Story [Stranger Things] Can't Start A Fire Without A Spark | 2024 Fanfiction Summer Olympics

Title: Can't Start A Fire Without A Spark
Characters: Steve/Billy (and probably a few others along the way )
Notes: My Harringrove triathlon for the 2024 Fanfiction Summer Olympics. As always, a big thank you to @devilinthedetails for creating and hosting this fun, inspiring challenge!

Thread title is taken from Dancing in the Dark by Bruce Springsteen.

If you choose to read this, thank you and I hope you enjoy. And please go check out all the other awesome entries too!

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Index

AU Archery: You Got It
200 Freestyle: A Morning To Order

 

Event: AU Archery: A story of at least 100 words set in an alternate universe with your character, family, friendship, or couple.

Title: You Got It
Characters: Steve/Billy
Timeframe: March 1985
Notes: I have a lot to say, so I'll start with the easy stuff.

Title is taken from You Got It by Roy Orbison.

This story is double-dipping as part of my Fanfic Olympics triathlon, and also as a very late, ad-hoc entry for @Chyntuck's 2023 Spring Bingo, using the row with prompts Migration, Thaw, Candle, Colors, Bunny. Thank you to @Chyntuck for the inspiring prompts!

It will be posted in 2 parts, since I haven't quite got the ending down. But I wanted to at least start posting today because July 4 is a significant date in the world of Stranger Things (if you know, you know). I debated whether or not to post it at all, because it's a terrible story by any objective standard. I started it as a self-indulgent comfort fic when I was feverish and miserable with COVID last year, and I thought about it on and off before picking it up again recently when I was sick again (not with COVID this time, thankfully!). I ultimately decided to post partly for exposure therapy, and partly because real life has been hell these past few years and the future is terrifying. A silly fanfiction story doesn't matter and it isn't going to change anything. But it brought me some comfort and happiness in difficult times, so I decided that was a good enough reason to go ahead and post.

As usual, the story itself is completely, 100% AU and OOC. The only thing I borrowed from canon is Billy's birthday being March 29. It's a post-S2 AU where things played out differently (maybe none of the Upside Down stuff happened at all, IDK ) and S3 and subsequent seasons don't exist (except for the characters, because I love them ).

Finally, if you choose to read, thank you and I hope you enjoy!

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You Got It

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Chapter 1

Billy couldn't wait for school to end on Thursday. He'd only seen Steve once today, when Steve told him he was skipping lunch to take care of a few things and that he'd meet him at his car later. As soon as the bell rang, Billy made a beeline for the parking lot.

Steve was already waiting, leaning against his BMW.

"Hi, birthday boy," he said when he saw Billy.

"It's not my birthday yet," Billy said.

Steve made a mock sad face. "Guess I'll wait until midnight to sing you 'Happy Birthday' then."

"Don't you dare!"

Steve grinned. They got in the car, but instead of starting it, Steve leaned over to pull Billy into a side hug. Billy rested against him. He was still afraid to get his hopes up too much, but thanks to this surprise long weekend away that Steve had planned, he thought maybe this birthday would actually be a good one.

After a minute, he pulled back and patted Steve's thigh. "Don't we have somewhere to be?"

Steve laughed. "Impatient, are we? Don't worry, I got everything so we can go straight there. It's not too bad a drive this time of year, anyway."

He was right. A mid-March thaw and several days of consistently warmer temperatures had melted most of the snow, and the sun shone so bright through the windows Billy could almost pretend it was summer if he closed his eyes. Between dozing off, listening to music, and chatting with Steve, the drive passed quickly.

"My parents' place is about a half hour from here," Steve said as they drove through a lakeside town with most of its shops shuttered for the winter. "I thought we could stop and grab dinner, unless you want to keep going?"

Much as Billy wanted to spend every second he could alone with Steve, he agreed with Steve's plan. "Yeah, let's stop. I'm starving."

"Me too," Steve said.

He pulled into a diner on the town's outskirts. They slid into a booth and ordered, then turned their attention to the paper placemats in front of them.

"What do you think, Steve?" Billy traced his finger along the curving pathways on the paper and read in a dramatic voice, "Can you escape the maze?"

"Easy," Steve said. "Wanna race?"

