#chrisbitchtree

[strangerthingsfanworkrecs]

within me, an invincible summer by bigdumbbambieyes

@bigdumbbambieyes

Rating: Mature

83,382 words, 10/? chapters

Archive Warning: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings

Tags: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angst, Hurt/Comfort, Billy Hargrove Lives, Hospitals, Temporary Character Death, Near Death Experiences, Developing Relationship, Protective Steve Harrington, Billy Hargrove is Bad at Feelings, Injury Recovery, Survivor Guilt, Suicidal Thoughts, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, Child Abuse, Slow Burn, Panic Attacks, Medical Procedures, body image issues, Enemies to Friends to Lovers, Recreational Drug Use, Night Terrors, Mild Gore, Billy Hargrove-centric, Sharing a Bed, Billy Hargrove Tries to Be a Better Person, Therapy, Pining, Billy Hargrove Has a Crush on Steve Harrington

Summary:

Weeks after Starcourt, Billy wakes up in the hospital with a new heart beating in his chest - and a sudden, crushing realization that he has to face the aftermath of what's happened.

This rec is a part of Artist Highlights.

Our featured artist is chrisbitchtree

Know a stranger things creator that deserves some love? Submit through our asks!

[chrisbitchtree]

Hoping no one notices under the dark lights, Steve slips yet another spit soaked cherry stem into the pocket of the jean shorts that make up the lower half of the uniform that he wears for his job as a bartender at Twizzlers, one of San Francisco’s smaller queer bars.

He’d first picked up the gig when he and Billy and Robin had first moved out west three years ago. Steve and Robin had moved for school and Billy had tagged along, getting work in an auto repair shop while he got his GED.

When Steve was originally hired, the hiring manager had been very honest about the fact that they were hiring Steve for his looks and not his bartending skills, of which he barely any.

But before long, Steve decided that college wasn’t for him and threw himself into the job, working his way up to assistant manager.

When he was working part time, he’d managed to keep the job a secret, giving vague answers about being a server when asked, but the more hours he took on, the harder it was to conceal where he was going all the time, and Robin and Billy, curious, followed him there one night. Robin said she’d never forget the look on Steve’s face when he turned around after grabbing bottle off the shelf to find them standing on the other side of the bar, both of them looking like cats that got the cream.

“Funny that between the three of us, you’re the only one that a queer and you’re the one working in a queer bar, pretty boy,” Billy had laughed that night on the way home after Steve was done his shift and Billy and Robin had danced their asses off and milked Steve for all the free drinks that they could.

“Yeah, real funny,” Steve had muttered, thinking of the tiny bi pride flag pin that his manager had given him, after a series of long confessionals over cigarettes in the alley behind the bar, the one Steve had yet to work up the courage to pin to his jacket.

After that night, Billy became a fixture at the bar, Robin joining him when her work and school schedules allowed.

Billy, who unlike Steve, had worked up the courage to come out shortly after they’d moved, would sit at the bar, talking to Steve when it was slow, and hitting on other customers when business would pick up for the night.

Steve loved when he had Billy to himself, laughing and teasing, his attention all on Steve instead of his eyes wandering every time a hot guy walked by. They shared all sorts of secrets, the bar top separating them seemingly making it easier to divulge things Steve had never told anyone else before, not even Robin, his best friend in the world.

He’d even eventually come out to Billy at the bar, warmth blooming inside him and tears of joy pricking the corners of his eyes as Billy crushed him in a congratulatory hug.

The only secret he’d yet to share was how he felt about Billy, how he wanted to kiss him and fuck him, slowly taking him apart and putting him back together again, wanted to tell him how beautiful, how special, how perfect and brave he was. Steve wanted to make Billy breakfast in bed, buy him flowers, and take him out, wanted to treat him right, like Billy deserved.

The nights that Billy would get lost in the crowd on the dance floor, whisked away in a sea of guys jostling for his attention for even a couple minutes, flushed and sweaty as he changed dance partners with every song, when Billy wouldn’t come home until morning, those nights crushed Steve, reminding him that no matter how he felt about Billy, he’d only ever be seen as a friend.

