eyebrow and grinned devilishly, as if he was mocking Steve’s words.

“I don’t know what else we’d call it.” 

“I usually go with ‘unlikely companion against the forces of evil,’ personally,” Eddie replied. 

“Usually, huh? So you talk about me a lot then?” Steve drank his latte and tried to focus on the sweet taste to combat his angst. It all felt like a dream, but somehow a stupid oat milk latte grounded him back to reality.

“I mean, not a lot,” Eddie clarified. “I can’t really disclose the full story or anything, but I do talk about the popular jock from my hometown who ended up being a lot cooler than he had any right to be. And Wheeler? Who the hell knew, am I right? And - oh, Robin!” Eddie waved towards the door, where Robin burst in. Steve had called her about ten minutes prior telling her the news. Her hair was a mess, and she was still in her pajamas. 

“Holy shit,” she said as she ran frantically towards the table. “You’re real.” She pinched Eddie’s arm to make sure, causing him to laugh.

“In theory,” he responded. Steve pulled up a chair next to him and gestured for Robin to sit. She did so, moving on autopilot, her eyes still fixed to Eddie. 

“You didn’t have to rush, Robbie,” Steve said, using his thumb to clean a bit of toothpaste off the corner of her mouth. She was unfazed by his touch.

“Of course I did, Steve. What the hell?”

“I didn’t know you guys were still -” Eddie hesitated. “- Still in touch. Friends. Or are you guys, like…?” Robin cackled. 

“Noooo, no, no, no,” she said. 

“Okay, let’s not be mean about it,” Steve huffed. 

“Sorry Stevie, you know I love you.” She turned back to Eddie. “I’m a lesbian. Steve was actually the only one I was out to in high school.”

“No shit,” Eddie said, leaning until his elbows were on the table. “Ohhhh, that explains so much.”

“Does it?” she asked, confused.

“Well, just because you guys obviously were close, but insisted upon being just friends, which usually means you’re not just friends,” Eddie explained. “I don’t know, I was kind of thrust into a lot of shit back then without any context. Mostly I was just trying not to die, and then, well - I mean, you get it.” 

“Oof,” Robin winced. 

“You guys, it’s fine.” Eddie laughed again, then leaned back in his chair. “Water under the upside down bridge, am I right?” Robin and Steve grimaced. “What?”

“We don’t really talk about that time of our lives anymore,” Robin shrugged. “All of us just tried to leave it all behind.”

“Yeah,” Steve agreed. “It’s great to see you again, I think, and I’m glad you’re okay and all, it’s just -”

“Weird,” Robin finished his sentence. “Not in a bad way, just in a way where we might need a moment to act semi-normal.”

“Ugh, normal?” Eddie groaned. “I didn’t like you guys so much because you were normal. I liked you because you were batshit crazy.” He chuckled at the double meaning of his words. “Ha ha, bat-shit. Those things were nasty. I can’t believe you took a straight-up bite out of one, dude.” 

“Jesus Christ, I forgot about that.” Steve put his head in his hands before running them through his hair. “This is crazy. So crazy.”

“Sorry,” Eddie said with a shrug. “You know, you’re the first people I’ve been able to talk about this with. I didn’t think I’d ever seen any of you again, but here we are.” 

“Are you even supposed to be talking about it?” Steve asked.

“I dunno, maybe not. But it’s been long enough. No trouble in Hawkins since, right?”

“Nope,” Robin confirmed.

“Not that we’ve been back,” Steve added.

“No? What about the others? Dustin?” Steve smiled, remembering that Eddie and Dustin had their own brotherly thing going on. 

“He’s good. Everyone’s okay,” Steve smiled. “Dustin and I still talk sometimes. I’m sure he’d love to hear from you actually, if you wanted. I mean, he was really shaken up over your ‘death’ and all.” Steve used quotations when he talked about Eddie’s death now. Insanity.

“Yeah, for sure,” Eddie agreed. “Steve, man. It’s genuinely so good to see you. I’ve wondered a lot about what happened to the King of Hawkins High.”

“Really? I guess I didn’t realize I left such an impression,” Steve said with surprise. It had been a while since he’d been reminded of his King Steve days. Eddie chuckled again, rolling up his sleeves absentmindedly as he continued talking. 

“Oh my god, Harrington, I wanted you so bad back then. I didn’t realize it until shit went down, but yeah. I thought I was making it really obvious.” Steve’s eyes widened. 