"Don't know," Billy said, pretending serious contemplation. "What do I get when I win?"

"Uh, excuse me, when you win?" Steve smirked. "Don't think I'll go easy on you just because it's your birthday, baby."

"That a promise?" Billy wagged his tongue, loving the sound of Steve's answering laugh and the way Steve pressed his sneaker against his.

They selected crayons from the cup on the table, green for Steve and purple for Billy, and counted down together before tracing their way through the maze. Laughing, they both hit a couple of dead ends before Billy triumphantly threw down his crayon.

"Ha! Told you!"

"Yeah, yeah," Steve said, trying to look exasperated although he couldn't hold back a smile.

Billy leaned over the table, giving Steve a flirtatious look. "What's my prize?"

"I don't know," Steve said, returning his gaze. "What do you want?"

Something in Steve's tone, and the intensity in his eyes, made Billy's stomach flutter. There was a lot that he wanted, but he wasn't about to ruin this weekend by saying something stupid. So he kept his response casual and flirty.

"I'll let you know," he said, throwing in a wink.

Steve laughed again, then looked back at the placemat. "Hmm. What to try next?"

He took a blue crayon and began to work on one of the other games. Billy watched him for a moment, smiling softly, before turning to his own art. When he was done, he folded it in half and held it out to Steve.

"Here," he said. "For you."

"Aww, thanks," Steve said, then he passed Billy his placemat. "I made something for you, too."

Billy bit his lip, anxiety suddenly washing over him as Steve unfolded the paper. It took him a minute to figure out that Billy's connect-the-dots picture was not what the children's placemat intended it to be, but when he did, his eyes lit up and he let out a laugh. He touched the initials, S.H. + B.H. 4EVA, that Billy had written in red crayon in the middle of his drawing, and smiled.

"I love it," he said. "Hey, open yours."

Billy unfolded his placemat and studied it for a minute. Steve had circled letters in the word search to form the words I LOVE YOU.

"I - " Billy paused to gather himself. He still wasn't used to saying the words out loud, but he knew it meant a lot to Steve to hear them. "I love you too, pretty boy."

He blinked back a few tears and reached around their water glasses to give Steve's hand a quick squeeze.

Their food arrived then, and conversation ceased as they both dug in. They polished off their burgers, fries, and milkshakes. Before they left, Billy folded Steve's placemat into a smaller square and tucked it into his pocket, and smiled when he caught Steve's eye and saw him doing the same.

They didn't talk much for the rest of the drive to the Harringtons' lake house, but their shared glances and smiles and gentle touches that promised more said everything.

The house stood near the water, at the end of a long, curving driveway. Floodlights by the door and moonlight in the clear sky made it easy enough to see as they took their bags inside. They kicked off their shoes, and Steve gave Billy a quick tour.

"Powder room, living room, kitchen," Steve said before stopping at the bottom of an elegant staircase and pointing up. "The bedrooms are up there." He hesitated, then spoke quickly, as if he wanted to get the words out before changing his mind. "Do you mind waiting here for a minute? I need to, uh, run up there first."

Billy gave him a curious look. Steve seemed eager, but nervous.

"Sure," he said.

"Okay." Steve picked up his bag and gave him a quick kiss. "I'll be right back."

Billy walked over to the living room. Sliding glass doors led to a large deck, and he could just see the lake beyond that. He hadn't been so close to the water in months. A sudden wave of homesickness washed over him.

Steve came back a couple of minutes later.

"Hey," he said, wrapping his arms around Billy's waist and kissing his cheek. "It's all ready."

Hand in hand, they went upstairs. Steve stopped by the first door on the left.

"Close your eyes?" he said.

Billy had a truly horrible thought then. "You didn't set up balloons and crap, did you? Nobody's gonna jump out and yell 'surprise'?"

"No." Steve squeezed his hand and grinned. "No balloons. And it's just us, I swear."

"Fine." Billy closed his eyes and let Steve lead him into the room. The air was cooler in here, and there was an unusual scent.

"You can look now," Steve said, his hands and voice warm.

Billy opened his eyes. Two large, round, scented candles in glass bowls sat on the nightstand. The window was open and he realized he could hear the waves lapping against the shore.