Tonight might be one of those nights, tomorrow one of those mornings when Billy wanders in at breakfast, bleary eyed and his hair mussed, shirt wrinkled or off completely, hanging out of his back pocket where it’s been stuffed.

Steve won’t know until it happens, until Billy’s in his line of sight one minute and then isn’t the next, but for now, he has the love of his life joking and laughing as he knots cherry stem after cherry stem on his tongue, spitting them out on the bar top for Steve to clean up.

Steve makes a big show of chastising Billy for his actions, wiping them up with a cloth, only to slip the stems into his pocket so that he can later add them to the odd collection of Billy related items he keeps tucked in the side of his bottom drawer, ticket stubs from movies and concerts, scorecards from the mini-putt place near their apartment, bottle caps, rings made from candy wrappers, anything Steve can salvage and keep like the fucking weirdo that he knows he his.

***

Billy feels like an asshole, spitting cherry stems out onto the bar top in front of Steve, but like the desperate idiot that he is, Billy will do anything to keep pretty boy’s attention on himself for another second, another minute, and in his dreams, another lifetime.

He watches Steve serve another customer, a big, hairy bear of a guy who’s smiling lecherously at Steve. Billy wonders if the man is Steve’s type, because fuck if Billy knows what it is. The only thing he does know is that Steve’s type isn’t Billy.

It can’t be, not with the way that Billy throws himself at Steve, giggling and flirting, putting on a show on the dance floor, flushed and sweaty as he pulls out his best moves, hoping for any reaction at all.

It won’t stop him from trying though. Maybe he’ll stay on a buddy’s couch tonight and roll into the apartment in the morning like he has countless times before, once again trying to show Steve that Billy is wanted by other guys and that he should do something soon.

It doesn’t matter that it’s not true, that the only touch Billy’s known since Steve came out as bi is the touch of his own hand. Steve has to come to his senses someday. Right?

***

Robin gets to the bar late tonight, after a closing shift at the coffee shop she works out. She spies Billy on the dance floor, grinding on a guy who looks also like Steve with his wide eyes and floppy brown hair, and she sees Steve staring at Billy, his own wide eyes looking like they’re on the verge of tears, and promises herself that if neither of her idiot roommates makes a move soon, she’ll talk to them, because this is just too much. She sips on the drink she’s just procured, already formulating a plan in her pretty little head.

[chrisbitchtree]

Big salad kit fan here. My faves are a southwest one that has cabbage and lettuce, with cheddar cheese, tortilla strips, and jalapeño ranch dressing, and a kale and Brussels sprouts one with pumpkin seeds, dried cranberries, and poppyseed dressing.

I am enjoying your salad takes!

What is your favorite salad?!

I’m partial to a Greek. I like a Caesar.

I love dried cranberries/goat cheese/walnuts/spinach mix with a vinaigrette.

[harringroveholidayexchange]

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!

As promised, here is the Harringrove Holiday Exchange MASTERLIST

Jealousy, Jealousy by @passivenovember for @avalonlights

Matching Souls by @medusapelagia for @dragonflylady77

Aftermath by @talanashta for @ihni

A Californian Christmas Party by @jad3w1ngs for @harringroveobsessed

Second Chances by @ihni for @sh1tbird-shantytown

A Christmas Carol by @lorifragolina for @bigdumbbambieyes

Only with you by @dragonflylady77 for @billysblueeyes

penny for your thoughts by @freezef4wn for @camaro-and-smokes

Mine Own Beloved by @chrisbitchtree for @medusapelagia

winter break by @bigdumbbambieyes for @alicetallula

It’s always been you by @camaro-and-smokes for @freezef4wn

Harringrove Holiday Exchange by @alicetallula for @jad3w1ngs

the road finally taken by @billysblueeyes for @chrisbitchtree

Baking Up Christmas Magic by @harringroveobsessed for @lorifragolina

heebie jeebies by @avalonlights for @talanashta

The First Kiss of 1985 by @mourntheantagonist for @passivenovember

Billy Did You Know by @sh1tbird-shantytown for @mourntheantagonist

Happy New Year!!