“Oh,” he said. “Well, um, I mean -”

“You were,” Robin interjected. “And you were totally jealous of him and Nancy, which is hilarious because -”

“Robin!” Steve groaned. “Anyway, yeah. There was that, and the whole ‘big boy’ thing.” 

“Really? Eight years later and that’s still fresh in your mind, huh?”

“He used to talk about it every time he got drunk,” Robin laughed. 

“I will kill you,” Steve threatened. “Fine, yeah, whatever. You helped me realize I like guys. I owe it all to you - the big man himself - Ron.” Eddie practically snorted at the way Steve said his fake name. 

“God, it’s so bad,” he agreed. “But Ron has been good to me. Things are good.” They all smiled, realizing things had somehow all turned out okay. Normal, in their own messed up way. “So! How long are you guys in town?”

-

The three of them hung out in Philadelphia a few more times that week, catching up and getting friendlier with every passing moment. Steve started to relax around Eddie, something he never had the chance to do before. Eddie was touchy, and called Steve things like babe and sweetie and once, Big Boy for old time’s sake. 

But the week was coming to an end, and the Dynamic Duo was scheduled to return home the following morning. They decided to go out one last time, and made sure to exchange numbers to stay in contact. Steve promised he’d reach out to Dustin and break the news, but he wasn’t sure when he’d see Dustin again. 

Robin went home first, insisting that she get her beauty sleep before their flight. This left Eddie and Steve alone at the bar, where they continued to chat until eventually, Steve decided he needed to get home, too. 

He didn’t really want to go, at all. He didn’t want to say goodbye to Eddie. Reconnecting with him had genuinely been great, weird as it was. Plus, he couldn’t stop thinking about what Eddie had told him in that cafe. Harrington, I wanted you so bad back then. Enough time had passed where Steve wasn’t sure that statement still applied, or if he even wanted it to. The whole week had been a whirlwind of the past becoming present, the lost being found, the gone returning. 

Eddie walked Steve home, and it was too short. Eight years ago, when their budding friendship(?) was cut short, Steve didn’t know the extent of his sexuality, or understand the feelings he was having. But he knew then, with Eddie at his door, and he decided to be bold.

“Ya know,” Eddie said, “usually when I walk a guy home like this, I kiss him goodnight.” He had said it so casually, in the same joking manner he’d done everything else. He said it in a way where, if Steve hadn’t been into it, he could just as easily say he was kidding and move on. Steve knew it well, and he wasn’t going to take it this time.

“Okay, so kiss me then.”

“What?” His eyes went wide in shock. Steve smirked at the way he was finally able to catch Eddie off guard. 

“You heard me. Come on, I dareeee youuuu.” Steve had quite a few drinks at the bar, a deadly combination for a guy who was already pretty confident in the flirting department. 

“Where the hell is this coming from?” Eddie asked, still unsure. He couldn’t believe what Steve was saying. Even though Steve had said Eddie was his bisexual awakening, that had been ages ago. Eddie never in a million years thought he had a shot with Steve in actuality.

“I knew it, I knew you wouldn’t do it.” Steve gently pushed against Eddie’s chest, then leaned against his door. “All those flirty glances and the pet names and talking about how you used to have a crush on me when-“

And then Eddie was kissing him. 

It was awkward for a split second, as Eddie had all but smashed his lips against Steve’s, but they quickly melted into each other, reaching an unspoken groove. 

It was nice. So incredibly nice. Eddie was warm and inviting and sensual, his hands explorative and firm around Steve’s body. 

As they broke away from each other, Steve pouted at the thought of never finding out what kissing Eddie while sober would be like - it’s just that they were about to be separated by a few hundred miles, so the possibility seemed unlikely. 

“Just as good as I thought it would be,” Eddie grinned as he let go of Steve’s waist. “Now you have a new thing to talk about when you get drunk, Harrrington.”

That he would, Eddie. That he would.

-

So, Steve and Robin returned home, still somewhat unconvinced they hadn’t had some sort of mutual acid trip and hallucinated the whole thing. He told her about the kiss, which she was entirely unsurprised by, and asked if he’d call once they got home. 

Steve wasn’t sure. After all, he’d left that whole life behind, and he wasn’t interested in anything long distance. It felt weird to return to a life he so deliberately ran away from. He’d spent so long shoving away those memories, but they were back, and they were back with a vengeance. 

And now, there were new memories too - the ones of them in Philadelphia, catching up under new circumstances, haunted by the old ones. 

He didn’t end up calling Eddie, in fear of it getting even more complicated, and eventually the events of their week in Philly became a dream-like visit to the land of what-ifs.