"The candles are Ocean Breeze," Steve said. "It's not California, but I wanted to get you as close to the ocean as I could." He looked sheepish. "I know it's kind of - "

"It's perfect, pretty boy," Billy said, barely able to get the words out through his tears. He threw his arms around Steve instead, holding him tight, Steve hugging him back with equal intensity.

They spent the next few hours tangled in each other, and just as they were settling in to sleep, Billy's head on Steve's chest and Steve's fingers stroking through his curls, Steve spoke.

"Hey," he said. "It's after midnight."

"Hmm?" Billy mumbled, already half-asleep.

"It's officially your birthday," Steve said. "So...happy birthday, baby."

Instead of grumbling, Billy smiled.

"It is," he said. "Thanks to you." He lifted his head so that they could kiss. "I love you."

"I love you," Steve said.

Billy drifted to sleep to the sound of the lake and Steve's breathing, warm and happy in Steve's arms.

 

A sweet adorable piece with Steve and Billy on a trip. First that restaurant had me giggling with the childs play on the placemats and after that going to the house.
Lovely scenes

 

@earlybird-obi-wan Thank you for reading and commenting!

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Title: You Got It
Characters: Steve/Billy
Timeframe: March 1985
Notes: The second, and final part of this story. It's mushy dumb trash that bears no resemblance at all to the actual show or characters and I'm only posting because finishing things and getting out of my comfort zone again are things I've been working on in therapy and trying to practice IRL.

In addition to the sources of inspiration I originally listed, this bit was inspired by a book I saw in a thrift store one time. I didn't buy it but I definitely made a note for future fic use.

Finally, if you choose to read this nonsense anyway, thank you and I hope you find something to enjoy.

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You Got It

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Chapter 2

They didn't venture downstairs until late the next morning, when they were both starving. With a lot of bantering and a few kissing breaks, they made pancakes and bacon. After they ate and cleaned up, they went for a long walk by the lake.

Later, after a simple dinner, Steve jumped up from his chair. He returned to the table with a plate holding two Hostess chocolate cupcakes. One had an unlit candle stuck in it.

"It's not a birthday without cake," he said. He set the plate down, pulled out his lighter, and grinned. "Don't worry, I won't sing, but you still have to blow out the candle and make a wish."

"I think I can handle that," Billy said.

Steve lit the candle, and Billy leaned forward, once again blinking back tears. There was only one thing he wished for, the same thing he'd been wishing for since he came to Indiana a few short months ago, and that was what he thought of as he blew out the candle.

Steve sat down next to him again, and they kissed, long and sweet, before eating the cupcakes. It was the best birthday cake Billy had ever had.

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On Saturday, they woke up to rain beating down on the roof. They ate breakfast in front of the TV, and then Steve suggested playing board games.

"They should still be in here," he said, opening a storage cupboard. "You can pick."

Billy scanned the shelves. An umbrella, a flashlight, and other miscellaneous items were in the cupboard along with the games and a couple packs of cards. Below the games was a box with an old baseball glove, some baseball cards, and a small brown plush bunny with a red bow around its neck.

He lifted the bunny from the box and held it out to Steve with a grin. "Is this yours?"

Steve's eyes widened. "Yeah! I didn't know that was still here." He reached for the bunny. "I slept with it every night until I was, like, ten." He turned the bunny over in his hands, then looked back at Billy, mischief glinting in his eyes. "Guess what his name is."

"I don't know," Billy said. "Rabbit?"

"Uh-uh." Steve shook his head, and a wide grin crossed his face. He held the stuffed animal in the air like a trophy. "This is Billy Bunny."

"Aww," Billy said, batting his eyelashes at Steve. "You mean you slept with a Billy before me?"

"Yep." Steve laughed, then contemplated the rabbit before looking back up at Billy. He smiled softly. "It's like it was meant to be."

"Yeah," Billy said, just as softly.

Their eyes met and held. There was an electricity in the air, and Billy felt like they were each waiting for the other to say something.

Steve broke the silence first. He looked down at the stuffed bunny and turned it over in his hands again. "Well. I think I'm gonna take him home. Then I'll have something to cuddle when you're not around."

"Steve." Billy's heart was pounding, but he knew he needed to say it. "What if - I was around?"