As a final note to you all, I absolutely LOVED running the event this year. It was a thrill to work with you all again. It was an easy one, and you all did a FANTASTIC job. I was running to finish the masterlist (amidst my very boring celebration at home with my sparkling cider and cats) So, if there are any mistakes, just let me know :,)

XOXO

Love,

Paige

[dreaminginpencil]

Billy and Steve rolling around in the snow, based on @chrisbitchtree’s fic ‘A Year in the Life’ for the @bigbangharringrove 💕

[bigdumbbambieyes]

Last Line Tag Game 🪩

Rules: post the last line you wrote, then tag as many people as there are words (or however many people you like).

Thanks for tagging me @thatgirlwithasquid 🤍

The most shocking thing, though, is Steve Harrington climbing over to the edge of the bed and looking down at him with worry.

my tags: @spatialwave @weird-an @runraerun @chrisbitchtree @oopsiedaisiesbaby @suotar @suspiciouslackofclowns @dragonflylady77

[thatgirlwithasquid]

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!!!

technically this is a bit early but whatever, it's spooky season!

last year i did 'reverse trick-or-treat' where i dropped some art of billy in different halloween costumes in the asks of some mututals and blogs i followed in the billy/harringrove community. i wanted to do that sort of thing again this year, especially since there has been such an amazing increase of fandom positivity, mainly led by @intothedysphoria who we all love.

so i'm compiling the list of all the blogs to receive this years 'reverse trick-or-treat' drawings. i think all of these blogs are amazing people who are a brilliant addition to our fandom -- so even if they choose not to respond to the asks, that's fine, but here's some extra love <3

i wish i could have done more, but ive got other commitments and responsibilities right now, so my list only ended up being 49 people (still a lot! but not the eighty i was aiming for). of course, the fandom includes so many more kind and talented people, but here are just a few:

@chickensoupleg

@ginalinettiofficial

@salthat

@jaylikesrainbowtigers

@imsodishy

@half-oz-eddie

@adelacreations

@hellcheercaine

@safk-art

@dreaminginpencil

@dragonflylady77

@velocitytimes2

@gonegrove

@mourntheantagonist

@kittyphoenix12-xx

@hargrove-mayfields

@harringroveera

@ariesbilly

@shieldofiron

@intothedysphoria

@bigdumbbambieyes

@chrisbitchtree

@cuepickle

@memes-saved-me

@prettyboybillyhargrove

@ratbastardbilly

@hephaestn

@eddiebillysteve

@deedoop

@wrecked-fuse

@billyhargrovesupsidedownshadow

@ihni

@ofmiseryandghosts

@oopsiedaisiesbaby

@brightside-of-the-upsidedown

@harringrovest

@spaceofentropy

@ashyyboyy

@robthegoodfellow

@carito-dorito

@billyharringson

@neonponders

@kazhan-draws

@boffeeceans

@pupkiu

@stranger-rants

@applewillowstone

@gigacat

@destroya-hargrove

and then for everyone else who i was unable to create enough drawings for, or who i wanted to send one but had asks/asks with media turned off:

skeleton billy is having a cat-nap (hehe) after all his adventures, so another message from me: you're all so lovely!! this fandom is truly a wonderful place. hoping you all have an amazing halloween. and the same goes for anyone else reading this post <3

[harringroveobsessed]

@robthegoodfellow @feedthefandomfest

I’m on a roll!

Bottom Billy Hargrove - Cop Steve by @oopsiedaisiesbaby I have read this a million times and it never ever fails to cheer me up. Deputy Steve and bitchy house husband Billy, come on?! Billy wears a pink apron at one point, you know you want to read that! https://archiveofourown.org/series/3619756

Billys Mother - You're The One I Want To Go Through Time With by ej_writer Really cute fic. Billy lives with his Mother and Steve’s Aunt lives next door. Young Billy and Steve are little besties with little crushes until they are forced apart. It’s all just very sweet with a happy ending. https://archiveofourown.org/works/29307240

Billy needs a hug - Dear Younger Me by Softhargrove @chrisbitchtree Made me cry, which is no small feat. Really just so soft and lovely and shows so much growth for Billy and how he grew up. It’s written as letters from Billy to Steve and it gives so much background on his life and it’s just incredible. https://archiveofourown.org/works/55212895