-

In 1994, Dustin came to visit. It had been the longest Steve and Robin had ever stayed in the same apartment. In fact, not much had changed at all in the last year - Except that Robin started going to grad school, and Steve was promoted at work, which worked out well considering Robin’s income dropped when switching to part-time. 

Robin was engaged - she’d been dating the same person for years now, and it had been long overdue. They were happy together, but waiting to get married until Robin finished school. Well, they wouldn’t be legally married, thanks to the government being homophobic, but they wanted to celebrate with their friends and family nonetheless. 

Steve had also begun dating a woman from Robin’s class. She was kind and quiet, and it had been going well for a month or two already. 

Catching up with Dustin was always a whirlwind, because they didn’t do it nearly enough. He spoke quickly and without abandoning, covering so many topics in such a short amount of time that Steve could hardly keep up. Robin, on the other hand, followed beautifully, and filled in Steve whenever he got confused. 

“So I was telling the head of DETRA,” Dustin said. Steve turned to Robin. 

“His company,” she muttered. Steve nodded. 

“And he basically said that Justin was going to get the promotion, even though I was the one who came up with, developed, and perfected the prototype for G-TER.”

“The robot,” Robin clarified, quiet enough only for Steve to hear. 

“Oh, right,” Steve said in recognition. “The thing you’ve been working on for like a year now?”

“That’s the one,” Dustin confirmed. 

It went on like this as he continued to talk about engineering and robotics, things that went way over Steve’s head, but he listened the best he could anyway. Once he was done updating them on his first official post-college job, he asked them what they’d been up to. 

“School,” Robin answered. 

“Work,” Steve added. “And Diana, who I’ve told you about.”

“Still going good?” Dustin asked. Steve nodded. “Sweet. How’d the trip to Philly go?”

Steve and Robin froze, glancing at each other nervously. Once again, it was something they had pushed deep down into oblivion, in fear of opening the can of worms yet again. They hadn’t talked about it since the plane ride home. 

“So fun,” Robin responded at last. 

“Concert was great,” Steve added. 

“You guys are so comically bad at lying,” Dustin said with a roll of his eyes. “What happened?” They paused, knowing the upcoming conversation was a big bomb to drop. 

“It’s…serious,” Steve began. “Has to do with Hawkins stuff.” Dustin’s face dropped into sincerity, understanding the weight of the situation. 

“Is everything okay? Do we have to go back?”

“Everyone is fine,” Robin blurted out. “Everyone.” She stressed the word as if that would be enough to break the news. When Dustin was still confused, Steve decided to just go for it. 

“Eddie Munson is alive, Dustin.” 

“What?!”

“It’s true,” Robin said. “He lives in Philadelphia under a different name now.”

“But how??”

They continued to explain the situation, going over the story that Eddie had told them, and the time they’d spent together. They left out the kiss, of course, but that wasn’t relevant.

Dustin processed the news slowly, before running to his computer and urgently looking something up. 

“What are you doing?” Steve asked. 

“I’m gonna go to Philadelphia,” he answered. As Steve peered over, he noticed Dustin looking at flights. 

“Woah, seriously?” Steve asked, shocked. “Don’t you want to call him first?”

“Well, yeah, duh,” Dustin said. “We call him, then we go. Or, I go. I mean, if you can’t.” He sighed, putting his phone down. “You knew about this for a year and didn’t tell me?”

Robin and Steve felt the weight of their secret. They’d been protecting themselves, or so they thought.

“I’m sorry, man,” Steve apologized. “We didn’t wanna -”

“It’s whatever. Just call him.” 

-

Even though Robin and Steve hadn’t planned their annual getaway yet, it was far too short-notice to go with Dustin. It did, however, mean that his visit with them was cut off after only a day, and that kinda sucked. They really tried to make it work, but between Steve’s job and Robin’s classes, there was no way they could join in on the action. 

So, Steve called Eddie

“Steve Harrington,” he greeted as always. 

“Edd- I mean, Ron,” Steve replied. Eddie chuckled. 

“I didn’t think you’d ever call me. It’s been what, a year?” Steve grimaced at the realization. 

“I’m sorry, I just -”

“It’s cool. What’s up, man?”

And so, Steve told him what was up. Eddie was thrilled at the prospect of seeing Dustin again, and together they arranged a place to meet up. Eddie also gave Steve his address to give to Dustin, although Steve couldn’t help but wonder if he had ulterior motives. 