"You mean, like - " Steve searched his face, his gaze intense.

"At the diner," Billy continued. "You asked me what I wanted. I want you. I want to be with you." He breathed in, kept going. "I love you. I want to spend the rest of my life with you." A sob broke, but he didn't care. "I've known since the second I saw you."

He turned away, unable to look at Steve anymore. Everything he'd said was true. He'd first seen Steve at a Halloween party, and when their eyes met, it felt like coming home. Through school and the basketball team and shared babysitting duties since Max's friends were the kids Steve watched, they'd quickly become friends and then more. He knew Steve's love was sincere.

But he also knew they'd only known each other for a few months. They both had their entire lives ahead of them. Just because Steve loved him now didn't mean he would love him in twenty years, or ten, or next year.

He hadn't said anything in the diner because he hadn't wanted to ruin this weekend, but now he'd done just that.

"Billy." Steve put his arms around him. "Baby. Don't cry."

"I'm sorry," Billy mumbled. "I ruin everything."

"No." Steve's hands were on his shoulders. "Look at me. You didn't ruin anything, okay? You just surprised me. Because I feel the same but I didn't want to scare you off. Nancy - when I told her I wanted to be with her, she broke up with me. She said we were too young for that kind of commitment. But I know how I feel. All I've ever wanted is someone who loves me, who'll let me love them."

Billy carefully, tentatively, put his hands on Steve's waist. Steve didn't pull away; instead, he wrapped his arms around Billy's neck and pulled him closer.

"I want to spend my life with you, too," he murmured. "I love you, Billy."

Unable to speak, Billy answered Steve with a kiss, tightening his arms around him and holding him close so Steve would know he never wanted him to let go.

*

It was still raining Sunday afternoon as they finished packing their things. Steve said the caretakers would come in to clean everything, but they made sure the house was tidy and locked up.

In the car, Steve set his bunny on the dashboard.

"There," he said with a grin. "He can see something besides that dusty old box now."

Billy grinned back. "Maybe we can find him a friend at the zoo. Steve the - Seal? Squirrel?"

"How about a shark?" Steve lifted his lip in a mock snarl.

Billy laughed. "That is not how sharks look." He took Steve's hand. "But Steve the Shark, from San Diego? That could work."

Steve smiled and squeezed his hand. "I'm really excited to see California this summer."

Billy smiled back. "I can't wait to show you."

Outside, a cacophony of honking announced a huge flock of Canada geese in the sky. They flew towards the lake, on their migration north towards their summer home.

As Steve pulled out of the driveway onto the road, Billy noticed two more geese flying together, heading for the lake to join the rest of their flock. He watched them until he couldn't see them anymore, then turned his gaze back to Steve and the road ahead.

 

A nice ending with Steve and Billy together and with Billy the bunny to California.

 

@earlybird-obi-wan Thank you for reading and commenting!

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Event: 200 Freestyle: An exactly 200 word story about your character, family, friendship or couple with a free choice of any theme.

Title: A Morning To Order
Characters: Steve/Billy, OC
Notes: Completely, 100% AU trash as always.

Title and inspiration taken from Devil's Arcade by Bruce Springsteen. It's a song that means so, so much to me both for fandom reasons and personally. Please give it a listen!

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A Morning To Order

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The young mother is bloody and bruised from the car crash that brought her and two others to the ER. Her delicate features and dark curls pulled into a ponytail remind him of Heather.

For a second he can't move, can't think, can't speak.

But it's his job to stay calm, to soothe and reassure her and follow procedures to stabilize her until the doctors can take over.

He breathes in. Out. Focuses on now, on this woman who's hurting, who he has a chance to help.

He knows enough Spanish to tell her he's a nurse, it'll be okay. She asks about her child, says she wants to see him.

Billy checks with the other team. The little boy has a broken wrist and some cuts, but he'll be fine. He passes them when his shift ends, the mother sitting at her son's bedside holding his uninjured hand.

Steve's up when Billy gets home. He can tell it was a rough shift.

"What happened?" he asks.

"One of my patients - " Billy stops, starts again. "She looked like Heather."

Steve lets him cry. Holds him until the memories recede and he's back in their sunlit kitchen, safe in Steve's arms.