Enemies to lovers - for want of a nail by sepulchralsmile @sepulchralsmile one of my actual all time favourites. A beyond perfect enemies to friends to lovers. Featuring idiot boys, protective sisters and asshole Dad’s. Max is the best little sister in this fic. If you haven’t read this already I strongly advise you to get on this immediately. Ps. I had no more tags left for it but I’m sneaking in stranglehold as someone who has never seen an episode of Fargo in their life this fic has me GRIPPED. I love them, I love Billy in this universe, Billy working on a ranch? You know I’m hanging on to every word. https://archiveofourown.org/works/31990441 https://archiveofourown.org/works/53367865

Billy bad at feelings - well damn, billy, i can't control the weather by obsceme really really good shit. Post season 3 Billy trying to heal, Steve has taken up his post as resident Billy wrangler. It’s just such a good read, it’s snowy and makes me feel cosy and gives me all the fuzzy feelings. https://archiveofourown.org/works/21664870

[rigginsstreet]

This is my contribution to the @harringrove-relay-race! ✨

some fluff (and smut...) in the coziness of a blanket fort 💙

Please look forward to the wonderful work from the next contributor, @chrisbitchtree 💞

[strangerthingsfanworkrecs]

Hello! I saw that you were looking for beta reader recs, and I’d love to rec @chrisbitchtree !! She is an amazing writer and is always so willing to help look over what I’ve written, she is incredibly helpful and always gives the best feedback! 🥰 She is very sweet and funny and she’s just simply the best!

Introducing @chrisbitchtree

We're highlighting Chris for her beta work, written fics, and art! All recs tagged #chrisbitchtree will be for her work and works she beta'd. Chris answered some questions about her process below

What's a fandom interaction that made you really happy?

Any time I’ve interacted with Bambi has made me really happy!! She’s such a kind and friendly person, and I always love talking to her!!

What's your favorite character or aspect of Stranger Things to create for?

My favourite Stranger Things characters to write about are Billy and Steve. I absolutely love exploring their relationship and how they interact with each other!

What's your artistic process like? Any tools you favor?

When I beta a fic, I like to go through it three times. Once to focus on spelling and wording, once to focus on grammar, then one last time to try to catch anything I didn’t catch the first two times!

What was it like to beta Within Me, An Invincible Summer

Betaing Within Me, An Invincible Summer for Bambi has been nice and straightforward! She sends me each chapter after she writes it, I go through the Google Doc and make notes about suggested changes and then let her know when I’m done so she can go through my notes!

[chrisbitchtree]

Happy Valentine’s Day! 💕💕💕

[fizzigigsimmer]

WIP tag game

Rules: you will be given a word. share one sentence/excerpt from your wip(s) that start with each letter of that word.

The word that @robthegoodfellow tagged me in is... Sleep. I tell you right now, this was surprisingly difficult. You would have thought that I knew in advance and did everything in my power not to start sentences with e's or l's. 😀 But we got there.

Unamed Harringrove Ballet Au

Six-year-old Billy Hargrove watches his father’s beat up truck turn out of their driveway and disappear down the street with an exuberant grin. He had thought his dad would never leave – even though Neil was supposed to have a shift at the factory that morning...

Limited or not, Billy is serious about practice. So serious that he’s still at it two hours later, shuffling his feet to the beat in tandem with the two dancing figures on screen – jumping up with his leg twisted behind his body as he turns and lands. Awkwardly. He sucks in an aggravated breath through his teeth as he wobbles, arms flailing like fire hoses. It’s not anywhere as cool or as coordinated as Baryshnikov...

To B With Love

“Everyone push on the count of three.” Jane urged, biting back a giggle and Will nodded. 

“Quick! Before he’s turned into johnny cakes. One-two-three!” 

The three of them dug their toes into the ground and heaved with all of their might to role the pregnant ewe back onto her feet, just in time for Dustin to come running into their cluster for cover. Big Blue, the lead ram (who was at least shoulder high and had four horns atop its head) knocked into one of the fleeing ewes; thankfully seeming to lose interest in chasing Dustin as the animal climbed back onto his feet...