No, Steve. Don’t do that, he thought to himself. You closed that book, and you’re with Diana now.

It was probably for the best Steve couldn’t go, honestly. Because the moment he heard Eddie’s voice, he realized he was an idiot for not calling the moment he got home. 

-

By 1995, Robin had moved out to live with her fiance. They’d even set a wedding date for the following year. Steve was still dating Diana, and things were good there, but he had no plans for proposing just yet. He felt as though he needed to live with her first to see for sure how compatible they’d be, so she joined his lease once hers ended - her name replacing Robin’s. 

Steve had a business trip in Philadelphia. He considered visiting Eddie, but thought better of it. 

They ran into each other anyway at the grocery store. 

“Well, if it isn’t the heartbreaker himself?” Eddie teased. Steve froze, feeling immediate guilt and panic. 

“E - I mean, Ron!” Steve said, as he always did. 

“You know, I finally legally changed my name back, so you can stop doing that.” 

“Oh,” Steve said. “Okay.” 

“I’m not mad at you, Steve,” Eddie assured him. 

“Why would you be?” Steve asked, as casually as possible. Eddie opened his mouth, but before he could explain the very valid reason he’d be upset, Steve continued. “Don’t answer that. I’m sorry. I’m still sorry.”

“It is what it is,” Eddie said nonchalantly. He genuinely seemed unbothered. “So, what brings you back?”

“Work,” Steve answered. “I’m only here for the weekend this time.”

“Would you want to grab a drink, then?” Eddie asked. Steve swallowed. 

“I - I shouldn’t.” Eddie seemed confused for a moment, then lit up in understanding. 

“Ah, I see,” he said with a smirk. “You’re still with the lady.”

“You know about her?”

“‘Course. Dustin told me about it when he was here.”

“Oh,” Steve said, unsure how he felt about that. “How’d that go for you guys, by the way?”

“It was great,” Eddie answered. “You don’t even want to go out in a completely platonic, friend way?”

Admitting that being just friends with Eddie seemed impossible felt worse than it did to go and inevitably act weird and closed off. In any case, Steve agreed to one drink.

-

Three drinks later, he felt relaxed again, and almost forgot why he was so nervous about this in the first place. Like, he and Eddie didn’t know each other that well, and they lived in different states, and they’d kissed one time. That was it. It was practically nothing other than them both being queer, flirtatious, and enjoying each other’s company. 

“I’d really like to be friends,” Eddie had said at the end of the night.

“I think I’d like that, too,” Steve agreed. 

He went back home, relieved that the guilt he felt was no longer relevant. 

-

Eddie and Steve were friends in the sense that they occasionally called each other to talk about new movies, or to rave about the amazing things Dustin was doing, and eventually, they talked about Robin’s wedding. 

Robin had decided to invite Eddie after he and Steve became friendly in a genuine way. She tended to have a sense for these things, and they really did just seem like good friends. 

She was wrong. 

Diana worked overnights, and Steve would end up on the phone until well past midnight talking to Eddie. It was a gradual change from the conversations they’d had before, but an important one. Eddie was giddy at the thought of being reunited with the Hawkins gang - they joked that Steve shouldn’t tell anyone so Eddie could surprise them, but ultimately decided they could never stir up that much drama on Robin’s wedding day. 

“Maybe during the rehearsal dinner,” Eddie suggested.

“Yeah, maybe,” Steve replied. 

Steve broke up with Diana a few months before the wedding, where she was supposed to be his plus one. It was a clean break, or as clean as it could have possibly been. Steve just knew that if they went to the wedding together, she’d think about the possibility of marrying him, and he knew she wasn’t the one he wanted to spend his life with. 

He had an inkling he knew someone he would marry. Well, if marriage between them had been legal, anyway. 

He didn’t tell Eddie about his change in relationship status, though. Even when they still talked late into the night, when Steve had to wake up early the next morning. He didn’t tell him, because he still lived so far away, and he didn’t want to ruin something so perfect. 

-

Robin’s wedding was in the Spring of 1996. Steve was going stag, as he’d decided when Robin asked whether she should eliminate a place setting or invite someone else. He could have found another date to replace Diana, but he didn’t want to. 

It was the first time he was going to see Eddie since they’d gotten a drink a year prior, which would have been exciting enough - it was just that Steve was single now. And if Eddie was too, and if he was still interested, there was no way Steve was going to miss out yet again. 

It didn’t matter that they lived far away from each other, or that they’d spent very little time together in the same physical space - Steve knew there was something there. He knew it. 