 

A touching piece fitting for that song from Bruce. Perfect for Steve and Billy helping that mother and child

 

@earlybird-obi-wan Thank you for reading and for your lovely comments!

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Event: 100 Word Sprint: A 100 word drabble about your character, family, friendship or couple using any theme.

Title: Cradle
Notes: The usual AU nonsense.

With RL continuing to be RL I doubt I'll finish any of the events I was planning on doing, and certainly not before the deadline. So I wanted to try and at least write something to finish this triathlon while I had the chance.

If you choose to read, thank you and I hope it brings you a smile at least.

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Cradle

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Steve ran his hand over the smooth wood.

He still loved seeing something he'd built. Harringtons didn't do manual labor. It was one more family tradition he'd long since cast aside.

"Looking good, pretty boy." Billy spoke from the doorway of his workshop.

Steve pointed his thumb at himself. "Are you talking about me or the cradle?"

"Weeell..." Billy looked him over, licking his lips, before joining him beside the cradle. "Seriously, Steve. It's perfect. Dustin will love it." He slid an arm around Steve's waist. "His kid couldn't have a better godfather."

Steve smiled and leaned into Billy's embrace.

 

a sweet piece with Steve building a cradle and Billy appreciating it.
Congrats on finishing your entertaining triathlon.

 

@earlybird-obi-wan Thank you for reading and commenting!

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Events: 4x100 Relay: 4x100 word drabbles of exactly 100 words each on the four types of love (affection, intimacy, friendship, and charity) as experienced by your character, family, friendship or couple in one post; Single Sentence Shot Put: A story told in a single sentence about your character, family, friendship or couple.

Title: Our Kingdom of Days
Notes: Inspired by a picture and the song Kingdom of Days by Bruce Springsteen. The story is my usual wildly OOC AU trash and doesn't do justice to the song at all. But the song itself is lovely so please give it a listen!

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Our Kingdom of Days

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Affection

The bookshelf was almost empty, most of its contents given away or packed into boxes for the move. A few objects remained, one of which was a heavy, leather-bound photo album.

With Billy peering over his shoulder, Steve took it off the shelf and opened it. He and Billy had shifted many of their pictures to the digital realm over the years, to keep up with the younger generations of their family, but they'd never entirely given up physical albums.

Together, they slowly paged through the album, stopping to point out or comment on certain pictures, reliving their wedding day.

Friendship

Steve paused at a picture of him and Dustin, getting ready for the ceremony. Robin had taken this one, he recalled. Dustin was pretending to help Steve with his bowtie while Steve had his hands up pretending Dustin was choking him. Both of them were laughing.

"Boys," Robin had said, shaking her head in mock disapproval at their antics, before snapping the photo.

He and Dustin didn't see each other often anymore, but when they did, or when they talked on the phone, the years seemed to slip away and for a few minutes they'd feel nineteen and fourteen again.

Charity

"Remember how hard this one was to get?" Billy asked, pointing at another page.

Steve rolled his eyes. "God, yes. Good thing Jonathan's a pro."

The picture was a formal, posed shot of all their friends and families on the beach, after the ceremony. It had been difficult to get everyone smiling at once, all eyes open, no kids fighting or making faces. Steve and Billy stood at the center, Dustin and Robin beside Steve, El and Max next to Billy. Kids, friends, Hopper and Joyce, Steve's mother, and everyone else surrounded them; thirty years and three generations of love.

Intimacy

Jonathan had taken several photos of them kissing and posing with each other, but one was special. He'd caught them in a candid moment just before they kissed, the two of them at the water's edge, barefoot with sleeves and pant legs rolled up, intent only on each other. The lighting was just right, bathing them in a warm golden glow.

Steve was struck by the way Billy was looking at him in the picture. It seemed like a lifetime ago that he'd realized Billy had been looking at him that way since high school, and he'd started looking back.

Single Sentence Shot Put

He looked up from the album and met Billy's gaze, still bright and in love after all these years; he smiled and turned his head for a kiss, and as their lips met, he felt like they still had a lifetime to go.

 

WOW you have made it into a pentathlon with these two delightful pieces. Real photos that's it what touches and inspires
Congrats on finishing your pentathlon