Even Mr. Clarke, who had encouraged their interest in understanding natural miracles and had loaned them many scientific publications, had just stared at Dustin perplexed when he had tried to explain his theory. But Mr. Clarke hadn’t told Dustin he was being a goose either, or accused him of having too much imagination. Instead, he’d given them a book called Jane Eyre to read because he thought they’d like it. 

“It deals quite a bit with ghosts, and the oftentimes quite human explanations for them.” He’d said with a wink and cheery smile. Max quite liked Mr. Clarke, and the book was turning out to be really good too. Far better than any of the short stories and sermons Ms. Klupp had them reading for class....

While You Were Sleeping

“Pardon me. Sorry.” Steve’s alpha had said politely, like some rich guy in a rom-com with like six degrees, through perfectly white teeth and plump gorgeous lips. To make matters worse, his eyes were blue, and for the first time in his life Steve understood all that shit in the novels about gazes holding hidden depths and secret longings. It was easy in an instant to imagine that the gorgeous stranger he’d just bumped into was as lost in the world as he was, without meaning or purpose. One that he’d obviously find in Steve’s bed, when they fucked the ever living shit out of each other. 

At least, that’s how it would have gone in one of Robin’s books.

Thanks for the tag lovely! I am 1000% sure you have all already been tagged but maybe tag me on your post so I can read your snippits. But no pressure... The word is Book! @dragonflylady77 @adelacreations @a-redharlequin @bigdumbbambieyes @ihni, @chrisbitchtree @medusapelagia @intothedysphoria

[harringroveholidayexchange]

It’s my pleasure to bring attention to our new and improved HHE blog!!!!

@chrisbitchtree has graciously created some adorable art, that we can all now be greeted by when visiting this blog’s humble home :D So, show them lots and lots of love. xoxo

Just some dates to remember:

September 22nd - Sign ups open on AO3

October 6th - Sign ups close

December 20th - Assignments will be due

December 25th - Gifts will be revealed

January 1st - Creators will be revealed

Questions can be answered through asks on this blog or privately in DM on my personal blog @sh1tbird-shantytown .

[dreaminginpencil]

Billy and Steve working on making bread, based on @chrisbitchtree’s fic ‘A Year in the Life’ for the @bigbangharringrove 💕

[bigdumbbambieyes]

within me, an invincible summer chapter 9

harringrove, 83k, WIP beta'd by @chrisbitchtree 🤍

--

He furrows his brows, keeps them like that even as Steve pops down to look at him, his cheeks a little pink as he smiles and says, “Hey.”

“Hi,” Billy mutters, tilting his head a little, “Are you getting in or not?”

It’s unlike Steve to be so…nervous. 

“Um, actually,” the pretty boy clears his throat, “I was wondering, since we’re done early and we haven’t eaten yet, and I’m sure you haven’t either, that…that maybe the three of us could go out to eat?”

Billy quirks a brow, already knowing the answer but asking anyway, “The ‘three’ of us being…?”

Robin pops down, right next to Steve, much less flush than him but her smile is tight as she says, “You, Steve, and I. Me. I’m Robin.”

read on AO3

[harringrovelovefest]

FAQ

When does the event occur? February 8th-14th, 2024

Will there be prompts? Yes! You can find them here!

Do I need to use the prompts? No! They’re just there in case you want to use them!

Do I need to participate every day? Nope! You can post on as many or few of the days as you’d like!

What kind of work can I submit? Fic, art, edits, playlists, or anything else you can think of!

How will works be posted? Tag your work with #harringrovelovefest2024 so it can be found, and then it will be reblogged. My work schedule for the posting days is still not confirmed, so it will be twice a day, either at 1pm EST and 7pm EST or 11am EST And 9pm EST. I’ll confirm which times once my work schedule firms up. If you tagged something with that tag and it wasn’t reblogged, please let me know so I can make sure it is, as sometimes tags can be weird and things don’t always show up.

Will NSFW content be allowed? Yes, but please tag it appropriately.

Does the work have to be romantic in nature? No! It can also just celebrate their friendship!

Can I post works involving other pairings? Yes, but the main pairing has to be Billy and Steve.

Will there be an AO3 collection? Yes! More info will be provided at a later date, but I can say there will be a collection you’ll be able to add your works to!

How can I get in contact if needed? The ask box or message!

Who’s running the event? @Chrisbitchtree