Steve was, of course, in the bridal party. In fact, he was technically Maid of Honor, although the role wasn’t really defined that clearly because Robin didn’t want to follow any of the normal traditions. She really just wanted Steve as her best friend and right-hand man. His tasks mainly included making sure she didn’t fall over, and handing her various fidget toys when she got antsy.

The rehearsal dinner was the night before the ceremony, and was mainly just close family and friends. It was the first time the entire Hawkins gang reunited in ten years. 

Hopper and Joyce were happily married. The kids were now 24 and figuring their lives out. Dustin was already rich, and everyone else was financially okay as well due to El having rigged a lottery one time to split the reward (Mike’s idea - but it worked out pretty well). 

It was so nice to see everyone again under non-apocalypse circumstances. Everybody seemed happy in their respective lives, and catching up seemed entirely normal.

Eddie showed up late - he had told everyone in advance he would, so it wasn’t rude or anything, but it did mean that they were already sitting down and deep into conversation when he snuck in and sat down beside Steve - the last empty seat.

(Which was pretty much exactly what Steve hoped would happen)

They waved to each other and smiled, and then the conversation resumed as normal. They ate, they drank, they laughed, and then the group split - half of them going home, the other half going out. 

-

“Where’s Diana?” Eddie asked at the bar while sipping his beer. “Is she sick or something?” Steve froze, realizing the time had come to break the news. 

“Uh, no, she’s not sick.” Eddie looked at him curiously, having no idea where this was going. “We broke up a few months ago.”

“What?!” Eddie asked, a thousand emotions in his voice. He was confused, concerned, and a little upset. “Why didn’t you tell me? I talk to you all the time!”

“I don’t know!” Steve responded, shrugging. “I don’t know why I didn’t, I just -”

“Wait, before we go there. Are you okay?”

Steve was taken aback by the question. He was okay, but a few months ago? Shit was tough. 

“Yeah, I’m okay. It’s what I needed to do,” Steve answered. 

“Why?” Eddie’s voice dropped in volume ever so slightly. “I mean, what happened?”

“She just wasn’t -” Steve averted his gaze, as though eye contact was too intimate in the moment. “She wasn’t the one.” 

Their conversation was interrupted when Dustin insisted they all play a game. And that was that - at least, that’s what Steve thought. 

-

He was getting ready for bed after everyone else had split off to their own hotel rooms. He showered and brushed his teeth, then climbed into bed to watch TV. He wasn’t tired yet, but he hoped the sounds of Friends would lull him to sleep eventually. 

Then, there was a knock at the door. 

It was late, and as Steve jumped out of bed and walked towards the noise, he worried it was Robin or that something terrible had happened. 

Instead, it was Eddie. 

“Hey,” Steve greeted him. 

“Hey,” Eddie echoed. “Tell me if I’m reading this wrong.” 

Eddie knew it was a bold move, showing up like this, assuming that their friendship had transcended into something more. Or, perhaps they were never really just friends. 

“Okay,” Steve responded. 

And then, Eddie was kissing him again. 

Steve shut the door as soon as they’d crossed the threshold into his hotel room. They were alone, single, and clearly into each other. Clothes came off before Steve even had a chance to catch his breath. 

Eddie started giggling when they fell to the bed. 

“I’ve always wanted to hook up with a Bridesmaid,” he joked. Steve rolled his eyes, but couldn’t stop himself from laughing, too. 

“Can we turn the show off?” he asked, distracted by the antics on screen. 

“What, Rachel doesn’t do it for you?” Eddie teased. Steve reached over to find the remote, then pressed the off button - leaving them in silence. 

“I’m more of a Chandler guy, myself,” Steve replied with a smirk. 

“Yeah, that makes sense.”

-

Robin’s wedding was beautiful. Eddie and Steve snuck knowing glances at each other throughout, but made sure not to make it obvious they’d hooked up to avoid stealing any thunder. 

Everyone knew pretty much immediately, anyway. 

-

It was New Year's Eve, 1999. Eddie and Steve had gotten their own apartment after the wedding, and had been together ever since. Steve insisted they stay in the same town as Robin, and Eddie obliged - there wasn’t much tying him to Philly except that it was where he’d been for a decade, and a little location change seemed like the perfect way to enter the next phase of his life. 

“I can’t believe the world is going to end in five minutes,” Steve said sarcastically. Eddie rolled his eyes. 

“You don’t really believe that shit, right?”

“Well, the world wouldn’t end,” Robin interjected, “just all the computers in the world might crash, which would be just as not fun.”

“Exactly,” Steve agreed. Robin smiled, then was whisked away by her wife. Steve turned back to Eddie. “You’re not nervous at all?” Eddie shook his head. 

“No, not really. We’ve already been through an apocalypse together, you know? And we got through that.”

“Yeah, you’re right,” Steve realized. “So what’s one more?”

“What’s one more?” Eddie agreed, kissing Steve into the new millennium. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

#Steddie Valentine's Day fic exchange #steddie #eddie munson #steve harrington #stranger things #robin buckley #writing #me #st fanfic #stranger things fanfiction #steve x eddie #eddie munson x steve harrington #eddie x steve #eddie munson lives #stranger things gay

[fanwork-exchange-promos]

Candy Hearts Exchange

Candy Hearts is a multifandom gift exchange with a low minimum and a focus on relationships, both platonic and romantic/sexual. It is inspired by Chocolate Box and will not run if Chocolate Box is running.

The schedule for 2023/2024:

Nominations Open: December 20, 12:01 AM Nominations Close: December 27, 11:59 PM Signups Open: January 1, 12:01 AM Signups Close: January 7, 11:59 PM Assignments Out By: January 9, 11:59 PM Works Due: February 7, 11:59 PM Works Revealed: February 14, 7:00 PM Creators Revealed: February 21, 7:00 PM

All times are in Eastern Standard Time (EST).

Schedule, Rules + Updates

Tagset nominations

Exchange Collection

#candy hearts #fanfic #fic #exchange #ficathon #valentine's day #multifandom #fanart #art

[parmahamlarrie]

Perfect, For Now by Parmahamlarrie

Moving to a new city is always difficult, being away from home, finding your new community - none of it is easy. Dealing with all of this while being touch deprived is even more difficult. That is where omega Harry Styles finds himself a few months into his move to Brighton. Then a mysterious alpha's scent enters his life, and he finds that he can't stay away.

Available now on AO3

Part of @1dlibrary's Valentine's Day Exchange A gift for @nooradeservedbetter

#trackinghome #tracksintheam #trackinghappily #ao3 feed larry #hlcreators #hlsource #1dficvillage #larry stylinson fanfic #larry fanfiction #1dsource #1d fanfiction #my fics #my writing #>10k #Valentine's Day exchange #alpha beta omega #strangers to lovers #neighbors #nooraderservedbetter #pfn

[destielvalentinesexchange]

2 Days Left…

Sign-Ups for the Destiel Valentine’s Exchange close on the 31st of December! Don’t miss out 💗

Ao3 Collection Profile

Sign Up Form

#destiel #destiel exchange #destiel art #destiel fic #destiel valentine's day exchange #destiel wedding

[mixsethaddams]

Chapters: 1/1 Fandom: Stranger Things (TV 2016) Rating: Mature Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply Relationships: Steve Harrington/Eddie Munson Characters: Steve Harrington, Eddie Munson Additional Tags: steddie, Modern AU, Steve Harrington Has Bad Parents, But whats new there, Personal Growth, one bed, First Kiss, Getting Together, author has never been to a convention in their life, Misunderstandings, discussions of previously not being a great person, Mild Hurt/Comfort, very mild angst I promise, Happy Ending, Fluffy Ending, brendan fraser as a metaphor for something, idk what but it's definitely in there, deloreans as a symbol of childhood isolation, No Kids - Freeform, no upside down, no powers, Just Vibes, Steve Harrington could probably use a hug, Steve Harrington Has a Crush on Eddie Munson Summary:

“I’ll go with you, if you want?”

“You’ll…what?” asked Eddie suspiciously. “You’ll come to the con?”

Steve's neck prickled. Really what he meant was that he would drive up with him to sell the tickets but as he looked over and saw the slight upturn in Eddie’s eyebrows and those big eyes the same shape as the pit in his stomach, he couldn’t do anything but smile and nod.

For @glitterfang​

#steddie #fic rec #eddie x steve #my writing #steddie fic rec #Steddie as she goes valentines day exchange 2024 #seth writes

[draphrawrites]

Had the pleasure of writing a Valentine’s fic for @chicken-tendies-and-bacon-bits’s exchange event!! 🤩🫶💖

Quirkless Dabihawks AU feat. insulting flower messages and the power of flirtation 😂

#my fic #ctabb Valentine’s Day exchange 2024 #dabi #hawks #dabihawks #todoroki touya #takami Keigo #shigaraki tomura #spinner #shuichi iguchi